cjensen

cjensen

Well Known Member
simple enough question...

when is the best time to install the Duckworks landing lights?

i've cleco'd the ribs in the leading edges, and wondered if i should do the landing light installations before the LE's go on the wing permanently... :confused:
 
I can't give you a definitive answer; only how I did it and I waited until the wing was done and still in the jig and THEN did the landing light. It was a pretty simple operation and probably took 2-3 hours. The only part that was pretty lame was the method of holding the plexi to the nose for drilling -- it involves some convoluted sticky stuff (that doesn't hold) in a sling. I wonder if it would've been easier before mounting to do it?

But, as near as I could tell, it can be done just about anytime.
 
Chad,

I certainly have no experience in this department, but FWIW I am planning on doing mine before I rivet the LEs to the spar. I figure that if I manage to screw something up, I might hate myself a little less. ;)
 
Chad--
Did mine before riveting the leading edge together. That way, if I really messed up the cut-out, "all" I'd have been be out is the cost of the LE skin. :eek: Otherwise, I could have been out a lot worse than that. On the other hand, my cutouts turned out just fine, so it's a reasonable gamble to just go ahead and rivet everything together first. Good luck.

My method if you're interested:

1. Cutoff wheel in dremel tool as close to the line as I dared.
2. Removed up to line with a drum sander in the dremel.
3. Used ~ 300 grit sandpaper.
4. Used ~ 600 grit sandpaper.
5. Used scotchbrite pad.

Turned out great and the shapes are actually pretty square! Even without riveting first, it was an anxiety-producing exercise, but again all turned out well.
 
I just ordered mine. I intend to do them with the skin clecoed on before I rivet. I figure this gives my the most flexibility and I don't see any reason why I shouldn't do it like this.

-john
 
Any time really

I riveted the leading edge together, then cut the hole with a Body Saw.

It would have been a little easier to install before the ribs were riveted in place but it really wouldn't make much difference.
 
Before paint! :eek:

Seriously, as long as you have removeable wing tips, you can do them at any time with very little difference in work. Just leave a wire pull in your wing wiring conduit. You are using a conduit, right?

Jekyll
 
Read through the instructions and you'll see that it's easier with things clecoed rather than riveted. Unless the kit has changed since I did mine, you'll need to install some nutplates in the two outer ribs. This could be challenging in a finished wing. It's definitley do-able, but easier if you can disassemble things. I also agree with the previous poster that if you screw things up, you'll have less work to do. Finally, measure several times before you cut. I rememember reading about one builder who had things upside down. Unless you taxi inverted, this would really suck.
 
Like a number of people I did this while the LE was being assembled, easier to install the nutplates in the ribs and you can check the fit etc while the assembly is clecoe'd. Also found it easier as the whole LE can be on the bench when doing the cutout etc. I used a combination of drilled #30 holes and snips and then file and dremel (wish I had had the power saw mentioned above) to do the cut-out, I did try one of the store bought hand shears and it was crap so dont waste your money on one of these.
I also switched the screws that mount the light plate to the ribs for bolts as it is easier to get a swivel socket in the hole than a screwdriver.
As mentioned you can however do the whole thing later when the wing is finished.
 
you can do it later but.......

I did mine when I was building the LE. I'm glad I did this since it was easier to install the nutplates and clean up the inside of the skin. BTW I also found out a leading edge skin costs $76 bucks! Yes I measured the hole wrong and cut it out in the wrong place. If I did this on a completed wing... well it wouldn't have been pretty. LOL
 
Another question answered for me!

Thanks Chad - I downed tools long enough to hit the forums to check this very thing. I just finished riveting the LE together for my left wing (have to do them one at a time). Judging by the posts so far, I think I'll jump in now rather than put the LE on the wing.
Cheers...
 
holding the plexi

The only part that was pretty lame was the method of holding the plexi to the nose for drilling -- it involves some convoluted sticky stuff (that doesn't hold) in a sling. I wonder if it would've been easier before mounting to do it?
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i did mine before riveting the l.e.'s to the wing spars. on the first one i did the "strapping tape" method for holding the lens in place, as called for in the instructions. on the second one, i thought it would be superior to push the lens in from behind..... it wasn't. i went back to the strapping tape before i drilled. i do think it was easier before mounting the l.e.'s than it would have been later.
 
how many of you have gone with the original square lightweight? are you happy with it? i'm trying to decide between square and round. is the light difference that much? HID is to rich for my blood, so i'm not considering that an option... :rolleyes:
 
cjensen said:
how many of you have gone with the original square lightweight? are you happy with it? i'm trying to decide between square and round. is the light difference that much? HID is to rich for my blood, so i'm not considering that an option... :rolleyes:
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Chad-
I stuck with square. If I remember correctly, the round or HID cutouts look much bigger and (in my opinion only) uglier too. You can always put the 100W halogen bulbs in the square ones--more cheaply than the HID bulbs--if you want more light. (If you do this, remember to use heavier guage wire in your wing runs.) I haven't flown with them yet, so take this for what it's worth.
 
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Lights

I've gone with the square but cannot comment on how good they are since I haven't powered them up.

I started the fitting last night, and for the next wing I'll do the cutout and marking for drilling for the rib nutplates when the LE is cleco'd together rather than after it is riveted. It will be much easier to drill, deburr and dimple the ribs when I have them out of the LE for priming. Its not that hard with the LE off the wing, but it would be easier to disassemble, drill/dimple, then prime, then fit nutplates. After all, we do this for most everything else...
 
alpinelakespilot2000 said:
Chad-
I stuck with square. If I remember correctly, the round or HID cutouts look much bigger and (in my opinion only) uglier too. You can always put the 100W halogen bulbs in the square ones--more cheaply than the HID bulbs--if you want more light. (If you do this, remember to use heavier guage wire in your wing runs.) I haven't flown with them yet, so take this for what it's worth.
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Ditto what Steve said!

Something I am going to try... I picked up a pair of Sylvania Silverstar H3 bulbs on eBay for about $20 delivered. They have a color temperature of 4000K, which will make them appear brighter and whiter (HID-like) than the 3200K of the standard halogen bulbs that came with the square light kits. I haven't tested it yet, so I can't say if it will be an improvement, but for $20 it was worth a shot.
 
i was looking at those too brad. will they work in place of the bulb that comes with the square kit?
 
cjensen said:
i was looking at those too brad. will they work in place of the bulb that comes with the square kit?
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I sure hope so. :D

My lights kits and bulbs are still packed, but going on memory, I am about 99.8497% sure that it is the H3 size that you want for the square lights.

One other thing I am going to do is to paint (prime) the inside of the light bays white to help reflect more light... or at least give it a nice clean look.
 
RV7Factory said:
I sure hope so. :D

My lights kits and bulbs are still packed, but going on memory, I am about 99.8497% sure that it is the H3 size that you want for the square lights.

One other thing I am going to do is to paint (prime) the inside of the light bays white to help reflect more light... or at least give it a nice clean look.
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well, with a 0.1503% chance you're wrong, i'll believe you, but i'll let you do it first, and let me know if it works or not! :D

i agree with the white paint looking nice and clean, but will it reflect more light than mirror finished alclad? :confused:
 
cjensen said:
i agree with the white paint looking nice and clean, but will it reflect more light than mirror finished alclad? :confused:
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You are right Chad, good call. I forgot to mention but the instruction call for leaving a 4"x4" section of Alclad on the underside of the top skin unpainted... for more light reflection. My original statement was meant to imply white would be more reflective than say primer gray. :eek:
 
RV7Factory said:
You are right Chad, good call. I forgot to mention but the instruction call for leaving a 4"x4" section of Alclad on the underside of the top skin unpainted... for more light reflection. My original statement was meant to imply white would be more reflective than say primer gray. :eek:
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roger that! :)
 
Hmmm

RV7Factory said:
...the instruction call for leaving a 4"x4" section of Alclad on the underside of the top skin unpainted... for more light reflection.
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Hmm, since I already primered the skins I guess I'm stuck on this one. At least my primer (PPG DP40) is very light grey :)

I was going to primer the reflector; hadn't actually given any thought to actually reflecting!! Doh! Glad you guys are here to keep me on the right path when my brain decides not to engage (which seems to be happening a lot recently...:p )
 
RV7Factory said:
Something I am going to try... I picked up a pair of Sylvania Silverstar H3 bulbs on eBay for about $20 delivered. They have a color temperature of 4000K, which will make them appear brighter and whiter (HID-like) than the 3200K of the standard halogen bulbs that came with the square light kits. I haven't tested it yet, so I can't say if it will be an improvement, but for $20 it was worth a shot.
Click to expand...
I've switched my vehicles over to the Silverstar headlight bulbs, and there's a DEFINITE visual difference. The Silverstars cast a much "whiter" light on the road; to me they seem to penetrate rain & fog a little better than standard halogens. They're probably about as close to HID-quality light as you can get in a "standard" incandescent bulb.

I love 'em in my vehicles, and if I can't do HIDs on my RV when the time finally comes, it'll be Duckworks/Silverstars.
 
For those that haven't flown with HID's, they ARE worth it if you can afford um. We've got them in our Cardinal's wing-mounted position, and the taxi light (with the diffuser) casts about the same amount of light as the original halogens, but instead of in a 10? arc, it's in about 110?, the landing light starts to illiunate the numbers at up to 150' above the runway.
 
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