Invisible Progress....
It's obviously a lot of fun to post new pictures that show a project progressing and changing, but there comes a time in all airplane building where your working hard, putting in long hours, and nothing looks significantly different! It's easy to see how people get frustrated at that point, but you just have to keep plugging away. One thing that I do when I reach this point is that I start making lists of things to do - for the express purpose of then crossing thing off the list! That way, I can see actual progress taking place (the list has lots of crossed off stuff), and I know I'm still moving forward.
the last couple of days I have finished up all of th myriad little detailed wiring projects. Things like the autopilot disconnect switch, the pigtail for the Garmin 396, a switch for instrument lighting - a long list of little stuff that you have to do to get things "finished". Today I took most of the day off and carted the panel to the airport for another test fitting so that I could figure out what modifications were needed o the airframe's sub-panel. I then spent a good four or five hours cutting metal and pounding rivets. Unfortunately, the camera was at home....
A few random observations:
1) I am really getting to love lacing cord - I had almost forgotten about it, something I learned as a kid, but had abandoned for the instant gratification of zip-ties. The Val is all zip-tied behind th panel, and I have to be careful not to scratch or cut myself when I work on the harness. Mikey s now all laced - and the harness are much smoother.
2) Stein's guys came through again! I had ordered a spool of lacing cord when I purchased all of the wiring supplies, but it was back ordered. Paul Story was good enough to "pillage" (his words' enough for me to do an average panel from someone's work bench. The past couple of days I've been lacing, and carefully conserving my supply, wasting as little as possible. Just as I was almost finishing up, with just a little bit left, UPS showed up - with my spool of cord from Stein! I now have enough to last for several more airplanes....
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3) The VAF forums database is one heck of a resource. It was only just getting started as I was finishing the Val, but now when I have questions like "Hmmm...which wires do I use from the 396 pigtail for audio - the audio pair, or the alarm wire?" I can do a search and bingo - there is the discussion. Beats having to ask again!
4) Panel punches are good for more than just instrument holes. I needed a hole in one of the ribs forward of the sub-panel to pass a connector through - got out the punch, and made a beautiful round hole. I did the same thing in the sub-panel itself. Much easier than trying to hack a hole in that hard-to-reach spot. (Oh, a DB-25 connector is JUST a little too large to fit through a 2-1/4" hole.....gotta go for the 3-1/8" side of the punch)
5) I must say that I appreciate the fact that the original builder stuck with a "normal" light-plane wiring plan. It makes deciphering what is what a whole lot easier as I rip through the old wiring. The trim system was a bit of the norm, but once you get down to the two wires that go to each servo, you have a place to start from. Yeah, I am guilty of doing a few things differently than the average plane - but I never intend for anyone else to have to work on it....(yeah, right!)
6) I have been accomplishing an awful lot each day...but my "to-do" list is longer now than a week ago! I sure am glad that Louise is coming to town to help get this pile of parts airborne again....
The new Mikey will fly again!
Paul