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Waiting on Fuselage

Smilin' Jack

Well Known Member
Were doing a lot of work on getting the fiberglass tips done and priming the main wings for painting.
I have included one link that you can use to go view the pictures . I lot of frustration... learning to paint again.... yes sand320 class again...Go to about page 54 for this set of pictures. Click on picture of challenger below

Smilin' Jack
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What landing lights?

Hello Jack,
I've looked at your online RV7 build album and would like to know what landing lights you have installed in the wingtips. Looks like a kit if I'm not mistaken?
I've looked around on Internet but haven't made my choice yet, and don't remember seeing what you've installed...
Alain.

Edit: after looking is it the landing light kit sold by Vans?..
 
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Yes it is the kit sold by Vans that includes two 75 watt bulbs for each tip. I just have to find some of the high temp glue to glue the reflective aluminum that you put on the inside of the tip to keep it from getting too hot.

I am also installing AVEO Engineering LED nav lights. Dan Miller is the National Technical Sales Manager for the AVEO lights and will be down at my house on Thursday with my lights.

I polished two pieces of aluminum and will mount the nav lights on it.
I have also ordered some 1/8 Acrylic mirrored plastic only a 12X12 piece to see if that would work too. My thoughts are making all these lights bounce around in the tip to produce more ambient light. maybe a waste of time but I am just killing time waiting for the fusledge to come.

Smilin' Jack
 
primer used after prekote

I used Aerospace coatings
CM0483660
Corrosion Protective Epoxy Primer

I know this stuff is expensive...
5 gallons of the prekote and I probably bought too much was 172.00

1 gallon of the primer and hardner was 159.

I am using ACRY GLO and my top coat paint by Sherwin Williams Aerospace
 
Finished the lights in the tips

Well almost. Thursday the AVEO national sales manager who lives pretty close is stopping by and we'll install the nav/strobe lights.

Polished out the aluminum with tripoli and will do the same where the nav lights are going.

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Smilin' jack
Hopefully get the wings primed this week as well as the flaps and ailerons.
 
You have a nice paint job going there, I know what you mean by learning to paint all over again. My mistake was praticing with 600.00 a gallon paint :-(
 
Busy still waiting... March 19th. and a couple of questions

Were still working on various stuff on the wings and the tips.
I repainted the light housings in the tips , Polished out some aluminum, Installed the new AVEO nav/Strobe lights. Primed the wings.
Included more pictures on the webshots site. Caught up my builders log. Just getting ready for the fusledge to come in.

I do have a question or two.
Did you wait until you mounted the wings on the fusledge before you put the tips on. Could I do it now.
I might have messed up since I have already mounted the dynon autopilot servo in the right wing and can not use the aileron jig in that wing with the servo bracket. Will I be able to work around this in aligning up the aileron to a netural position or will I have to take it out and temporarily put the bracket back in. Any Idea's. Any suggestions?


you can follow along lots of pictures...the most recent are in the page 50 and on. Click on picture below
Enjoy.

Smilin' Jack
EAA 690
 
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You can put the tips on now, no reason not too, nothing will change if they are hanging off the end of a table or off the fuselage when you install them. Go for it!

-david
 
How will I align the aileron with the tooling holes on the end rib only? I got the pushrods as close to the dimensions as possible but they could be off a bit..
I have seen some RV's that if the ailerons are lined up with the tip on one side then they don't line up on the other wing tip. ... That's the only reason I thought about waiting. I guess I could cut the lens.....It looks like there is a lot of cutting on that little cover for the lights.
Jack
 
Wingtips

I just recently completed my wings and tonight finished installing the left wing tip. I went with #6 screws and nut plates. It is necessary to mount the aileron and place in the neutral position. I installed the bellcrank fixture and adjusted the small pushrod for proper aileron alignment.

You no doubt already know this but the bellcrank fixture places the bellcrank in the correct neutral position and assures correct geometry during operation. Interestingly, the fixture provided does not "lock" the bellcrank in the correct position. I tie wrapped the bellcrank to the adjacent rib with the fixture installed, providing a rigid bellcrank. The fixture essentially becomes a bump stop for the bellcrank.

I'm going to store my wings with the tips, ailerons and flaps installed.
 
with the wingtip everything will fall in place with the leading edge, it is such a sharp bend that there is no adjustment, start at the leading edge and work your way back and you will get a nice tight fit. From there if your really motivated you can install the aileron and then trim the trailing edge of the tips since they are known to be about a half inch long.

hope this helped.

-david
 
Jack,

I've been following your progress with great interest. Looked at all your pictures. I have just learned about PreKote and that's how I found this thread. I'm excited to see what you've been able to accomplish from your home shop!

My question is, do you plan to topcoat the wings soon? I'm assuming you'll be doing the tips, too. How much time do you have after the primer is applied before the topcoat MUST be applied? It's my understanding there's usually a window of working time that must be followed carefully. I'm also curious what product(s) you are planning on using for the final topcoat. Base coat/clear coat?
 
Hey Bruce

Bruce,
Thanks for the comments,
I think I posted the primer I am using and there is no time limit to topcoat.If you do not scuff up the primer they say within 48 hours for maximum adhesive of the topcoat. I was told to be within 24 hours going the non scuff coat.

We will scuff up the primer coat when we do the topcoat.

Were using PPG urthane paint. the colors are corvette yellow and colbalt blue both metalic. so yes we'll have a clear coat but the base is light and has no shine until we put the clear on it. have a friend who talked me into taking it to his shop to paint the stuff.... he does cars for a dealership. I'll prime he'll do the rest. He will paint it in his spare time and on weekends.

My hope is that the fuseledge and the wings will all be painted this fall or next spring at the worse. I want to get everything jigged, wings to fuse, and all the holes drilled all the controls aligned before I do the final coat.

My problem is that I am trying to pay for this project and I have to have an engine and prop to do the cowl. Therefore there is a time consideration that must pass before everything gets done. My goal is 2 1/2 years. or less.

Thanks again Bruce,
I just got done priming the ailerons and the flaps. so the wings are basically done until I get my Fuse and finish kit.

Jack
 
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