1avidflyer

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  1. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fabric repair question   

    Hi Ed, yes I was aware of the stamps and their meaning. I believe Avid's supplied fabric was the lightweight fabric. Don't think it came with a stamp. Thanks, Jim
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  2. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fabric repair question   

    I just went and dug in the builder's manual for my MK IV, printed 8-16-96 and it talks about using
    U-500 fabric cement, (made by superflite) and on another page it talks about three cross coats of Nitrate Dope. Just looked at my manual for my first MK IV, odd that it's dated 6-20-91 and it's serial # is about 120 later than my second MK IV. I don't think the 96 manual originally came with the second MK IV. Anyway, it talks about using nitrate dope to attach finishing tapes ect. I have a manual that came with a bunch of C model parts I bought a while back, I'll have to take a look at it also. Long story short, I'm pretty sure I don't have poly-fibre on that plane. The inside of the fabric would look pink color also if it was' from the poly brush (although I think you can get clear polybrush) This fabric is gray looking. I think that's from seeing the aluminum UV blocker showing through the clear dope. I was talking to a guy that's covered a bunch of planes, and he figured that some poly brush would probably work okey. I'm thinking I'll give that a try. Thanks guys! Jim
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  3. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fabric repair question   

    Thanks Ed, the problem was that Avid used butyrate for the covering system on their kits it seems. I have worked with poly-fibre a number of times, just never with the butyrate materials. Jim
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  4. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic M.E.K. Substitute?   

    Bob, are you saying that the 105 cleaner was used instead of the RR 8500 reducer to thin the poly-brush, poly-spray, and poly-tone? Also, Leni it seems that's what you used the acetone for? I tried to compare the MSDS sheets for the poly-fiber reducer to see how much difference there was in the different products. Didn't find a poly-fiber MSDS. I have another Avid to recover if the welder ever gets time for my fuselege. Jim

     
     
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  5. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fabric repair question   

    Thanks for the responces Ed. Someone on another site mentioned using rejuvanator on the tapes to soften the butyrate and then sticking them back in place. I think I will give that a try. I think the biggest problem was just the slush is heavy, and getting blasted back there at a high rate of speed. Once one little spot came loose, I think it just worked it's way down the line. Thanks, Jim
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  6. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic C Drive Rear Seal Replace   

    I see it now, again I couldn't remember.  You did have to pull the #19 allen head bolt out that holds the gear to the # 4 part didn't you?  Once the bolt is out, the gear could stay where it is, but there isn't anything else holding it in as I remember.  Glad you got it fixed.  At least I was right when I said I was sure you could do it........  Jim
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  7. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic C Drive Rear Seal Replace   

    If you mean you didn't have to remove the small gear # 17 in the picture, can you explain how you did it?  Thanks,  Jim
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  8. 1avidflyer added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Fabric repair question
    Hi all,  Was flying Sunday afternoon off a frozen lake here in northern MN shooting landings with a friend who is trying to master the taildragger.  There was a few inches of melting sloppy snow on the ice, and eventually it was more slush than snow from our takeoffs and landings.  I noticed after a while that it seemed like I was pushing forward on the stick a lot harder durring full throttel climbout.  I backed the trim down a bit and all was fine.  Well we did about a dozen takeoffs and landings, and I had to get home before dark so he got in his car, and I headed for home.  Plane was definatly flying different than normal.  Actually noticably better.   When I got home, look at the pics and see what I found.  Left side of the plane was fine, just happened on the right side.  I figure the slushy snow was getting blasted back and started to work the finishing tapes loose.  As far as flying better, the tape on the horizontal stabilizer would have acted like a gap seal, the tape on the elevator would have acted like a trim tab.  Not sure which had the bigger effect on the flying thing.  Well back to my original question.  I've covered 2 different airplanes so far, but always used polyfibre products.  This Avid must have been done with buterite dope as I think a lot of them were.  What was used to hold the finishing tapes on and what's the best easyest way to repair this?  I did put a bit of poly tac on a different spot where I had some tape coming loose, and it seems to be letting go.  Thanks,  Jim Chuk


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  9. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic C Drive Rear Seal Replace   

    You don't have to take the donut apart to get the gearbox part off that holds the bad seal.  You do have to remove the allen bolt part # 19 in the diagram posted that holds the small gear to the donut.  When ;you remove the gearbox from the crankcase, the donut and round flywheel part # 1 will still be fastened to the crankshaft.  They can stay where they are.  I don't think you have to pull the bearing # 14 out to get at the seal.  I'm sure you can get it out the back.  I do know for sure there is no shoulder that the seal goes up against.  At least there wasn't on my C box.  That's why I put the locktite glue on it.  I wasn't comfortable with it just sitting in there.  It hasn't given any problems since I changed it. last fall.  My advice (for what it's worth) is this: buy the seal, if your'e carefull you wont hurt the gasket between the two halves of the gearbox, but you might want to have another one handy.  Pull the gearbox off and I think you will find it really isn't that hard.  I just ran out to the garage and looked at the glue I put on the seal.  It was Locktite 574 which is actually called a flange sealant.  I had it from when I put a 912 gearbox togeather, that was what was used on the two halves of the gearbox instead of a gasket.  It doesn't call for anything on the seal, but it didn't look all that secure to me the way it sat in there.  One other thing.  if you push it in from the back, don't push it all the way up against the bearing.  Look at the position of where the old one was before  you pull it out.   One other thing, when you pull the small gear out, make sure the spacer rings # 16 end up exactly where they were before.  They set the clearence of the gear.  Well look at the pics again and see what you think.  Take care,  Jim Chuk 
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  10. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic C Drive Rear Seal Replace   

    Now I'm starting to question my memory some more.  I'll have to go measure the old seal.  I remember (at least I think I do) right where it's hanging in the garage.  Looking at it again, the # 13 part is probably the one I changed.  You do need to get the gearbox off to change that one.....  Went out to the garage, and the seal was right where I remembered it.  It's the # 13 part  32X47X7 MM.  seal.  I must have been half asleep this morning.  At any rate, I'm sure you will figure it out if you pull the gearbox apart.  I know mine doesn't leak after  7 months, and I didn't remember which one I changed.  Sorry I led you off in the wrong direction.  (Maybe I should be shot after all)   REALLY i'M JOKING, REALLY i AM!  BOOM BOOM ..........
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  11. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic C Drive Rear Seal Replace   

    Because the gearbox was off the engine, I had the shaft that goes through the seal out of the way.  That shaft stays with the front half of the gearbox.  If I remember right, I just used a screwdriver to work it out.  They don't really hold tight in there.  I also think I used some Locktite adheasive on the seal when I put it back in there.  If you don't want to take the gearbox off the engine, you probably can take a L shaped pick and grab the seal and pull it out.  Just be carefull to not scratch the shaft or the next seal will start to leak also.  Take care,  Jim Chuk
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  12. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic C Drive Rear Seal Replace   

    When I changed mine last fall, I didn't pull the bearing out.  Had the gearbox off the engine though.  Also,  I didn't buy the $72 one from Rotax.  My Leading Edge catalog called it a 32X47X7 oil seal.  Those are millimeters.  I ordered mine for less then $10 from a bearing house.  It's been fine for 57 hrs now.    Jim
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  13. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Mounting battery in tail   

    No it's not just you, That was my fault when I posted the message.  I didn't notice I was in the wrong section and messed up.  I doubt that it's the worst thing I ever did in my life, but if I deserve to be shot for it, I'll just have to live () with that.   LOL  LOL
     
    Just to be clear, cause you can't see I'm grinning as I type this,  First part is fessing up and saying I'm sorry, second part was trying to be funny.  Hope it worked.   Jim
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  14. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Bush gear bending fuselage problems   

    Thanks for posting the pics.  Do you have any pics of the repair you could post?  I think I understand what you are saying about not pulling on the center of the longeron.  You actually have leverage that twists the longeron.  Thanks for the info.  Jim.
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  15. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Shock Cord   

    Just checked my catalog, part # is 06-12400.  It's and old catolog, but probably still the same #.   Color was mostly white with red flecks.   Jim
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  16. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Shock Cord   

    I've bought it from Aircraft Spruce a few times.  Last time was about 2 months ago.  I think it was $1.22 per ft.  It's good stuff!  Jim
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  17. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Politics - My first try...   

    Maybe the people who voted for you were just voting against the other guy??? (LOL) Sorry I couldn't  resist afer you said you didn't really run any campaign at all.  Power corrupts, you're probably better off. 
     
    PS  probably shouldn't hit the post button, cause this might seem mean or insensitve.  I was just trying to be funny     Jim
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  18. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Bush gear bending fuselage problems   

    This is how I see it.  If you tied a long rope tight between two objects on the ground, and then pulled up on the rope, you can get an awful lot of pull on the rope.  It acts like a lever.  The cabane V acts the same way.  When the landing gear deflects in a hard landing, that pulls pretty hard on the bottom of the V.  The crosstube acts to keep the V from pulling the sides of the fuselage in.  If the crosstube had a verticle between it and the V it would have made the crosstube that much less likley to buckle under the load.  My thinking is that if you also tied it to the seat truss, you then gain all the strength from the seat truss also.  If the seat truss is infilled, it's pretty strong in its self.  I'm inclined to think that if you tied the V to the seat truss, you wouldn't even need the cross tube.  Not that it would hurt anything, but I think the seat truss is far stronger than the cross tube.  Good topic for discussion.  Jim
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  19. 1avidflyer added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Bush gear bending fuselage problems
    Sorry guys for the way we (maybe should say I) hijacked the other thread with the discussion about bending up the bush gear and such.  Paul,  I haven't ordered springs yet, thanks for that source.  It is a good bit cheaper than the Mc Master Carr prices.  I've been wondering about using multiple wraps of 3/8" bungee instead of springs. Of course the springs compress and bungee stretches so the legs going to the cabane would have to act just the oposite of what they do with the spring system.  With the bungees, it would be lighter, more adjustable (more wraps)  possible longer travel too.  That's what I'm thinking might be some of the advantages.  I could be all wrong on this though.  I know more knowledgeable people than me have designed the gear with springs for good reason.  Of course Cubs and such used bungees for how long also.   It would be nice to get some others into this discussion for a more rounded out pool of knowledge.   I think it would also be helpful if others who have had trouble with their bush gear would give some imput as well.  Take care,  Jim Chuk
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  20. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fuse length and new gear   

    I was out in the garage looking at my fusaloge for the MK IV again, and got to thinking that this whole set up would be a lot stronger if the center of the V was tied verticly to the seat truss as well.  Without that tie, a lot of inward pressure is applied to the front  landing gear attachment  in a hard bounce.   That of course is what would pull the sides in, just as it did.  I think if one built the V off of the seat truss with the right triangulation of tubing, it would be very strong.  Of course then it wouldn't be removeable.  A verticle tube between the cross tube and the V would definatly help.  One could then put a strap in front and back of that tube to connect to the seat truss.  There is a tube going forward from the front of the seat truss that you would have to work around, but it could be done in a number of ways.  I'll include a rough scetch I drew up to try to show what I mean.  I'm sure this would all be stronger as well if the seat truss was infilled as much as possible.  I keep wanting to go to this topic cause I don't want a bent up covered fusaloge at some point in the future.
     

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  21. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fuse length and new gear   

    The plywood is a good way to go if you want to add strength and don't have it all bent up already.  Avid required the plywood infill if you went to the wide bungee gear.  If you have it all uncovered anyway, the metal might be better.  Take care,  Jim Chuk
     
     
    I have thought that infilling the trusses with plywood would work equally as well as sheet metal, and wouldn't require fabric removal.  Haven't done it yet on mine, but as I get more adventurous, I probably should.
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  22. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fuse length and new gear   

    I guess if you strengthen the weakest link in the chain,  then you break the next weakest one.   My thoughts are this, if one was to somewhat infill the seat truss with metal, that would strengthen that.  Good plan even with the standard bungee gear.  I see where some have infilled the sides of the fusaloge as well.  I've done both of those on the Avid MK IV I'm rebuilding.  Wonder what is the next weak link.  Looking at the bent top crossbar on the cabane, I wonder if it had a verticle tube between the cross tube and the V if it would have held up.  Of course, the more tubes you get in there, the more weight and drag.  I'm thinking that some light gauge aluminum going from the flat fusaloge to the bottom of the V in front and back of the V with just the tabs sticking out would streamline things quite a bit.  (was looking at pics of a Champ yesterday, and it's got a V built into the fusaloge and it's all covered in fabric)  Question to others, has the Avid V been bent in any of the times that things got bent?  Do they even use the top cross tube?  Maybe it's built with larger/thicker tubing???  I don't know.  Good topic for discussion though.  Take care,  Jim Chuk
     
    PS  just went back and re read your earlier post Paul where you mentioned the verticle tube between the crosstube and V.  Don't  know if I read that before and just forgot or what.....  Well my dad had alshiemers for about 5 years before he died so who knows.....  He was about 87 though when it started,  I'm only "only" 61
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  23. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic 582 been sitting   

    How long since it had new seals.  Rotax says every 5 years, and while that is probably real conservitive, If it's been a lot longer, it could be a good idea to get new seals and an inspection and decarb could be done at the same time.  That's easy for me to say though, I have a snowmobile outfit about 10 miles from me that will do that for about $250.  They've done something like 8 different engines for me and I flew behind all of them with no problems.  Take care,  Jim Chuk
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  24. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fuse length and new gear   

    I've been thinking of making my own gear, have the tubing now for it.  I'm not sure it's the right thing to do, but I'm wondering about using bungees instead of the springs.  Multiple wraps of 3/8" bungee would make it easier to adjust the tension, If you wanted, the slots could be longer which would give more travel as well.  Bungees would be less weight than the springs.  Can any one give me the actual advantages of the springs besides not having to replace them? Thanks,  Jim Chuk
     
    PS I mentioned longer travel, and thought about how often when a seat truss bends with the standard gear, it happens when you reach the limiter cable.  Ofcourse you can only have so much travel before the prop would hit, but maybe sometimes a bit more would help. 
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  25. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fuse length and new gear   

    Hi Paul, sorry about your plane. Are you saying that the bottom tube on the seat truss buckled? I'm also interested in this cause I have all the tubing bought to build the bush gear myself.
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