1avidflyer

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Everything posted by 1avidflyer



  1. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Magnums with Airdale Bush Gear   

    I saw a Kitfox 5 at a ski flyin this weekend that had Grove gear on it. Didn't get to look inside to see what it attached to, but the mount and gear were ahead of the regular attachment point for the standard gear. There was a two piece clamp that went around the aluminum gear with a 5/16" (I think) bolt in the front and back of the clamp. I'm guessing it bolted to plates that were welded onto the longerons, but couldn't see that. I have a Grove gear that was set up for nosewheel and wondering about putting it to use. It is shorter in height than a tailwheel gear though. I have the nose gear also, maybe I should just sell it all to someone that wants to go that way. Anyway, if someone has pics of the grove mount I was describing, please post them. Thanks, Jim Chuk
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  2. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Going Ivo IFA   


    The IVO blades I had were the low pitch ultralight blades. 70" or71" three blade IVO. I don't think it was cranked very far from nuetral to turn 6250 static. Right now, I have a three blade 72" taper tip Warp Drive on my 582 MK IV, and I think it ight be to much prop for the engine. Tempted to switch to 2.62 and 2 blade to see if it will do better. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  3. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Going Ivo IFA   

    With the 2.62 gearing if you go with 3 blade 72", my guess is you might have to much prop. If you have to flatten out the blades to much, the prop won't perform as well as it could. A blade that's running flat still makes some drag, and not much pull. I remember when a flying buddy of mine bought a Kolb with a 377 on it. They had a 3 blade 62" IVO on it. Performance wasn't very good. I told him I thought it was overpropped and we took off one blade. What a difference! Then that plane performed just great. I guess time will tell, but don't be afraid to try it both ways. I had a 3 to 1 gearbox with a 70" or 71" IVO three blade prop on my first Avid with a 582, and it performed great. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  4. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Brake Bleeding Tips   

    Being the frugal guy I am, I have a mustard sqeeze bottle that I use for bleeding the brakes on the plane. I tip the bottle upside down, so there is just fluid in the clear line and open the bleeder screw and sqeeze the bottle. Works fine and the price was right! Take care, Jim Chuk


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  5. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic homemade spring gear   



    Can you tell us why you want the heavier strapping? If I remember right, you used 1/8" strap. Or am I misunderstanding your post. How well has the gear stood up otherwise? Any comments you can add about your gear would be welcome I'm sure. Thanks, Jim Chuk
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  6. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic homemade spring gear   


    I think one can view topics on that forum without logging in. Jim
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  7. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic homemade spring gear   



    I was on the Team Kitfox forum today, and a guy had remodeled his bungee gear into using the springs. He hasn't used it yet, but if you want to have a look, dig up the Firewall Seal thread. I kind of went off topic with the thread when I looked at his gear and asked some questions about it. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  8. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Aluminum gas tank   



    Kitfoxes and Avids both used aluminum wing tanks for a while, had problems with leaks developing. I think it may be from the flex in the wings that caused the tanks to start leaking. I think most of the people who have had problems with fiberglass wing tanks were the people who were using fuel with alcohol in it. I think the lastest fiberglass tanks use a fiberglass resin that is less effected by the alcohol. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  9. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fuse length and new gear   

    Not sure if it would work the same way, but about 10 years ago I got a fiberglass gear from a guy out in Pennsilvania for my Himax. It was conciderably lighter than an aluminum gear, and it sure made the plane better. Course the Himaxs were usually built with no suspension at all so anything that didn't break and wasn't rock solid was an improvement. I tried to talk him into looking into building a gear for an Avid or Kitfox, he would have probably done it if he had a plane to work with, but didn't so... He does have a nice website where he explains and shows how to build a fiberglass gear as well as other things. Also writes a good story on how run a two stroke to make it keep it running. His web site where he shows that is http://curedcomposites.com/gear.html Maybe the guy that might build the leading edges might want to take a look at it as well. Here's a pic of my Himax with the fiberglass gear that I used to have. Take care, Jim Chuk



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  10. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Latest on Belly Pod/ LE Slats   

    Sounds interesting, for me, especially the leading edge parts. If they were made in 3' or 4' long pieces, they would be easy to ship as well as easier to make. Just thought about that some more, and if the leading edge is made to go back as far as the false ribs do, it would be better in a 3' length, cause the splice would land on a rib. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  11. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fuse length and new gear   

    Beefing up the seat truss is a good idea. That is definatly a weak point. A suggestion from the Avid factory was to fill in the triangles in the seat truss with plywood and it was a requirement if you went with the wide gear. A number of different controls and such run through the truss so you have to plan for them. The fusaloge stretch is also a good idea especially if you intend to put a heavier engine on the plane at some point in the future. As long as you have the fus. uncovered, now would be the time to do it. If you go to www.airdale.com you can see a fus. being stretched. Click on the Avid box on the top of the page. If you have never flown behind a 2 stroke, before, be sure to learn about how to operate it before flight. They are VERY sensitive to high EGTs and will burn up if EGTs are run hot (especially at full power). Also, cold seizure can be a problem from running hard before the engine is warmed up. You really need to run a thermostat in cold weather. Hope I didn't scare you to much on the engine part, and one other thing, welcome to the group! Take care, Jim Chuk (another MK IV flyer)


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  12. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Kitfox Bungee lengths and number of wraps   



    This morning, I measured the factory bungees for my Kitfox 4 project, and they are 4'9" inside of loop to inside of loop. Also, I just got my shock cord from ACS for the new bungees from the FedEx truck. In the box with the bungees was a bunch of flat 4130 if I decide to build anything that doesn't need bungees. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  13. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Kitfox Bungee lengths and number of wraps   


    I just ordered 36' of 3/8" bungee from Aircraft Spruce. Enough for two Avids. It's $1.22 per foot. I've made my own bungees several times before with no problem. Used safty wire to tie the loop at the end of the cable. Take two wraps of wire and pull the wire tight, make a twist or two in the wire to hold things in place, and then make a few more wraps with the wire, pulling it as tight as possible. Then twist the wire half a dozen times to hold it. You only need 16 feet of bungee to do one Avid with the 7 wraps, but I don't put the second loop on till everything is wrapped around the truss. That way you don't have a big loop you are trying to get though a hole that gets smaller with each wrap. Also, if the bungee is an extra foot long, it gives something to hold on to when you make the last wrap and go over the hook and your buddy has to hold the end of the bungee while you tie the loop with the safty wire. One other note, it really helps to mark the bungee with a magic marker where it will cross the top of the truss and the bottom of the gear tube. That way you know you are pulling it tight enough. A little math figuring number of wraps and overall length. Length is 90" or 92" inside loop to inside loop for the Avid if my memory is correct. Take care, Jim Chuk

    PS, the Kitfox bungees are only about 5 or 6 feet long
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  14. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic homemade spring gear   


    The guy who put the file in the Yahoo group used the name whizzer something. Looked at his profile and all it said was Mac. Jim Chuk
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  15. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic homemade spring gear   

    Not trying to argue with you in the least, I did mention that the tubeing prices were from my 2008 catalog. Not my design either. I did price the springs mentioned and they were 47 each. This all started by me running accross this file and looking at it a while back and then I couldn't find it the other day. Well I did find it, in the files of the Avid flyer Yahoo group. For lenghts of 4130 tubes ect, I used what the guy said or estimated rough lengths. Wall thickness was mostly .058 with some .049. The guy said his gear weighed 17 lbs. I think that's heavier than Brett's if I remember right. Maybe way heavier. All your points about welding are correct. Not sure I would trust my welding skills either. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  16. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic homemade spring gear   

    Just looking at the pictures of the 'home' made gear again, and I can see how you could probably convert the bungee gear. Cut the three tubes off each gear leg that go to the bungee area, weld tabs on the gear legs just above the axles, and now all you have to build is the carbane parts. Hope I'm saying that right. I think if you can see the pics of the home made gear, it might be apparent how to do it. You might save half the work and loose a good set of gear someone else might buy. Jim Chuk


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  17. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic homemade spring gear   

    Just ran through the tubeing sizes and lengths, and according to the prices in my 2008 Aircraft Spruce catalog, 4130 tubeing would cost about $100. Not sure how much prices went up since 2008. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  18. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic homemade spring gear   

    Hi Leni, the spings came from McMaster Carr. Part # is 9584K98 They are $47.04 each. Sizes are 2" hole (OD), 1"rod (ID), 6" long, .225X.437 wire. They are a medium to heavy duty load spring. Probably could build this gear for $200. I'm going to price the tubeing next. Wish I was a better welder with this light stuff. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  19. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic homemade spring gear   

    I guess I may be using the wrong name for it, I was referring to the bush gear that everyone seems to want for their Avids and Kitfoxes these days. I did get a laugh at myself after I reread my post when I made the first reply to it. The title should have been homemade gear, not homade gear. LOL Take care, Jim Chuk


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  20. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic homemade spring gear   

    I did some more searching after I made the first post, and found what I was looking for in the Yahoo groups Avid Flyer group's files. Avid Spring Gear Doc. was the file. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  21. 1avidflyer added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    homemade spring gear
    Hi all, within the last week or so, I read a post about someone who built their own spring gear. They made a small trailer frame, welded tabs on the frame to match the landing gear tabs on their fusaloge, and then built the landing gear mounted to the trailer tabs. After it was done, they pulled the trailer up and down a field with about 1000 lbs on the trailer to test the gear. Now I can't find the post as I'm thinking about doing the same thing. I'm on several different Kitfox/Avid sites, so it might have not been on this forum either. Does anyone remember this topic and where I can find it? The topic may have been posted a while back, I don't remember the date on it, but I just ran accross it looking at older threads. Thanks, Jim Chuk
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  22. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Airdale Wide Gear   

    I believe I heard $1250. Jim Chuk


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  23. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Prop Protractor Instructions wanted   

    One thing I would add, putting the protractor at the tip of the blade is probably more appropriate for the standard blades than the tapertip blades. The tapertip blades are only about 1 1/2" wide at the tip. With my taper tip, I mounted the protractor at the thickest part of the blade. Then of course you have to make sure the protractor is at the exact same distance from the tip on the other blade or blades as well. Also that the protractor is square with the blades. I still like my lazer prop setting tool better though. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  24. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic First time on the Ice today   

    Looks like fun Joey, I'm going to a ski flyin on a lake about 45 miles away on Saturday. Don't think the ice will be melting though. It was about -30F last night but it's supposed to warm up to a balmy +10 F Saturday. My heater works, but isn't all it could be at 0. I've been on straight skis for the last month. Love the winter flying up here in northern Mn. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  25. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Leading Edge   

    I'm always reluctant to drill holes in structural parts as well. I can't argue with your point about weaking the spar when the holes are drilled in the bottom. Weather it's enough to hurt, I don't know, but it's another reason I'm liking the idea of a foam block glued on the front of the spar and then shaped to the correct contour. If a guy wanted to, I'm sure one could set up a jig and hotwire pieces of foam to the exact shape you want, maybe 2' long pieces or something like that. More I think about this, the better I like it. I know there is fiberglass resin that wouldn't melt the foam also. T C Jim Chuk


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