Trackwelder

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Everything posted by Trackwelder



  1. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Avid Engine Mounts   

    Does anyone know where a person could come up with new original style mounts? I removed my engine to rebuild and would like to replace them if possible.
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  2. Trackwelder added a topic in Avid and Kitfox parts Suppliers   

    Does anyone Make a Stainless Steel Exhaust for a 582?
       I think I know the answer since I am even having trouble locating an exhaust system on the internet , But does anyone make a Stainless steel exhaust system for a 582 powered Avi, if not, who has he best prices on exhaust systems out there.? My pipes are just about ready for replacement and I would like to fin something that will last a while, any information would help
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  3. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Nanco 21x12x8 sale $31.80   

    I know this is an older topic, but where can I buy the 21 x 8x 6 inch tires?
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  4. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Status of Airdale   

    He has been slammed enough here, I will try and reach him again and will let you know if we have come to an agreement, If anyone else is able to do the same let us know, I have not had much luck reaching him so far, but there is no use trying to air it out here, I always had better luck reaching him by email, but have not been able to get this offer to him yet. I will let you know if I can bring Airdale back when I have reached him.
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  5. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Status of Airdale   

    Like I said I would love to try and Buy the jigs and patterns even at something just above scrap price at least he would make something from them, I don't understand the people that can sit on something useful rather than at least put an Honest price on it so people can attempt to keep it going, I have more time than money, so I might not be able to pay enough, but if he would give a price I could at least try, I have time that is going to waste, but a bad back that keeps me from holding a regular job, volume of business isn't a big factor for me, I can build most parts now, but to make certain they interchange I would like to purchase the jigs, maybe even work out a time payment or percentage, that way we could keep parts available and he would make some money, I hope he will at least talk to me, Even renting the stuff would be worth me while, I would travel a couple of hundred miles to be able to build a Fat Avid/ Airdale Flyer and try to sell some parts to keep it afloat. Either that or to borrow a fuselage to make a copy of the pattern from so I could duplicate the parts.
        The wingtanks would take the most money to duplicate, but I built a rotomold oven in college from recycled Ovens and could build tanks with the same type of setup, the cowl would take a mold that could also be made from another persons plane, if I had access to one I could build the molds, The Airdale isn't that complicated as aircraft go, it is just a matter of having access to something more modern than a Model A to make the patterns from.
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  6. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Status of Airdale   

    I don't think he follows this forum, I hope he doesn't just call an end to the Avid line of aircraft, it is so close to being an aircraft that could go LSA that I would like to see it continue. I know the Kitfox has made it through some tough times, but the right salesman could bring the Avid back into todays world.
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  7. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Status of Airdale   

    If he is not able to get back into business, I would be interested in buying the jigs and whatever rights he has, I am Medically retired, but not by choice, I would love to have a side business that I could turn into something better, I wish him the best of luck, but I hope he keeps my offer in mind.
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  8. Trackwelder added a post in a topic 582 Exhaust joint leak fixs   

    Thanks C5, Those standoffs were something I was looking for, and that engines exhaust mount is better than the system I have so thank you, I will try and be a little more civil in my posts from now on. How well does the exhaust heat work, I have a couple of old motorcycle radiators and robbed some computer fans out of junk computers for a heat set up that I was going to use. I learn more about the aircraft from the pictures you guys are sending, one picture can answer questions I hadn't thought of yet.
    I would think that there wouldn't be any problems with the mount, If you look at some OEMs and what they hang off the engine that would be about the best way to mount the exhaust, and I love the low dollar approach of the tire tread to hang the muffler with.
    http://www.aftermarketcyclepartsnation.com/Kimpex-EXHAUST-BALL-JOINT-ASSEMBLIES-detail.htm?productId=9846004#/0 this is what I was thinking you might need to replace, they do wear out
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  9. Trackwelder added a post in a topic machining a prov 8 case   

    I know that you asked the question because you already have that engine, but did you get a chance to see what they are doing with the Yamaha engines over there? 118 lb fuel injection engine and little less if you get the carb models, In upper Midwest, these sleds are becoming throw aways now, the engines are still alive but we rarely get the snow that they need to keep a snowmobile alive, so they destroy the suspensions and seats but the engines are living on. I have been flipping a coin about switching engines, but I have too many projects as is, I have decided that I need priorities and my old Greyhead is going to power my plane until I get another built. Then I will look at buying the Yamaha Engine to Build, By that time I should have the discipline not to use all that horsepower.
    I think you will find that almost anything is doable, I checked over on Southern Airboats and found someone who had done your conversion, but you had better have the tools to do it yourself otherwise you would be better off buying a used engine with a good case and switch your internals.
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  10. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Different wings   

    Doesn't Just Aircraft claim up to 1500 lbs on their aircraft, they were using a .063 or .065 spar in their aircraft. Dean Wilson knows how to design an airplane, they were originally tested to a load way over the gross weight, but there is a difference between Flying and where you land, as has been stated before it is more than just the wing that makes a plane capable of handling higher loads. There has become a lot of stories on this design and some truths that have become facts, I would love to spend a day talking with the man, and I wonder if He knew the plane he designed 30 years ago would still be a major factor in aircraft today.
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  11. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Let's talk gear geometry   

    I have 2 of those Harley shocks sitting on the bench, they are heavy, and the wheel travel on a Harley is only 4 inches with the ratio included, I don't know how they would help, but I figured if we were going to talk about them, we should keep that in mind. A Softtail Harley weighs over 600 lbs depending on the model, and with passengers weighs up to 1200 lbs, and uses 2 shocks to support the load, they are designed for constant motion where we are looking for something that moves only occaissionally. Just some parameters to add to the pot,
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  12. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Need folded wing struts   

    Manual part3 page 35 I believe shows the part at the length of the Horizontal stabilizer being attatched to the frame with an AN3-4 Bolt
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  13. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Yahoo Group   

    No you came across with a correct and proper answer, but I was the one who probably was a bit out of line, But 6 months and enough money to have gotten my plane in the air and you think I could get a Biannual done or at least have the instructor at the community college stay awake while I am Flying.
    If you want to add some good information, Steve Winder gave a lot of information giving tubing sizes and wall thicknesses of the different models, It was interesting reading, but he deserves his own slot over here, I would put down the tubing sizes of the ModelIV and where they are since that was the ultimate of the Avids when He was there, the Pursang was probably a bit better but Larson is putting those down in an interesting manner, If people could look at one place and see what size tubing was used in each location it would be of advantage to the people who are rebuilding their planes. Some of the information about how the stretch was a matter of taking out 75 feet of tubing and adding back, I'll let you find that answer.
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  14. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Let's talk gear geometry   

         I don't think or at least didn't mean to say the airshock wouldn't work, but my math was in the ball park, I believe the next point of failure is the V at the top of the struts, if a person were to put a cross member through there it would triangulate it and take the seat truss out of the equation. Like I said the troubles seem to occur with the 1 % ers  and then only when they have reached beyond the limit, If you can build it I can break it, the only thing I had to really say about the airshock is that the patent won't hold up. I will never build a part to sell if someone else is making a living at it but someone will. I think the ultimate for now is the Highlander Superstohl with 18 inches of travel, other than the wings coming off I don't know how you could break it without trying. 
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  15. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Avid visability   

         There is something about a tripacer that I just like, If I buy a certified plane that would be the one, I have been finding some around me that the old guys are finally letting go of with 400 hours on the engines and they are only asking $14000 give or take for. I just consider it to be the big overgrown Avid. Both my wife and Daughter want to get their pilots licenses and with 2 to have trained the rental cost would be about the same price as buying a Tri Pacer, everyone has to have a goal, planes aren't real active around here and it seems that every third farmer is an A&P but nobody flies anymore, they do work on the planes fairly cheap with annuals costing under a grand for a fairly simple plane. It goes up if you have IFR but still stays reasonable. I have hangar costs that a lot of people would dream of a nested T hangar on the end so I have an extra half hangar so I spend the extra money for it I pay $600 a year, mechanics that are cheap and available planes that are reasonable but flight instructors trying to make there annual salary off of one student while I am on a fixed income.
         I wish I was still working there would be flying planes in my hangar instead of half finished proects.
     
     
    I understand what you are talking about with the cost of parts, I started building a Lycoming 235 and when I got to the piston rings it was cheaper to machine the pistons and run ford Big Block rings instead of buying one ring I got a complete set for less.
     
     
     
    When it comes to the Good old boys Club, I have worked in my hangar most days for the past year, and other than the occaissional person stopping for fuel, I have the airport to myself
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  16. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Yahoo Group   

    I am a disabled Vet living on a pension from the railroad and a partial pension from the VA, I have about 30 hours with an instructor who was more interested in building his own time than in teaching me to fly, the other instructor teaches solely Light sport and I have 10 landings in a Kitfox, I don't worry about takeoffs, the landings are what I have always been concerned with, when I can plant a cub or a Kitfox directly on the numbers 10 out of ten times and grease in every landing three point or wheel, I feel that I have an Instructor who isn't interested in teaching, I should have gone to one of those quick learn taildragger schools, but I felt I would get a better education from someone who flew in the 15 knot crosswinds we normally have to deal with, no I don't feel like I am ready to land in Idaho at some of those backwoods strips, But I won't feel that way until after I have done it. There is a point where you have to give up on the instructor, mine was when I heard him snoring in the backseat when I was practicing landings, If he is comfortable enough to go to sleep on me I am wasting my time with him.
         Since I got that out of my system, which of the taildragger schools did you attend, Riding in a car for 500 miles kills my back but at least I have enough titanium in it to hold everything in place now, If I can find someone who is willing to teach I am willing to learn, but I am not kidding about being able to land on a grass or concrete runway on the numbers or about my instructor snoring in the back seat of a sport cub for an hour while I did full stop takeoff and landings with the 15 knot crosswind, when I finally shut her down all he had to say was that the school didn't allow me to fly in that much crosswind.
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  17. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Yahoo Group   

    T Bucket I am surprised that no one wants to fly a Tailwind, I have plans for the Tailwind the Cougar and the Buttercup, The Buttercup is at the same stage as the Avid, or just  a little behind, I need to sandblast before I cover and complete the leading edge flaps, I am not used to riveting aluminum yet and it really is a 2 person job to skin them even just trying to run a 10 foot sheet through the English wheel is more than I can do alone anymore. With as many tailwinds as there are out there, you should be able to get someone who can fly one. Where are you flying out of that you can't find a pilot. I know that few want to teach in a taildragger, but if it is your own plane crop dusting season is over and one of those guys should be able to do it.
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  18. Trackwelder added a post in a topic 582 Exhaust joint leak fixs   

    That wasn't the difference I was thinking about, but since you brought it up, mounting the exhaust to the engine would keep a lot of the movement out of the system, Bolted solid to the firewall, I can see why you are getting leaks, at least put some lord mounts in there so it can move a bit, even in a snowmobile the exhaust wasn't mounted that solid, normally they just had a spring wrapped around the canister. If I remember right Dean Wilson set up your first engine I would have him look at the pictures and get his opinion.
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  19. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Hi, I'm new to Avid Fox Flyers, looking for info and a plane   

        Let me throw my own 2 cents in , Since you already own a nice cross country plane, I am guessing that you don't plan on selling it, find the lightest 2 stroke Model you can find, no fancy panel cylinder head temp, exhaust temp water temp and electricity, basic flight instruments and a handheld radio, the smaller and lighter planes would take off and land shorter and can be found in the $10,000 or less range, saving a lot of money for the things you want to ad. Bigger tires different landing gear floats skis or whatever you want, If you don't want to build there are still plenty in that price range.
         When you can find tri-pacers for $12,000 in annual with mid time engines why spend $40,000 on a plane that was built to perform the job of the cross country plane if you are going to trailer it.
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  20. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Need folded wing struts   

    Boat, if it is a model 1or 2 I will get you the measurements tomorrow, the pieces were just a 3/8 inch rod on mine and you made your own clip to hold them on the plane, I wouldn't get worried about it to much, they also make a support for the front of the front spar that runs down to the strut mount if you are going to be doing a lot of trailering, for those you can measure your own plane and make something, infact you could easily do that for the rear of the wing, You wouldn't even have to weld them to build them they are just there to keep the wings from swinging into the plane or out into the other lane. 
         Ed, my wife found my play money and the check came back to me, The computer decided to update itself and I can't get email
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  21. Trackwelder added a post in a topic machining a prov 8 case   

    Ask the question on www.rotaryforum.com they specialize in alternative motors and there are several of the SeaDoo engines pictured, I don't know if the crank is any different you would have to look at bore and stroke, most aircraft engines also use cageless bearings, I am not sure if they are necessary but if the piston pin is the same size I would look into it. The first Rotax aircraft engines used a single ignition, not recommended but not impossible, the big news is in the Webr and the Yamaha snowmobile engines, for the same weight you can have 150 hp in a 4 stroke with fuel injection. Not trying to talk you out of using your engine, but if I had to do the machining I would look at those two especially the Yamaha. Most snowmobiles around here are shelled out at 3,000 miles and the first valve adjustment isn't do until 25,000 miles.
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  22. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Avid visability   

    Since my exhaust came from a Kit Fox, that part is not a factor at this time, Have you  seen the price they want for an exhaust for a Rotax? I should probably leave it stock and just finish it, but I can't help myself with modifications t this time. I have been looking at the price of Factory made aircraft and If I could sell one of my Harleys and a couple of 4 wheelers I should have plenty to buy something, I just have never spent that much time around airplanes before I got my Certificate and am not sure what things like annuals or conditionals would cost, I am stuck between wanting the best I can Build and just wanting to Fly, any takers on the other toys?
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  23. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Yahoo Group   

    With all of these new upgrades, No email messages are getting through to my computer, I had every fact and every one of steve Winders comments on the Avid models and their upgrades down when I stared my Avid, I am old school an wrote them all down in a note book, You could almost build a plane up to the standard that was available at that time, I Modified mine to Mark IV specifications along with a few Pursang changes but had to lose weight in order to fly it even then. I still am having problems with trying to find an instructor for tailwheel, that is my goal, I have 3 planes almost built an ultralight an Avid and A Buttercup predecessor to the tailwind, all are taildraggers, the ultralight I have more landings than I can count but I have 30 hours with instructors in cubs and Kitfoxes and they all say I need more lessons before I get a sign off, in fact I can't get them to do a Bi annual until then. My 582 is almost back together and the Avid will be ready for inspection after I get a set of tires anyhow, I am thinking a set of those Blimp tires but that gives me about another year to get in the air legally. 
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  24. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Avid visability   

    If you can weld you can build a Motor mount, How would that change affect the flight characteristics of the plane. In other words would changing the thrust line have a negative to flight, I have only flown a kit fox once, and By looking down the side corner of the windshiekld I was happy with the vision, I am just uncomfortable with 2 strokes in general and I would prefer to go the other way and put my Avid engine upright, I am so close to getting this plane together that I can almost feel it, but changes that I feel lead to safety can still be made. I just have to get my hangar organized with 3 planes in it I should have another hangar, I just found out that there are only 3 planes at my airport 1 for sale 1 numbered as a DC3 and one that is supposedly owned by someone in Wyoming but at $100 a month until my wife finishes school next fall I will live with what I have. 
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  25. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Vemer Engines   

    If you want a horizontally opposed engine that has a lot of engineering behind it, look at the BMW 1200 they were first used on Avids about 20 year ago, and have demonstrated their ability in Europe for decades as an Aircraft motor, The 3 engines that I have been looking at are the BMW 1200 oil cooled engine, the Weber 750cc , and the Yamaha Genesis engine. The BMW is one of the few bike engines that unbolts from the transmission and has shown that it is able to live in an aircraft. the Weber is seen mainly in Polaris snowmobiles in my area and usually outlives the machine that it was built in, the Yamaha snowmobile engine is the same way, the Yamaha wins in the horsepower at up to 150hp cut it down to 130nfor realistic aircraft use, the Weber is closer to 120hp and the BMW is about 100hp all three are fuel injected though had been used with carburetors in the past and while the BMW has the only true dual plug the others use an individual coil on plug, the Yamaha would be tough to squeeze a second plug in with 5 valves but the Weber might be possible. The lightest I believe is the Yamaha at 118 pounds, anywhere but the US they are considered great engines and have been worked on for years.
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