Wing - strut fairings installed

Early this afternoon I installed the fairings at the top of the struts.

Painting done....for now

I still have the wheel pants to paint, but for now I am finished with the wing fairings.  I finished that yesterday.  This afternoon I glued the black rubber weather stripping on with contact cement.  At the other end is a chafe prevention strip I also glued on.  I have one fairing on its side below so the white anti-chafe strip can be seen.  Maybe tomorrow I will install these items.

I went to Halstead yesterday.  Mark was busy making a list of Lycoming parts needed for the overhaul.  So, progress is starting there.  I also took the brackets for the wheel pants and used Mark's sand blaster to remove some rust and old paint.  I painted those yesterday afternoon.

The other thing I did today was to go around and paint screw heads with Daytona White.  They may need another coat, but they are slowly disappearing into the background.

Screw heads painted on triangular piece under stab

Screw heads painted around back window



Still painting

I have gotten up early the past few mornings to paint while it was cool.  I thought I was done until I inspected things closer tonight.  The last coat ran on the lower strut fairings.  Also, the long pieces that wrap around the wing root stuck to the painters paper,either pulling off paint or leaving paper.  So, I had some sanding to do.  With that finished, I cleaned the parts and put them back in the booth.  I'll be up early again tomorrow!

In other news, I ordered the fuel line that connects to fuel selector to the strainer and it arrived today.

Painting underway

It was still 70 degrees F in the hangar when I got home so I decided to get a coat of paint on the parts.  I mixed the epoxy primer and then spent the 30 minutes it has to sit getting everything else ready.  This included thinning the Daytona White, hanging the two lower strut fairings from the rafters, putting painters paper on the table over the plastic drop cloth, and getting my paint gear on.

As you may be able to tell from the picture below, the table takes up most of the booth.  There is just enough room to sneak by on the right.  I had the epoxy paint in the gun ready to spray, inched my way in, and then tripped on my untied shoe strings into the plastic and pulled it lose from the staples holding it to the rafters.  Guess I should have tied my shoes!

After spending a few minutes fixing the paint booth and tying my shoes, I got the paint sprayed with no further issues.  Now we repeat the process on the other side.



More painting fun ahead

Yesterday I fixed my paint booth as some of the tape had come lose over the past month and the plastic drop cloths had dropped.  Tonight I cleaned the metal wing to fuselage gap covers and the struts fairings.  I need to get a few items tomorrow, like tac cloths, and then maybe I can get the first coat sprayed.  It will be epoxy primer followed by Daytona White.

Tires and Wheels

I bought new Cleveland wheels and brakes about 6 years ago.  I finally mated the wheels to new tires tonight!  It is probably good I bought them when I did as the prices keep going up.  I asked Debbie if we had any talcum powder as you put this in the tire to act as a lubricant between the tire and tube.  She produced a bottle we brought home with one of the kids from the hospital.  So, that makes it at least 25 years old...but still good!

I also attached the flexible brake hoses I made several years ago.  They are flexible to account for motion in the landing gear as the oleo struts move with load.

Next is to run the remainder of the brake lines and install the new wheels/tires. Also install the brakes.

Glove boxes done and more

I wrapped up the installation of the leather wrapped glove box doors this afternoon.  I had been working on this throughout the week.  I also replaced a few clamps on the fuel lines for a better fit.  Last was to coat the areas on the steel tubes I am using for electrical grounds and their associated clamps with some Conathane to minimize corrosion issues in the future. 

Fuel lines finished

I replaced both fuel lines with new ones from Univair a few years ago.  The right one fit well.  I sent the left back and got a second try as you may remember from a post back then.  Well, that new left one didn't fit perfectly either.  Wade came by this morning and he bent the tube some, and then made a cut.  We removed several inches of extra length and put in a coupler.  We then connected the lines to the fuel valve.  So, that is done!  I can now finish up a few smaller items and then install the boot cowl.

We also removed a few panels from the belly to access the left landing gear and put in a Zerk grease fitting.  This is a drive type and it enables you to grease the landing gear. 

This gives you an idea of how much extra length there was

A nice flare

Everything done and connected

The grease fitting is on the shiny item on the cross tube,

above the cable and below the 2 nuts

Vacations and Airplanes

We spent last week vacationing in Seattle.  I managed to work in airplanes a few times in addition to all of the other activities.

Museum of Flight Grand Gallery

Boeing Model 80

A replica of a Stinson Model O

 I saw this at Kenmore Air Service

Tail art on a DeHaviland Beaver on floats

The Boeing Everett assembly building, home

of the 747, 767, 777, and 787

A Stinson flight out of Arlington

My friend Bruce who graciously allowed me to

make several takeoffs and landings in his Stinson