Status Brantel #72823

Post by **Spike** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:54 am

How far into the fuse kit do you think it advisable to get the FWF plans? I am thinking that I like the idea of turn key.

Spike

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:47 am

Spike,

Turn key is okay if it is compatable with your engine, instrument, panel and mission for the airplane. I was able to acquire some used equipment such as gasolator, some instruments etc, and saved some money by not buying firewall forward. However I would not buy used instruments again! They have have turned out to cost me more than buying new from Vans or elsewhere! I was albe to buy fuel lines made locally that were cheaper than ordering. I also just bought a suppy of wire and with the help of electronic's friend did our own wiring. With out him the firewall forward may have made sense.

Post by **Spike** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:09 am

I want nothing fancy on the front end. Most of my excitement / customizations will come in the form of avionics. I was considering prop/engine combo from Vans and going with their fwf package. I don't feel like inventing things in front of the firewall if I don't have to. My biggest debate is getting into bed with Lycomming. I want to talk to Penn Yann and some of the builders at Osh this year.

Spike

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:18 pm

Spike,

Sorry for the delay... I am on vac this week..

I would get them before you intend to mount the engine mount as this is the time to put stuff on the firewall.

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 8:55 pm

Spike you can temporarly install your engine mount and then clearly label areas that you can't put holes and or mount things. Then carefully lay out what you have to put on the firewall, either inside the cockpit or on the front of the firewall. You need to allow for throttles, possibly battery cabes or the battery box, gascolator, electronic ignition, if you use that,
heat muff or muffs if you live in a cold climate like I do, cabheat cables, Van's filtered air box calls for a emergency fresh air supply which also means another cable, where and how you will mount engine monitor wires etc. I managed to get all holes through the firewall that I planned for but ended up adding three holes after the engine was mounted

In addition I ended up having to lower the brake Master cylander/resivor about an inch

I have since added an onboard keep alive battery charger, and changed to a Plane Power altenators when my cheap altenator from a private party failed after 9.6 hours costing $175 to make temporary repairs to get the airplane back to its base plus the cost of a new decent Plane Power Altenator.

If I would have bought Plane Power to begin with it would have only cost $23.00 more

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 6:51 pm

Well this week I:

Removed everything from the panel, primed and painted it:

The color is screwy in these pics...It matches the trim in my seats better than what shows on these shots..........

Installed the MP hose and fittings

Installed the top half of the exhaust

Labeled the panel

Riveted a few spots that I have been dreading and putting off for what seems like years. Not so bad, IF you have a tungsten bar and snap socks from Avery's!!!

Cleaned up the area where I hacked off the rib that centers my Dynon's and used the part I cut off to make a new rib... Just added a piece of angle and riveted it on. I also ordered a new rib and cut it off and made the third one. I used the original PP holes to rivet it to the subpanel. I just cut it and folded it over to make a flange.

Installed a bunch of nutplates, made the lower panel to fuse brackets and riveted them suckers in...

Now I am ready to put all that stuff back in the panel for good and get this thing wired up! I still neet to paint the mapbox door.

How is this for a future aviator?

I did a bunch of other stuff as well but I am tired of posting pictures so you will just have to trust me!!!!

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:48 pm

That future aviator looks better then any pictures I have seen taken at the Black Otter! Of course the one of Chad last year is always the first revolting image that comes to my mind! Needless to say this Young Aviator has it over any picture of Chad!

Your Panel is beautiful! Looks great and I am glad that you have the harnesses all made and just have to rienstall the insrutments and harnesses. Before to light up your panel after that before you rivet anything to close it up. With a tip up it isn't as bad but still no fun to lay on your back and install the wiring etc!

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 4:42 pm

Bob Barrett wrote:Needless to say this Young Aviator has it over any picture of Chad!

You got that right Bob!!

Everything is looking fantastic Brian!! LOVE the panel color!!

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:54 pm

Real nice.

what did you use to label it?

dons · Post by **dons** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:05 pm

Looks good Brian, you continue to make good progress and so is your future aviator.

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 4:23 pm

hydroguy2 wrote:Real nice.

what did you use to label it?

Thanks...

It is a cheap Brother labeler with white on clear TZ labels...

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:54 am

Riveted a few spots that I have been dreading and putting off for what seems like years. Not so bad, IF you have a tungsten bar and snap socks from Avery's!!!

Snap Socks ? got a picture or description of this tool/item ?

I guess since I'm done with 95% of my riveting I must be out of touch with this term...lol

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:32 am

Condoms for your rivet gun!

http://www.averytools.com/p-884-snap-so ... -caps.aspx

Hahahaha...

CJ

Post by **Spike** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:49 am

I have been using them lately and they are a fantastic thing when working in tight locations. They make it much easier to keep from messing up surrounding surfaces. They also make it easier to stay on target with the 460 rivets when riveting blind.

Spike

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:05 am

LOL CJ, except did you notice these type of condoms have holes in them ?

At first I thought these were just caps to put over them for storage, but these are different and you guys are actually using them while you run the gun through it's paces.

Interesting... I suppose it helps for preventing any damage on the sides, but if it jumps off the head and you keep pulling the trigger, I'm sure you can still damage the rivet or surface. (I stand corrected, after reading the description, I see they are good for about 50 rivets before the metal starts coming through, so I guess they do help protect against damage.)

For those who have used them, do they last as claimed, and also, do you have to up the pressure any to still get a good bucked rivet ?

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:12 am

These things are the bomb for riveting with any type of universal set....

When you hit the first rivet with them, the plastic on the tip flows out and covers the entire end of the set. The rivet heads still look like new once your done. Sometimes some of the plastic sticks to the rivet but you can wipe it right off.

I will not rivet universal heads without them! They make it much easier to control the set and keeps it on the head of the rivet better. They also reduce the instances of smileys ver close to the edge of the rivet head.

You can still get a smiley with them but it is much more difficult.

They help me the most on the double offset rivet sets...

Wicked Stick wrote:LOL CJ, except did you notice these type of condoms have holes in them ?

At first I thought these were just caps to put over them for storage, but these are different and you guys are actually using them while you run the gun through it's paces.

Interesting... I suppose it helps for preventing any damage on the sides, but if it jumps off the head and you keep pulling the trigger, I'm sure you can still damage the rivet or surface. (I stand corrected, after reading the description, I see they are good for about 50 rivets before the metal starts coming through, so I guess they do help protect against damage.)

For those who have used them, do they last as claimed, and also, do you have to up the pressure any to still get a good bucked rivet ?

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:30 am

All, I hate those things. I have used them on Thermos' project and they only were a hassle.

I prefer to go "bareback". I can get a better eyeball on the rivet/set interface that way.

Thermos, do you still use them?

CJ

TomNativeNewYorker · Post by **TomNativeNewYorker** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:04 pm

I have never used them at all, wondered if they are worth it or not for the little amount of universal head rivets I install. Probably 990 out of 1000 rivets I install on fabricated repair patches are countersunk rivets. I always have a piece of masking tape on the face of my flush set. It helps keeping the set from slipping off, and makes for easy cleanup because repair doublers are installed wet with sealant between the repair and the surface being fixed. I usually put a piece on the face of the universal set face as well.

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:49 am

LOVE EM!

aparchment · Post by **aparchment** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:08 am

Ditto the Love 'Em. Great for keeping the set in place in harder to reach locations.

Antony

RivetBangers.com

Status Brantel #72823

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