I learned from last nights mistakes and didn’t push it today. I had time constraints, so I decided I wasn’t going to push an end of day priming session, and either screw it up or be late. Good news is, Jon and Greg were able to come over to help today, so we still got a ton done.
Jon still is not a fan of sanding and finishing. So I started him out on making the components for the rudder actuation. The bellcranks are made of 1/8″ aluminum. Then there is a hard point in each winglet where the pivot bolt mounts. These will eventually get floxed and glassed into each winglet cavity. The bellcrank requires a slight bend, which we are yet to do. But the hard points and the bellcranks are otherwise complete.
We then started in on making the push rods for the system. We didn’t get too far when we realized that I purchased the wrong rod end bearings. I mistakenly ordered left hand threaded rod ends. I would use them, but don’t have any left handed taps. I see no reason to use oddball hardware, so we will order the right ones and all will be well.
While Jon was working on that, I started in on sanding the right wing. Again, I went really slowly, wanting to make this the last coat of primer for flight. Just like the left wing, it sanded out really well. There are 3 small places to do some touchup where we broke through the primer, but all this area amounts to maybe a square foot of repair. Next work session will have the finishing done for this wing. Feels good to say that and check another big item off the list!
Greg came somewhere in there, and I turned him loose on the canard sanding. He sanded out the primer, and much to my surprise, despite how ugly it looked after I quit last night, it actually sanded out pretty well. It is still going to require at least another round of three coats, maybe two rounds. But it is looking good.
While Greg and I were sanding, I started Jon on another project. I am not going into too much detail in this post on this item because there is some background to fill you all in on. I will hopefully get another post up tomorrow or in the next few days to fill you in and tell you what Jon did.
Since I couldn’t keep Jon supplied with non-sanding work, he bit the bullet and picked up a sanding block. Much to his chagrin. But at least it wasn’t for long. He sanded out the primer on the ailerons, elevators, and rudders. The ailerons, which are only primed thus far on the bottom, may only require one more coat of primer to call that surface done. Then we will go after the top surface. The rudders and elevators are looking good as well, but I think will need a few coats yet.
By this time, it was getting close to the end of the work session, so we couldn’t prime. But we did wash and rinse all the control surfaces, the canard, and the places that need touch up on the right wing. I am hoping that I can get to that tomorrow, but am not sure I will. Dudley seems to care less.
I have a guy coming tomorrow from one of the local custom car upholstery shops. It is time to get some seats made for the airplane, and he is going to discuss ideas and give me a quote. Should be fun to talk with him and make some choices. I also have to leave for work tomorrow, so between those two constraints, I will see if I can get some priming on. Don’t worry, learning has occurred, and I won’t rush it.
Oh. I almost forgot. Since the wings were in their final primer we wanted to see how the led nav and strobe light combos looked installed. Here they are. I think they look pretty cool. By the way, the string hanging down on the last photo is to help pull wires through the conduit for the nav lights.
the Garaggio 