Hangar Flying

Hi Jeff

If you are using the 10 X 12 room for making parts, let me suggest this:
I used Aeropoxy for a lot of small parts.   I had a styrofoam box left over from
a different non-aircraft project.   I was in an open hangar with temps from
95 (August) to 20 (January).

I had bought a project which was structurally about finished.   However I had
a few small parts to make and still will be making another cowling.

I put a small electric heater with a thermostat control inside the box.   Set it
to something like 120 degrees.   Had a temp probe inside the box and an indoor;
outdoor thermometer where I could check it.   Temperature in the box turned
out to be pretty constant but I found that the heat from the fan-driven
heater would melt any of the styrofoam that it hit directly.   Had to be careful
where I pointed the heater.

Parts were put in the box and left overnight (really about 16 hours).   I made
several parts like that.   Then, one day, I had to put one part ON the airplane
on the back of the main spar.  (that part holds the oil cooler in place).   So
I took the styrofoam box apart, taped it around the area where I needed the
heat, put the part on the spar, held the part in place with clamps (hard to do)
and put the heater in the modified box.   Turned the thermostat a little lower,
just in case.   Overnight the epoxy set and is now holding an aluminum bracket
which holds the oil cooler in place.

You will be building a canard.   I don't think it would be wise to put the canard
in a box with a heater.    Check on the curing temperature for the epoxy you
are using AND the ability of the foam to withstand heat before you do any of
this.   Remember all of the parts that I was making were non-structural.   
Most of the parts had no foam, just glass.

Your canard is structural so you have to get it right.   Too much heat can
weaken or ruin it.

Bruce Hughes   

Hi Guys

This is pretty minor information but maybe someone can use it.

I noticed that the "Tyson Pork Roast" (or beef or ...) that I eat
2 or 3 times per month, comes in a nice rectangular plastic tray.
A lot of TV dinners are in rectangular trays.

Now I use 4 of those to put tools in.   Makes it easy to carry the
miscellaneous tools to the shop and lay them out on the strakes.

In trying to finish building, I have spent countless hours working
on the engine/firewall area and/or reaching inside the cockpit. 
Once I used a big towel to put tools on.  But there is a danger that
ALL of the tools and the towel may fall off the strake.

In good weather I have the Longeze in the driveway 50' from the shop
(If I was closer there would be a big tree limb hanging, ready to fall
on the canopy in the first high wind).    In winter the Longeze was in
the shop but it is a bitch to get it in or out.   In Dec. I still have it
outside.   I am (just barely) able to move the engine on its hoist into
the shop to miss the rains (this is western Washington).

So tools were walked back and forth.   On starting for the day, the
misc tools are stacked in a pile of 4 trays in the shop.   The stack has
most of what I use for the day.  The socket set has it's own plastic
case so that set goes in one hand and the stack of trays goes in the
other.   Anyway the trays were free.

Bruce   

Call Wallace at 907-790-3460.   His mailing address is a P.O. Box.

Bruce 

Hi Jeff

I had a few more thoughts.  I use two parts holders for nuts, washers, etc.   That gives me 100
small drawers for stuff.   I REALLY need 150 drawers; you will need some parts that you had
not planned to use.  Odd nuts because they are NOT FINE THREAD.  Washers large enough for the
AN 6 or An8 bolts.   Etc. 

A thought on bolt types and sizes:   I used a lot of  MS35206 machine screws.   Also some of
the flat head machine screws.   If you get some corrosion, these become hard to remove.
I now use AN3 bolts anyplace that I can.

I had some #8 machine screws.   These, and the washers and nuts, take up several drawers.
That is silly; I use #10 machine screws now and mainly the AN3 bolts.   You WILL have to
use some #8 brass screws for many of the instruments.

Bruce
 

Hi GlennBob

I don't have the articles in hand as they are in the shop but see if you can
get copies of the CSA newsletters from 2007.   See Jan. page 29 by Schubert
and April, page 20 by Crouch/Schubert and April page 21 by Ugolini.   All 3
are for the GU canard.     I plan to do the job for my Longeze as soon as I
have time.

Bruce Hughes