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Eddie's Mini Rebuild

My latest challenge is my new Carbon Fiber split nose bowl. I naively expected it arrive only requiring a little prime and sanding before paint. Au Contraire Mon Frer.

The gel coat was full of pin holes and the gaps required hours of fill, sanding, and primer. I still have to drill and mount the 1/4 turn fasteners.

I hope to fly before Christmas. It doesn't help that is is 92 in my T hanger by 1000 am. I hate airplanes!
 
Windshield is fitted.

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Interior is complete. Have to install seat.
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Really nice Eddie, looks like you made good use of a nice cool weekend...me I was at the beach a short bit which was bait for the two days of "dad chores" to follow at my daughter's new house in Stuart, I'll look you up next trip.
 
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All of your work is showing both a lot of thought and quality. Where did you get the net (mesh) pocket you have installed on the left kick panel?
 
Very nice, looks like it's really coming together. I have just the opposite on the temp, I'm waiting for it to warm a bit, just looked at the temp 45*. It's going to get in the 60's today but in the sun it cooks you.
 
Really nice Eddie, looks like you made good use of a nice cool weekend...me I was at the beach a short bit which was bait for the two days of "dad chores" to follow at my daughter's new house in Stuart, I'll look you up next trip.
KSUA is only 12sm from X58.
 
KSUA is only 12sm from X58.
Cool, my kids are about equal walking distance from KSUA and Bathtub Beach, I'll be back in the fall, likely in the 180 and will look you up. This trip was a Father's Day present via Alliegant (First impressions, just need to add a couple of chickens and a goat and you've got a third world airline movie set).
 
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Anyone have a source for windshield retainer strips other than Univair. I am not happy with theirs.

Maybe my brain is too fried to figure it out.
 
Cool, my kids are about equal walking distance from KSUA and Bathtub Beach, I'll be back in the fall, likely in the 180 and will look you up. This trip was a Father's Day present via Alliegant (First impressions, just need to add a couple of chickens and a goat and you've got a third world airline movie set).

Did they set a cooking fire in the aisle?

I live 20 miles south of X58 but lately I feel that I live in the T hanger.

Welcome mat is always out to any and all passing thru. Even Glenn.

;-)
 
Did they set a cooking fire in the aisle?

I live 20 miles south of X58 but lately I feel that I live in the T hanger.

Welcome mat is always out to any and all passing thru. Even Glenn.

;-)
We spent Friday afternoon after the storms and Saturday untill about 1:00 at the Holloywood Beach Margaritaville and it never beat 80 and then Saturday afternoon through Monday in steuart was nice and cool with a sea breeze, you must be to far inland.
 
We spent Friday afternoon after the storms and Saturday untill about 1:00 at the Holloywood Beach Margaritaville and it never beat 80 and then Saturday afternoon through Monday in steuart was nice and cool with a sea breeze, you must be to far inland.
It was 90 to 92 all last week. That means 95 to 97 in the T hangar.

I am 15 miles from the oceans. The sea breeze does moderate the temp here. Otherwise it would get as hot as OK.
 
Wrong part. I need the aluminum strips that anchor the front edge of the windshield.
Do you mean?
http://www.univair.com/piper/parts/u12377-000-piper-forward-windshield-strip/ and
http://www.univair.com/piper/piper-pa-18/view-all/u12378-000-piper-windshield-rear-strip/
Are your old ones too far gone to reuse? You could try Jay at Javron http://javroninc.com/index.cfm/pageid/42 Those parts would not need a PMA since you could make them yourself with a bit of work.
It takes a lot of fitting for new ones, shrinking and or stretching. I used one of these to hold the windshield in place while fitting the retainer strip.
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The old ones are toast.

I bought the Univair pieces but they dont fit well.

I will try Javron but customer service there is a bit sketchy in my experience.

I also may try laying up my own in fiberglass.

Do you mean?
http://www.univair.com/piper/parts/u12377-000-piper-forward-windshield-strip/ and
http://www.univair.com/piper/piper-pa-18/view-all/u12378-000-piper-windshield-rear-strip/
Are your old ones too far gone to reuse? You could try Jay at Javron http://javroninc.com/index.cfm/pageid/42 Those parts would not need a PMA since you could make them yourself with a bit of work.
It takes a lot of fitting for new ones, shrinking and or stretching. I used one of these to hold the windshield in place while fitting the retainer strip.
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Eddie, That is a touchy, difficult, time consuming area to fit new parts. Without going through all of your posts, did you build a new boot cowl without windshield screw holes? If not you are needing to match the shape of the new windshield and the new strips to the old holes, that is a project. If the windshield isn't cut and shaped exactly the same as the old one you will never get the new strips to match up with the screw holes. Even when fitting all new there is a lot of cutting, fitting, stretching and shrinking to get it to all fit nicely. I'm not sure that the Javron parts would fit any better than the Univair ones which you already have.

When I put my Cub together I started at the forward center working both sides a little at a time until back to the door post. First the windshield lower edge, then the rear strip followed by the front strip. I have no idea of how many times all of the pieces went on and off. It was very time consuming. After all that was finished the top and sides were cut to size. Leave those cuts until last since they just hang over the edges and will not effect the fit of the windshield. Place a magic marker center point on the windshield top and bottom so that it goes on in the exact same location each time. Keep all of your cuts in the plexiglass smooth so that you don't get a crack started while working it. Plexi is brittle and can crack/break quickly and easily. Having warm temperatures is a big help.

As far as fiberglass for the strip, I'm not sure about the legality since Piper used aluminum. This could not be considered as "owner produced" since it would not be to the original specs.
 
I am beginning to think that God does not want me to finish this plane. I blew my lower back out and may need surgery.

I cant spend more than a few minutes on my feet so not much will happen for awhile. I already have seven fused vertabrae. The bionic man has nothing on me.
 
Sorry to hear that Eddie.

YOu have come through it before, just hang with it and relax until better. Nothing you can do but be patient.
 
Eddie,

You know the drill. Ice yes, heat no and enjoy the Dr. Phil show until you get it fixed, best possible motivation for getting better there is...

Kirby
 
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