It's been awhile since i last posted, but I've been working on lots of different things. One thing is the windshield install. The univair strips provided with the kit don't fit worth a darn. I fiddled with them for a long time off and on. I'd work on them for awhile and get frustrated and go do something else for a week or two. Sam did a great write up in his thread. One thing I would emphasize is to not even drill and cleco them on until they fit well. If you do, you'll wind up with holes that won't hold a cleco anymore. Ask me how I know. If you know anything about composites, that sounds like it is the hot ticket but I just couldn't bring myself to throw $200 worth of windshield strips in the trash. At this point, I've got two strips that fit fairly well with nut plates holding them on to the boot cowl. I need to do some work on them to pretty them up and they will hopefully be done.
I've also put the wings on in order to do all those things between the fuse and the wing. I fabricated flexible hoses to connect three of the four fuel ports (fourth still to come). I'm using Phenix Industries stuff. It looks great, goes together reasonably easily, and is way cheaper than Aeroquip. Hopefully, if doesn't leak. Seems like every time i use an angle pipe thread fitting, they always start tightening up just past where I want it to point and I have to get another full turn on it. So all you will see in my wet lines is straight pipe thread nipples transitioning to flare. I use the flare fittings to make my turns. Lots and lots of people have used pipe threads 90's but I decided not to. I'm using Phenix hose for fuel with an integrated, but not external, steel braid that is made to resist E85 car gas. My rationale is that if it will resist that stuff, it should do fine with av gas. The hoses cut easily with a dremel and cut off wheel. I'm taking the flex lines from the tank forward ports into the airframe post that is associated with the specific location. Looks like this.
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I'm also using Phenix products for flex points on the brake lines. Here, I went with their stainless, Teflon lined, high pressure hose. Put flex lines at the top of the gear leg to connect the hardlines in the gear legs to the hardlines coming from the brake cylinder. I initially made the flex line a nice short, straight piece like this.
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After turning my brain back on, I realized that the gear flexing would just pull on it in tension so I'm refabricating it with two 90 degree fitting and a short semi-loop of hose.
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I made the first brake hardlines from 1/8 aluminum tube but it seemed a little wimpy to me so I changed it to stainless. I also put flex lines down at the wheel. Here's how they look.
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I'm not sure whether this will work with the planned big tires so I think I may be revisiting this.
Wayne