jofunk

Oh look another plug......To avoid ruining the mold I used some soft wood sticks to coax the plug out . It needs a little lovin' then we will play around sucking down canopies.

jofunk

John Roth and John Abrahamian came over last night to help me test run the K 170 in the Panther. After making new leads for everything running back to the engine I wasn't sure what issues we would face. Sure enough "no start". The engine would spin, the propane would kick on and ignite , and the RPM s would cycle up and down. The pump would not turn on. John R called Barry and explained what happened and his answer was "send it in". After they hung up I MF d King Tech and Barry for a while ranting that the engine only had 157 minutes of run time on it, and I paid top dollar to avoid these very problems. I really didn't want to tear everything out of the plane and send it back to Barry, especially all my custom made engine leads. We decided to try a few more starts and try to analyzing the readings we told Barry about. Every time it would go to start while running on propane the temp reading would be erratic, 25 c 100c 80 c etc. As soon as it would time out and shut down the temp reading would show a reasonable value like 300 c. We all figured The temp probe was bad. I was willing to swap the temp probe out before sending it in. We pulled the engine and removed the front cover. John Roth pulled on the red and white temp probe wires that are under two set screws on a circuit board. One slid right out. Mr. fun said that while we had it apart we should check all the screws under the cover. I wad curious as to where the tach sensor was and was tipping the engine to see. What we found was another completely backed out cap head screw from the front of the engine under the circuit board right where to temp probe sensor set screw housings are soldered to the circuit board. It was just being held there by the circuit board shorting it out as it rattled around at start up. We tightened everything and reinstalled the engine. By that time it was late, dark, and raining. What to do? We hung the engine and the tail out the basement door and gave it another try. It started right up. It ran like a monster. Thanks John and MR Fun for the help. As for Barry and King Tech just have QC check all the screws and the engine will start great.

jofunk

I removed the fuel tank and changed out some twist ties for zip ties that I couldn't reach. While the tank was out I fuel proofed the fuel tank compartment with some epoxy resin that I dyed black. I also made provisions for the fuel tank vent line. I can go in one of two places to exit the vent, directly out the left side of the fuse, or out the nose gear wheel well. I am thinking out the wheel well for now. Both are short routes to the outside of the plane. I also removed the battery tray and painted it red. The new canopy plug also got a wet sand rub down to show the spots that need attention. The last pic is for Ed Jongsma who cut this plane in half this past Sunday. I,ll see you at the Palos combat on april 28th.

jofunk

I reinstalled the fuel tank and have the vent line running into the wheel well for now. The battery tray is also installed with the batteries. I also made and installed some ARDs, antenna routing devices. It is more commonly known as plastic tubing to hold the antennas at right angles.

AndyAndrews

I can't wait to see this bird fly. Looking good guys!

jofunk

Hey Andy,

You were the first person I ever saw with a King Tech engine. I know you have had them for a while. Are there any issues that you have come across with your engines since you have been flying them? My problem turned out to be minor and wound up being an easy fix. It is good to know if and when people have problems with any engine and what the fix is.

thanks,
Joe

jofunk

Sebastian is busy installing his retracts. Vladimir said they are called Impact engineering retracts. It looks like the air cylinder is on the opposite side of the retract direction so Sebastian is modifying the wing root area to fit them in. These are the pix. he sent me.

jofunk

I did a little more unglamorous plug work. My tube of icing is starting to stiffen up so I need to use it up. The plug needed to be lowered by 3/4" but the bondo is very thick where it needed to be cut down. Instead of using a cut off wheel I drilled a bunch of holes around the perimeter. The excess then easily snapped off. Did you know a concrete patio doubles as a gigantic piece of #80 grit sand paper?

sysiek

My Feedback: (176)

This is hard work you doing ,I'm waiting for more retract parts and find new pipe 31" for up to p-200 perfect size.

jofunk

The main gear were mushy when the plane was fully assembled. I disassembled the main struts and dropped an 1 1/2" long dowel down the upper strut along with some lithium grease. The spring put up a fight going back in but it solved the mushy problem. I also started to fill the canopy plug with some Hydrocal. The Hydrocal generates heat when it cures so I am filling it in small batches. I threw a wine bottle in there it take up some space. I don't think Vladimir's vacuum table will collapse a bottle in the middle of this thing. Now we are down to wheels, canopy, and balance.

jofunk

John Abrahamian came over after work today. He sprayed his fuse with primer and went to town with the icing filling low spots. Jerry Bernard saw the garage door open so he stopped in to add his two cents. I finished filling the canopy plug with Hydrocal. Johns fuel tank compartment also started getting boxed in. The three bulk heads in that area got some holes cut in them to run some wiring.

jofunk

The canopy plug is done. What ever comes off this thing is what is going on my Panther. No more screwin' around. I need to get the hatch with a canopy done to be able to attempt a flight this spring. I only have 40 days left. If things work the way they should I'll try to post a video of a canopy getting sucked down.

jofunk

Hal and Vladimir came over this afternoon and we sucked down some canopies. Everything worked well and the canopies came out great. We made 6 canopies. Vladimir took two for his/Sebastian's plane. I am keeping two. I will see if Mike wants to buy a few for his plane. I need to trim one out and I can start on finishing my hatch. I videoed the process as best I could. It was a little difficult to video and work on making the canopies at the same time but you can get an idea of the process. We were all nervous on the first canopy and by the sixth we were working like pros. You may need to hi light the video link here to go to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=282WH...m-upload_owner

sysiek

My Feedback: (176)

Hi this is just super thanks for not forgetting me ,waiting for struts from Sierra giant and right after stage two installing servos and air lines ,got mine pipe and turbine set + the pilot so like 30 to 50 more hours and go flight.

jofunk

I rough cut the canopies out and sold two of them. Of the two I have left I trimmed the flange off of one. The canopy and hatch have a coat of PVA on them. They will then get glassed over everywhere there is a frame. I did a frame once already and gave it to John Roth. I now get to do one over one of my canopies.

jofunk

some pix.

jofunk

I was afraid the PVA would have a hard time releasing from the primer on the hatch so I covered it with packing tape. I formed the canopy frame from carbon fiber for those inverted landings. Not really. I made the frame from strips of glass cloth. The black color cane from some dye I put in the resin. It didn't take much dye to make a few ounces of resin black. I add what amounted to the size of an eraser on the end of a pencil in dye to color it. When the frame cures I will just pop it off and trim it. Or should I say hopefully pop it off?

sysiek

My Feedback: (176)

Just pickup the canopy from Vladimir so now time to work on the cockpit .

sysiek

My Feedback: (176)

Oh one more think the look super thanks so much for the hard work.

jofunk

After the club glider contest this morning, flying with John Roth this afternoon, and Mr, Roth inviting me over for a steak dinner this evening, I had a little energy left to come home and peel the canopy frame off the hatch. I also peeled the canopy out of the frame and rough trimmed the frame. Next will be to establish some landmarks on the frame and trim it to the correct size. Sorry pix won't upload.

jofunk

some pix. In the second picture that is the PVA membrane that looks like a canopy is still in the frame.

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

The frame looks good, but FWIW, its too wide in the hoops and windscreen area. I'm not sure if that is your final trim, but it would look much better if you trimmed these down narrower.

Bob

jofunk

HI Bob,

I know it is too wide right now. I need to get some landmarks on it so I can trim it down symmetrically. There are also triangular gussets in some corners that need to be figured in before I trim it down. The canopy scissors cut it ok but it is a workout on my fingers.


Thanks,
Joe

Terry Holston

My Feedback: (1)

Joe, Just don't get any of that carbon fiber shards in your fingers..............Lookin' good

jofunk

Hi Terry,

It's not carbon fiber just glass cloth with black dye in the resin. Thanks for the support.

Joe