Category: 1 – Preparation

Positive Fresh Air Supply

Since the paint I plan to use for painting the aircraft is very toxic and regular air filters are not enough to protect the painter, I decided to upgrade my paint booth by installing a positive air supply. I modified a painting mask by installing a 1 1/4″ sump pump tubing instead of one of the filters.

I then routed the tubing outside of the paint booth to a bathroom exhaust fan which I installed in an outside window.

The fan pumps fresh air from the outside through the tubing to the face mask, providing a safe air supply to the operator.

Time: 4 hours.

Stands and Cradles

Although the matched-hole process eliminates the need for the traditional wing jig, mounting the wing in a stand makes it easier to build. The stand allows access to both sides of the wing and makes it easy to take measurements and assure the wing is straight. The wing has no washout, twist or taper. I made the Wing Stand out of 2X6, 4X4 and 2X4 lumber. A leveling mechanism was incorporated into the ends. The center of the skeleton will sag toward the floor when it is mounted in the stand so to make installing and removing the skins easier, the skeleton is supported in the middle by an adjustable center support. A fishing line is run along the rivet holes in the main spar and the skeleton is raised just enough to bring the rivet holes even with the fishing line along the length of the spar.

A special Wing Cradle was fabricated for storage of the wings:

Additionally a Leading Edge and Fuel Tank Cradle was built to facilitate the assembly of the fuel tanks and leading edges:

Time:  6 hours.

Trip to Aurora to pick up Empennage Kit

I drove to Aurora, Oregon from Spokane, Washington on Tuesday January 10, 2017 to pick up the Empennage Kit from the Van’s Aircraft factory.  I didn’t realize that I was heading into the biggest snowfall in a decade in Portland.  Overnight about 5 inches fell and another 12 inches fell by noon on Wednesday, closing down my return route, Interstate 84.  I put on my chains and drove back on an alternate route south of Mount Hood, arriving home after about 10 hours of driving.

IMG_5009[1].JPG
My Jeep on Wednesday morning in Portland.