RV-15 Spring Update …new vid.
Fugitive
Baffle Oil Cooler Angle Support
Q: I'm putting together the baffles and planning out my oil cooler support (9A). Sounds like people have pretty good success beefing up the outer baffle corner with a piece of 1" aluminum angle, as well as supporting the inside cooler flange with a cylinder or boss mounted support that creates a triangle to the cooler.
I don't have any 1" structural aluminum angle on hand. For this use, would the garden variety angle from the big box store be okay, or should I put everything aside until I can order a chunk of structural angle?
A: I wanted to get flying and just reinforced for my cooler. It was a coin toss though. Here is a couple of photos that show the areas that get reinforced. Imagine the head orbiting on the end and taking the cooler with it. The baffle is stiffened to connect with the head screws. Then the end of the cooler can wag -pivoting on the vertical attachment to that end baffle. The rod connects for that motion - closer to the center of the cooler. For a larger cooler, the remote mount is unquestionably needed. My engine and oil cools just fine w/o oil jets on the pistons. (a tradeoff to be sure).
All seems to be doing well at 300+ hrs. Fingers crossed.
Bsquared
I purchase an automotive door edge protector for use on the glare shield of my -14A that I completed in 2020. While doing some interior maintenance this week I noticed that there was fingerprints and other stuff on the inward facing side of the canopy so I grabbed a microfiber cloth and a can of acrylic canopy cleaner. I started in the front corner where the glare shield is very close to the canopy. After several cleaning strokes I noticed some weird looking streaks so I attacked it a little harder. I then realized that that rubber edge protector had melted into a gooey mess and I was dragging it across the canopy!!!! I immediately stopped and called one of companies that makes the Vans canopies and asked for cleaning tips. I tried them all and nothing worked. I now have a streaky, gooey mess on about 20% of my canopy. Luckily it is almost all outside of my pilot side line of vision.
I am not soliciting cleaning advise so please don’t offer any. I am in contact with the product support side of a large industrial acrylic manufacturer and they are working the problem for me. I am just offering this as a cautionary tale.
g zero
RV-8 Best Bose A20/30 Controller Location
RE: Bubble Test …Mikeyb
In all of VAF the most misunderstood procedure is the bubble test. You don’t want to spray bubbles on the tank. You want to put liquid on the tank and look for a tiny bubble that forms in it over minutes. To detect a leak of the size you can see with a leak detection fluid bubble test (10^-3 CC/sec ATM) in a 20 gallon tank using the Vans recommended 1 psi pressure (28 inches of water) you would have to wait 12 days to see a 0.28” change in the manometer. The best you can do is put the appropriate pressure on the tank with a balloon or manometer and hand pump and carefully look for leaks with the bubble test. The ballon is intended to be a pressure source. Even with a leak big enough to drip the ballon will change in size a tiny amount in 24 hours. I too think Snoop is the best. In the picture you can see the huge bubble on the rivet but if you look at the ones beside it the fizz on the other rivets are big leaks. The Snoop was applied with a cotton ball. The big bubble started forming immediately. The fizz on the others over the course of a minute.
ymc9
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Please consider donating yearly to help keep this American 1-person pirate ship afloat:
Older issues of the ‘VAF News’ can be found at:
THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)
Fugitive
How to drill out rivet behind skin
I have a cracked aft bulkhead and have filled out all the rivets but the one behind the skin where the red circle is. How should this be achieved? Thanks in advance.
vansairforce.net
Baffle Oil Cooler Angle Support
Q: I'm putting together the baffles and planning out my oil cooler support (9A). Sounds like people have pretty good success beefing up the outer baffle corner with a piece of 1" aluminum angle, as well as supporting the inside cooler flange with a cylinder or boss mounted support that creates a triangle to the cooler.
I don't have any 1" structural aluminum angle on hand. For this use, would the garden variety angle from the big box store be okay, or should I put everything aside until I can order a chunk of structural angle?
A: I wanted to get flying and just reinforced for my cooler. It was a coin toss though. Here is a couple of photos that show the areas that get reinforced. Imagine the head orbiting on the end and taking the cooler with it. The baffle is stiffened to connect with the head screws. Then the end of the cooler can wag -pivoting on the vertical attachment to that end baffle. The rod connects for that motion - closer to the center of the cooler. For a larger cooler, the remote mount is unquestionably needed. My engine and oil cools just fine w/o oil jets on the pistons. (a tradeoff to be sure).
All seems to be doing well at 300+ hrs. Fingers crossed.
Baffle Oil Cooler Angle Support
I'm putting together the baffles and planning out my oil cooler support (9A). Sounds like people have pretty good success beefing up the outer baffle corner with a piece of 1" aluminum angle, as well as supporting the inside cooler flange with a cylinder or boss mounted support that creates a...
vansairforce.net
Bsquared
I purchase an automotive door edge protector for use on the glare shield of my -14A that I completed in 2020. While doing some interior maintenance this week I noticed that there was fingerprints and other stuff on the inward facing side of the canopy so I grabbed a microfiber cloth and a can of acrylic canopy cleaner. I started in the front corner where the glare shield is very close to the canopy. After several cleaning strokes I noticed some weird looking streaks so I attacked it a little harder. I then realized that that rubber edge protector had melted into a gooey mess and I was dragging it across the canopy!!!! I immediately stopped and called one of companies that makes the Vans canopies and asked for cleaning tips. I tried them all and nothing worked. I now have a streaky, gooey mess on about 20% of my canopy. Luckily it is almost all outside of my pilot side line of vision.
I am not soliciting cleaning advise so please don’t offer any. I am in contact with the product support side of a large industrial acrylic manufacturer and they are working the problem for me. I am just offering this as a cautionary tale.
Self inflicted Canopy damage…a tough lesson
I purchase an automotive door edge protector for use on the glare shield of my -14A that I completed in 2020. While doing some interior maintenance this week I noticed that there was fingerprints and other stuff on the inward facing side of the canopy so I grabbed a microfiber cloth and a can...
vansairforce.net
g zero
RV-8 Best Bose A20/30 Controller Location
RV-8 Best Bose A20/30 Controller Location
I'm doing some planning for mounting a set of Bose A20/30 headsets and controller in the front seat of the RV-8. I've tried a few different locations, but nothing seems to working elegantly. I'd like to have a hook to hang the headset, and a place that is out of the way for the controller. I...
vansairforce.net
RE: Bubble Test …Mikeyb
In all of VAF the most misunderstood procedure is the bubble test. You don’t want to spray bubbles on the tank. You want to put liquid on the tank and look for a tiny bubble that forms in it over minutes. To detect a leak of the size you can see with a leak detection fluid bubble test (10^-3 CC/sec ATM) in a 20 gallon tank using the Vans recommended 1 psi pressure (28 inches of water) you would have to wait 12 days to see a 0.28” change in the manometer. The best you can do is put the appropriate pressure on the tank with a balloon or manometer and hand pump and carefully look for leaks with the bubble test. The ballon is intended to be a pressure source. Even with a leak big enough to drip the ballon will change in size a tiny amount in 24 hours. I too think Snoop is the best. In the picture you can see the huge bubble on the rivet but if you look at the ones beside it the fizz on the other rivets are big leaks. The Snoop was applied with a cotton ball. The big bubble started forming immediately. The fizz on the others over the course of a minute.
Fuel Tank Concerns
Hi, I have been around for a while and now I finishing a RV4. I apologize if this has been asked before, I know its a well talked out issue. Maybe this is different? I have a 4 that was mostly built 20 years ago and the tanks look really good inside, the workmanship is clean and neat. I have...
vansairforce.net
ymc9
Riveting baggage floors to the bulkhead
Hey guys, I'm in the early phase of fuselage, and the holes that attach the baggage floors to the bulkhead are in very tight locations. I have to flex the floors by A LOT to position the hand squeezer perpendicular. And if I do that, the flange tends to tip up. I suppose I can use clamps to...
vansairforce.net
OFF TOPIC:
Get your VansAirForce.net Charity Cap!
VAF Charity Cap: Help your charity and promote this site.
Get the cap all the cool kids are wearing! I don’t get a penny. It’s around $15. $5 more if you want your N-number on the back (I put 'STAFF' on the back of mine because it makes me laugh. Put STAFF on yours too if it makes you smile). And down the road $10 to the charity of your choice...
vansairforce.net
Please consider donating yearly to help keep this American 1-person pirate ship afloat:
Older issues of the ‘VAF News’ can be found at:
Doug's Area ...The VAF News, About VAF, My Resume
Pushed out every now and then.
www.vansairforce.net
THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)
THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)
The VAF List ...a list of RV-related lists. RV-related things you might want to browse over (a closed post that is sticky and maintained by dr). Link to this in 'Links' in the menu. v/r,dr Small businesses that help bring you this list of RV-related lists: 360 Avionics www.360Avionics.com Ace...
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