A frustrating night - when I am going to learn NOT to try any aluminium-bashing when tired? Screwed up three consecutive attempts at the final fuel-tank strut: (1) misplaced hole; (2) file slippage, huge chunk gouged out; (3) piece fell on the floor - deep scratches. Grrgh.
Collected the 4130 chromoly tubing for the
drag struts, and more aluminium angle, including the heavy-duty stuff for the engine bearer.
Am taking the evening off,
to avoid a repeat of last night...
Finally completed the tank mount.
One complete fuel tank mount.
Marked up and drilled another LH seat strut (#5)... was not happy with the craftmanship of the original.
Rough-cut LH seat strut #5.
Filed down and dressed LH seat strut #5.
Purchased Scotchbrite pads and some aluminium oxide sandpaper, and successfully removed a few scratches which had me worried.
Drag strut tubing, and the girder that will become the engine mount.
Fabricated the LH horizontal engine bearer. Aeroware would have had to order in the 1.5" x 1.5" angle called for by the plans, but did have a pile of 1.5" x 2". I figure you can't make the engine bearers too strong, so I'm using the slighter bigger stuff.
No building, but I spent a fantastic day in Kaukapakapa with Geoff and Joan Woodward, absorbing gyro lore and lunch. Geoff (who seems to have half the NZ fleet in his sheds) ran two of them up for me... there is nothing quite like that sound :) But I *have* decided against doing my engine run-in in suburban Titirangi...
ZK-RDF, one of Geoff's (many) birds.
Discovered that any welding in the airframe must be scanned and certified, at $X / inch. The tank mount is going to be bolted.
Drilled out the forward hole in the LH engine bearer to 1/4", to match the corresponding hole in the seat brace. Am now wondering if I should have given this more thought first. The plans show 3/16" for the engine bearer and 1/4" for the braces; closer examination of the engine bearer plans show 3/16" bolts; but I do NOT want to fabricate yet another pair of seat braces. Have sent an email to Ralph for a second opinion.
Marked up and centre-punched the RH mount. I'm using a scriber, but only for edges where the scribe line will be obliterated.
Official word is 1/4" holes should be OK. Will NOT have to repeat three pieces. Good.
Cut the RH bearer free from the remaining 30" of angle. When I went to drill the pilot holes, I discovered that the chuck in my drill press has a problem: One of the tines is stuck, independently of the other two. Called it a night.
There won't be any construction for at least a week; I'm out of Auckland.
Have ordered a replacement chuck.
Back in Auckland. The replacement chuck has arrived.
Was informed today that the CAA consider a single-seat gyroplane to be a Class ONE microlight after all, i.e. no Permit-to-Fly needed. If so this is good, but the information apparently came from the same individual who told me a few months back that they're definitely Class TWO...
RH engine mount being inspected by Jet.
Drilled the 3 x 1/4" holes in the RH engine bearer.
Almost two weeks without any building, but I've discovered the hard way that Bad Things happen if you try aluminium-bashing when tired.
Finished the RH engine bearer.
Started on the diagonal engine bearer struts. Marked up, drilled, and have started rough cutting.
Confucius say: "Inaccurate use of hacksaw result in much filing."
Clarification from the CAA: The Gyrobee is definitely Class 1, and will NOT require a Permit-to-Fly. Hallelujah!!!
Rough-cut the RH engine bearer, and began filing. Quit for the night when I recognised the advance warning signs of "tired" and "fed up".
Two steps forward, one step back: I mis-read the plans, and cut too much of the upper corner of one the diagonal engine struts. Not enough meat left around the hole to be safe. Grrrrgh.
Another step backward. Scrapped the second diagonal strut as well. Damn, damn, damn, damn...
Collected another 3 feet of angle for the engine bearer struts.
Went out to dinner;
a glass each of the house red and the house white. (Nice stuff: Willowglen, an Australian).
Was fuzzy enough to make construction a very bad idea, too fuzzy to realise it, but sane enough not to do any
cutting or drilling. Marked up and centre-punched the replacement struts.
