Ordered a throttle quadrant and associated cabling from California Power Systems.
My faith in human nature has received a boost - today I acquired the hardware needed to fasten the instruments and panel into the pod, including a bunch of screws supplied free by Fortress Fasteners because the value of the sale was well under their minimum charge: "Next time, buy something larger!" :)
This evening I drilled the fixing holes in the panel, including the appallingly awkward inclined holes through the compass mount. I still need to file away some of the lip in the pod so it clears the compass, and drill the panel mounting holes.
Spent this evening filing the last few microns off the panel to let it sit comfortably in the pod, and then filed a recess into the pod lip to allow for the new inclined position of the compass. Too buggered to do much else.
A fit of madness tonight - spent the evening at a friend's engagement party and intended to crash immediately thereafter. Instead, it's almost 2am and the panel is finally mounted in the pod.
Finally got around to sorting out the tail - changing some bolt lengths, and sanding down the epoxy used to fill an elongated hole in one stabiliser.
The package from CPS containing the throttle quadrant has turned up.
Ordered the fittings needed to connect the pitot/static plumbing to the ASI and altimeter.
This evening I deepened the countersinking around the screws anchoring the instrument panel, and rearranged the garage long enough to take a well-overdue progress photo.
Connected up the instrument plumbing this evening, and then spent about an hour staring at the nose of the aircraft contemplating where to mount the probes, before constructing the static probe. This consists of nothing more than a length of aluminium tube, sealed with a blob of epoxy putty, and with four holes located around the circumference.
Only problem with the probe, apparently the holes should be about three times further back... maņana.
After some reflection, have decided to change to the more usual small-diameter tubing and fittings. The existing stuff is relatively stiff with a large bend radius, making it awkward to work with around the pod. Ordered replacement plumbing.
Started on the throttle installation. For reasons which elude me, the CPS throttle quadrant is asymmetric - the outer plate is taller by about 3/8". Once I worked out where best ergonomically to mount it, it quickly became apparent some trimming was necessary - that extra metal was just where my hand would naturally rest. Out with the hacksaw & file.
Am going to mount it pretty much the same way it's been clamped; attached to the side of the seat using bolts, fender washers and a block of wood as a stand-off.
Managed to destroy the second attempt at a static probe with some inadvertent bending. More tubing to be ordered...
Drilled the throttle quadrant to take the bracket which terminates the cable, and finalised the mounting. Am going to lengthen two of the existing 3/16" bolts in the quadrant and extend them through the seat.
Issues with the throttle cables supplied by CPS - one of the inner cables is too short to even let the carburettor slide close completely, let alone provide any slack for attaching hardware at the far end. CPS are supplying a replacement.
This evening the first rivets were installed in this project, to attach the bracket which terminates the cable at the quadrant. Also shaped and painted the wooden mounting spacer.
While still on a roll, I constructed a new static probe with smaller holes placed further back down the tube, and replaced the instrument plumbing with the small-diameter tubing. This complete, I then took the panel for a ride up the street and verified the altimeter behaves correctly.
Drilled the holes in the seat to take the throttle - and then started worrying if two holes were going to be sufficiently rigid. Decided to go with three, and fabricated and painted a replacement mounting block.
Installed the carburettors, intake silencer and air filter, and devised a way to anchor the silencer involving deviously bent aluminium strip. Improved the shaping of the throttle quadrant mounting block and put another layer of paint on it.
Drew up the brackets for the intake silencer, with the aid of some cardboard templates. Rough cut the first one, and decided to postpone further operations pending a new hacksaw blade.
Cut, filed and drilled both intake silencer brackets. Now just have to bend them.
Test-fit, bent and mounted both brackets. The forward bracket was a screaming nightmare, requiring the partial dismantling of that engine mount, and hence the use of the chain hoist to lift the engine off the airframe.
The build process may be about to take a hit: As of today we're in house-hunting mode... I have only a vague and painful recollection of last time, but the memories all seem to involve geological swaths of time being lost in the process.
Finally settled on a workable location for the pitot/static probes, mounted on the side of the instrument pod pylon. After much soul-searching I've reverted to using the original tubing; the "proper" stuff is just too difficult to work with, unreasonably stiff and brittle.
Drilled the holes in the pod and the support sheet underneath, and connected up the instrument plumbing. All done apart from some grommets.
The replacement 20-inch throttle cable arrived today, so I installed it and then spent some time working out where and how to mount the splitter block so the cables won't foul the rotorhead control tubes. Inconclusive.
Lost almost the entire weekend on real-estate issues, but did manage to start on the rudder control horns. Cut and filed the right, and rough-cut the left. The hard points in the rudder are set back a couple of inches, so the horns have offset lobes to bring the swivel attach points closer in-line with the hinge.
Ordered the hardware needed to complete the throttle installation.
Finished the control horns, drilled the rudder and mounted the horns on their hard-point.
