More Power - By Way Of Pat & George’s Farm

The better part of last week was spent out of town helping out with a relative’s move into a house. While out of town, purchased a Champion 3500 watt RV generator that boasts 4,000 watts peak power which was on sale … having high hopes it would power my air compressor at the hangar. Here is a perfect case where on paper it should work but reality is something entirely different. The air compressor motor is 1.6 HP at 13 amps. To figure wattage, 110 volts multiplied by the 13 amps comes to 1,430 watts. In theory, a 3,500 watt generator with a peak of 4,000 watts should work. Bottom line ... the new generator was not robust enough to deal with the air compressor. Bummer!

I have been kind of hot to trot on getting the air compressor running because the weather this week will be favorable for spraying primer on the canopy frame and few remaining parts that still need fabricating. We are getting to that time of the year when nice warm days are the exception and not the norm.

The new Champion 3500/4000 watt generator was just too anemic to run the air compressor.

I know electric motors draw a very large amount of current for few moments during startup and was hopeful the generator was large enough to keep up. Nope … the generator could not handle the large inrush current. The engine loaded down and never recovered. This could be because the 198 cc engine did not have enough torque, or the governor responds to instant loads much too slowly. Guess the Southern Outpost has a new generator for the frequent power outages there.

Generator two - Mike borrowed a slightly larger generator he sold to a friend a while back and it almost worked. The compressor would spin up if the tank was empty but would not start up when the regulator tried starting the compressor to fill the tank while it had air in it. Double bummer!

Generator three - The last ditch effort came by way of Mike’s sister Pat. Pat and her husband George own a farm and have a 6,000 watt generator with a 10 hp Briggs and Stratton engine to run the well pump during extended power outages so the animals can have water. George pulled the generator out from the barn, checked that it started and graciously loaned it out for the spray painting job this week. (Yes, California friends, we do have farms and barns in Ohio). Thanks Pat and George for loaning the generator to DOG Aviation.

On the left, Pat and George’s 6,000 watt generator straight off the farm easily handled the air compressor … on the right, the generator Mike sold to a friend which almost but not quite got the compressor spinning.

Static Air For Backup Instruments Installed

Those RV-12 builders building their aircraft as E-LSA can, by in large, ignore the entire contents of this post. Early on the plan has been to outfit the DOG Aviation RV-12 with a couple of tried-and-true steam gauge instruments for backup … in particular, an airspeed indicator and altimeter, both of which requiring a static air source.

As mentioned in a previous post, one of the reasons the side skins have been left off is just in case it was necessary to establish an alternative routing through the fuselage for the static air line and/or the tubing from the wing for the Angle Of Attack (AOA) display which will run into the tail cone.

Because the ADSB antenna cable is routed through the center tunnel, there is not an abundance of extra room in the wire grommets between the aft bulkhead on the center channel and the aft bulkhead on the fuselage. At first I was not going to install the static line in the center tunnel grommets because the fit appeared way too tight. However, with a little rearrangement of the wires and pitot tube already in the grommets, the necessary room was made to insert the 1/4"static air tubing. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a tight fit … but not so tight that adjacent wires can’t be moved like it was prior to arranging the wires in the grommets better.

Installing the extra static air tube through the wire grommet on the aft bulkhead of the fuselage.

I did find a time saving step that made one person instillation a little easier. A couple of small pieces of tubing were cut and placed into the wire grommets to hold the positioning for the static air tubing. A piece of tape was wrapped around the tubing to seal it off from dirt and extended slightly beyond the end of the tube and formed into a point. When installing the tubing into the grommets, the tape point was inserted into the small tubing pieces used to hold positioning ... as the static air tubing was pushed into the grommets, the small pieces of tubing slid out the other side. This worked quite well.

Two of the small pieces of tubing used as guide tubes can be seen here adjacent to the already installed pitot tubing passing through the two wire grommets.

Fortunately, on the forward side of the center channel, there are two wire grommets in each bulkhead. The lower one is really full because of the many extra wires that go up to the center channel conduit so the upper grommet was used to pass the static air tubing. So the upper grommets were used to pass the static air tubing the rest of the way to the instrument panel.

The upper wire grommet on the forward side of the center channel was used to pass the extra static air tubing on its way to the instrument panel.

Fishing the extra static air tubing through the center tunnel using the upper grommets in the bulkheads from the center channel forward.

The extra static air tubing now shares the same grommet that the ADSB antenna wire passes through.

Aft of the fuselage, the extra static air tubing was placed in the same wire grommet as the ADSB antenna cable, routed to the left side of the tail cone and through the existing tire ties.

Routing the extra static air tube through the wire ties already on the tail cone for the wiring and pitot tubing.

After finishing the routing of the extra static air tubing from the tail cone to the instrument panel through the center tunnel wire grommets, the routing path for the small Tygon tubing for the AOA was looked at. Because the Tygon tubing used for the AOA indicator is so soft and malleable, decided not to run it into the stuffed wire grommets aft of the center channel for fear of it becoming compressed. Will cover its instillation in the next post after I finalize a good routing for the tubing.

Scotty, I Need More Power – Lots More!

No work on the project today but yesterday Mike and I decided to use expanding foam insulation around the perimeter of the hangar walls where they meet the concrete floor. Earlier in the year the floor had a bunch of water on it which was caused by snow piled up at the far end of the hangar row. As the snow melted, the runoff made its way from hangar to hangar including the DOG Aviation hangar. In an effort to make a preemptive strike at eliminating water in the hangar, decided to try sealing the base of the metal hangar walls with expanding foam which will hopefully act as a dam and prevent water from entering from adjacent hangars. So everything that was placed along the walls was pulled out so the floor could be swept and blown with air from Mike’s portable air compressor.

Mike applying the expanding foam to the base of the back wall of the hangar. The treated area can be seen on the left.

 

Mike laying out a nice bead of expanding foam along the back wall of the hangar.

After the expanding foam was applied, the shop was straightened out once again and I decided to use the big air compressor for the first time. Plugged it in, turned it on … and it barely began to turn. What? Decided to try another outlet that I know is on another circuit and the air compressor turned a little faster … but still no dice. Bummer. Scotty, I need more power!

Got to thinking about it and it is a 13 amp compressor so it takes more than a little power to get it moving. The circuit is only 12 gauge wire and the wire run goes to the breaker panel at the far end of the hangar row which wire distance is likely around an easy 200 feet. The 12 gauge wire has much more voltage loss than optimum … but one thing is certain … the air compressor will NOT be running on house power.

Guess it is time to go shopping for a small portable generator …that sucks but shy of running a #6 wire, just don’t think there is anything that can be done.

Even though my exuberance was squashed due to the anemic electrical outlets in the hangar, decided to suck it up and make something happen on the RV-12 … so moved the tail cone in close proximity behind the fuselage so the wiring to and from the tail cone could be installed, along with pulling the pitot tube through the fuselage’s center section. My method for doing this is a departure from the Van’s plans which would have the builder doing this with the side skins on … but there is a method to the madness, so to speak. The plan is to install a backup altimeter and airspeed indicator in the RV-12’s instrument panel which will require running a static air tube up to the instrument panel plus there is the angle of attack indicator tubing which needs to be run back to the tail cone. The wire grommets are getting really full and I know there is room for the trim wires and pitot tube … but just in case the static air or AOA tubing won’t fit, by having the side skins off, it will offer options for routing in case the wire grommets get maxed out.

Routing the pitot tube in through the center tunnel wire grommets.

After the pitot tube was routed, up through the center tunnel, the wire that goes to the pitch trim motor was pulled in through the wire grommets in the center tunnel.

Routing the pitch trim motor wire through the center channel wire grommets.

 

Finished for now the pitot tube and pitch trim motor wire successfully run through the center tunnel wire grommets.

A test piece of the static line was able to fit into the aft grommet on the fuselage which is great news … however, the center channel grommet has one more 18 gauge wire in it so it may not be a piece of cake getting it pulled in through the center tunnel.  Hopefully, will give it a go tomorrow if other obligations get fulfilled in the morning.

Slowly Getting Settled Into Hangar 45

The entire afternoon and early evening of Sunday was spent settling into DOG Aviation’s new facility in hangar 45. Of course, as with any serious move, establishing a source for music was the first priority … so the boom box and MP3 player were located and hooked up. Music ... check, good lighting …check, steel shelving units in place … check. Time to start unpacking. The power tool workbench and air compressor were the first items worked on.

The air compressor and power tool workbench ready for action.

The large fuselage crate which was mostly empty was packed to the gills with items from the shelving under the work benches, painting supplies, chemicals, all the trays of hardware and rivets, plus miscellaneous tools and supplies. So the fuselage crate was attacked next and its contents distributed mostly to the steel shelving unit at the back of the hangar. To make it easier to get to the shelving during the many trips of walking back and forth, the RV-12 tail cone was rolled into a corner of the hangar next to the finishing kit crate.

The RV-12 tail cone temporally moved into the corner adjacent to the finishing kit crate during stocking of the shelving units.

Shelving unit beginning to get fully utilized … the contents of the far right set of shelves came mostly from the fuselage crate and will be mainly for paint/equipment and shop supplies. Rest of the shelves will be used mainly for storing RV-12 parts.

Because the majority of remaining fuselage parts were already primed (and in most cases painted as well),  each part was wrapped in paper and stored in a large storage bin which was placed in the fuselage crate.  There is no hurry at this point in time to unpack those parts, although in the near future I’ll need a few of the pieces that are, fortunately, near the top of the bin.

The RV-12 wing caddy adjacent to the fuselage crate mostly unpacked of all the major goodies … except for a remaining storage bin of painted parts wrapped in paper.

Still need to get a little more organized, but by in large the hangar is ready for continuing the assembly of the RV-12. Hoping to put the finishing touches on the shop today.

 It is so nice to be able to walk around the fuselage without the need to side step!!!

DOG Aviation Officially Moves To Hangar 45

In spite of a Friday early morning misty drizzle, which fortunately only lasted a few minutes, the current cramped DOG Aviation production facility was abandoned today for the much roomier hangar at the airport.  With the aid of team Mike  … aka … Mike T. & Mike K., all the tools, crates, shelves, work benches and aircraft parts were moved to the hangar over the course of three trips utilizing Mike T’s large snowmobile trailer. Some of the tail feathers were left behind because of the lack of horizontal storage options in the hangar… but those items can be easy transported as necessary.

Mike T’s trailer ready to accept the contents of the about to be abandoned DOG Aviation production facility #1.

 

Kudos to Mike T.’s trailer backing skills … with less than a foot between the neighbor’s car on one side and the house on the other, Mike T. made it look easy. The first load taken to the airport consisted of all the power tools, two of the three work benches and the fuselage crate filled with painted panels and lots of stuff.  I thought it would be harder than it really turned out to be. With three of us to handle the larger items, nothing was too heavy to handle, plus most everything was on wheels which really helped immensely.

Team Mike and I loading the power tool workbench onto the trailer.

Mike T. helping with the loading of the air compressor up the trailer's ramp.

Left to right – myself and team Mike comprised of Mike T. & Mike K.

The second trip to the hangar consisted of the remaining workbench the fuselage was sitting on along with the fuselage, tail cone and a few miscellaneous boxed up items. To move the fuselage a 2x2 was slid through the center section of the fuselage under the spar pins so while Mike T. and I lifted the fuselage with the 2x2, Mike K. stabilized the firewall because the fuselage was nose heavy.

Mike K. and I standing by the fuselage after removing it from a workbench so the workbench could be loaded onto the trailer … note the 2x2 spanning the fuselage under the spar pins that was used as a handle to easily lift the fuselage assembly.

Team Mike and myself about to load the fuselage into the trailer for the short trek to hangar 45.

After the fuselage was inside the trailer, the 2x2 was removed and the side skins were temporarily attached to the fuselage with a few Clecos to cerate a safe way to transport them. Decided to do it this way because with the side skins on, there is only a narrow slot  for the spar and I wanted to have the strength of an uncut 2x2 for a handle.

The tail cone sees light for the first time in 2 years as team Mike and I load it into the trailer.

Mike K. and I securing tie downs around the spar pins to prevent the fuselage from moving … note the side skins are now attached to the fuselage with a few Clecos in the longeron.

The RV-12's fuselage and tail cone secured in the trailer and ready for the short trip to the airport.

Once at the hangar for the second time, the tail cone was placed on a workbench for easy mating (hopefully) to the fuselage. Also, the side skins were removed from the fuselage and the 2x2 was reinserted so the fuselage could be carried off the trailer and set onto a workbench.

Once at the airport there was a sigh of relief and a smile after inspecting the trailer’s contents and seeing the RV-12’s tail cone and fuselage made the trek to the airport unscathed.

The RV-12’s tail cone sitting on a workbench in its new home at hangar 45.

Team Mike standing by the newly relocated RV-12's fuselage.

Mike K. helping me to move a fuselage skin to the back wall of the hangar so it could be hung by bungee cords to keep it out of the way for a little while.

The third and final trip involved the transporting of the wings. Shortly after building the wings seemingly eons ago, the spar crate was converted into a wing caddy with wheels. The caddy was made sturdy with this moving day in mind and ultimately worked out quite nicely. Getting it into the trailer was a little challenging because the trailing edge of the wing tips were slightly taller than the opening to the trailer. Team Mike lifted up on the spar end of the wing caddy and that was enough to lower the wing tips enough to get the wings it into the trailer. Once inside, there was plenty of room and the caddy was a snap to secure with tie downs. A bunch of moving pads were stuffed around the carpet cradle portion of the caddy and the spars were tightly strapped down to the caddy.

RV-12 wing caddy with wings inside the trailer ready for relocation to the airport.

Team Mike removing the tie downs used to secure the RV-12 wing caddy after arriving at the airport. The wing caddy did its job well, as both wings remained unscathed from the transport to the airport.

With the careful help of team Mike, moving  of DOG Aviation's production facility to the airport went great! Thanks guys! Nothing was damaged, bent, folded or mutilated and most especially … nobody got injured in the process. Guessing it will take a day or two to get things organized in the hangar well enough that construction of the RV-12 can continue to moving forward.

Preparations Begin For DOG Aviation Move

Yesterday, Mike and I spent the better part of the day picking up Mike’s trailer and transferring the contents into a storage unit to free up his trailer to move the fuselage and tail cone to the airport. Mike’s trailer has tie downs inside on the floor so it should serve us well for the weather pending Friday move.

Once back at the shop, decided to try finishing up the map box and get it to a point where it can be powder coated along with the instrument panel covers when the time comes. The map box requires the #40 rivet holes in the lid to be countersunk for flush rivets. Prior to removing the right instrument panel cover from the map box assembly the 1/2" hole in the panel must be also drilled into the map box using a step drill.

Machine countersinking the map box lid using a countersink cage outfitted with a #40 100 degree countersink bit.

Using a step drill to drill out the map box to 1/2" for the cam lock hardware used to secure the map box door.

The #40 holes in the right instrument panel cover also require machine countersinking as well. The construction plans also instruct the builder to machine countersink for #6 screws all the perimeter holes that will mount the panel to the instrument panel frame. At this point I’m electing not to do that because I think I will like the look of stainless steel button screws better. If that does not appeal to me, the panel can easily be countersunk later for flush screws.

Machine countersinking the rivet holes in right instrument panel cover that will rivet to the map box using the countersink cage outfitted with a #40 100 degree countersink bit.

Did not totally finish up on the map box parts because about the time I was countersinking the last #40 hole in the right instrument panel cover, sirens began to howl … figuring it was more likely to be a tornado warning than World War III, decided it best to take shelter as opposed to staying outside to watch the flash.

There was a small tornado that touched down, but it was many miles to the north of DOG Aviation and fortunately caused little damage … although the owners of the house missing a small chunk of their roof may disagree.

Today, the plan is for spending a few minutes finishing up the map box and then beginning the arduous task of clearing off the shelves under the work benches and packing up the shop for the long overdue move to the airport hangar on Friday.

Preparing The Map Box

The RV-12 fuselage kit as shipped from Van’s comes with a map box that can be installed in the right side of the instrument panel.  Since I’m at that point in the plans, I’ve decided to go ahead and include the map box in the DOG Aviation RV-12 because it will be useful … plus, I’m already thinking of possibly making a couple of modifications to it later down the road, one of which, as a possible mounting point for a notepad.

Work on the map box began by taking one of the map box halves (both halves are identical) and attaching the right instrument panel cover and door to it with Clecos. Next the hinge is set in place and is match drilled to the holes in the door.

Assembling the map box just enough so the door hinge can be match drilled.

Match drilling the door hinge to the rivet holes in the bottom of the map box to #30.

After the map box’s door hinge is match drilled to the bottom panel, the predrilled holes in the map box’s door are used to match drill the door hinge to #40. The map box door is then removed and the remaining map box half is mated and Clecoed in position. Next all the #40 holes on the panel cover are match drilled into the map box followed by match drilling all the remaining rivet holes that make up the box to #30.

Match drilling the #40 holes in the panel cover into the map box.

 Match drilling the #30 holes in the map box.

After all the drilling was out of the way the map box parts were disassembled for deburring. Also the #40 holes on the map box cover require some extra attention by way of countersinking for flush rivets …. but did not get to that today.