Jeff,
You have hit the nail on the head. I'm looking to make a fitting using
tempered glass, but am still a little shy about producing one until
fully tested.
Just like my tow bar, it took three different designs to finally get it
right. I figure the same problem with the protected glass sight tube
idea and the final cowl changes.
So many ideas, and so little time.
See you at Rough River if you don't get drowned out by Fay.
Bud
Custom Flight Creations
www.customflightcreations.com<http://www.customflightcreations.com/>
(813) 653-4989
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff B<mailto:topglock@cox.net>
To: europa-list@matronics.com<mailto:europa-list@matronics.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: Europa-List: Ethanol and sight tubes.
<topglock@cox.net<mailto:topglock@cox.net>>
I've used ethanol to help dye certain clear plastics. It definitely
has
a penetrating effect. Looks like a shielded glass may be the way to
go,
for sight gauges...
Jeff
ALAN YERLY wrote:
> Sorry I couldn't weigh in on the site lately, too much work and too
> little time.
>
> You can go to my website at customflightcreations.com and select
> accessories to see how I do my sight tubes. They all work very well
> between the seats.
>
> Back to ethanol... I finished a test on a 10% ethanol 92 octane
fuel
> and its effects on our polyurethane tubing, and acrylic plexiglass.
>
> To my surprise, the ethanol fuel really made the polyurethane yellow
> faster. After prolonged exposure, the urethane did not seem to
> deteriorate at all. However, within two hours, the yellowing of the
> tube became pronounced. I frankly looked pretty dark after a week,
but
> it was readable and held up well.
>
> I then tested it with a new rigid acrylic tube, which by the tech
data,
> was supposed to be safe for use with gasoline, and fair with pure
> ethanol. After only two hours, the acrylic began to break down in
the
> 10% fuel mixture. By the end of 8 hours it began become slightly
opaque
> and slimy where the fuel contacted. I then cut a piece of the
tubing
> and submerged it completely. Sure enough, the tube outer part
became a
> slimy mess, but it was still rigid, although un-useable. So please
> pretest your acrylics.
>
> Redux (Epibond or Araldite 420 A/B) held up pretty well. The glue
had
> cured for only 12 hours and was submersed. No significant change
> noticed. Pro Seal was OK but the manufacturer has only tested it to
10%
> ethanol in fuel, and I noticed a slightly slimy surface, but it
still
> stuck very well with prolonged exposure.
>
> My lessons learned are to make the urethane sight tube easy to
replace
> on the annual inspection and stick with the urethane tube. The FAA
> requires some sort of visual fuel check before flight, so it works
for
> me. Plumbed the way I show it in my website, allows it to be useful
in
> flight also. Electronically, I use the capacitance fuel probes for
fuel
> measuring with a Mitchell or similar gauge and calibrate the probe
at
> 0-5-10-and 15 gallons to correspond to the 1/4,1/2,3/4, full,
points. I
> must admit, that changing the face of the gauge is the way to go. I
do
> it in shop and should have Mitchell change the face on a custom
order.
> They will do it for a price.
>
>
> Thought this may be of interest.
>
> Bud Yerly
> Custom Flight Creations
> (813) 653-4989
>
> *
>
>
> *
>
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>
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