Rob-
Would it be possible for you to attach a couple of photos of the finished
project?
I think I follow what you are saying but "a picture is......"
Thanks -
Jim Puglise, A-283
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Rob Neils" <Rob@Neils.US>
I've got 178 trouble-free hours on my Europa tri-gear motorglider. I
constructed
a unique "egg" solution to the bowing of the canopies. No extra latch or moving
parts are needed.
Europa egg door latch.
Ive installed a wooden egg to prevent the cabin doors from bulging in flight. A
wooden egg is trimmed and afixed to each door so that as the door closes the
pointy end of the egg inserts into a circular hole in the fuselage. The shape
of the egg draws the door to an exact fit with the fuselage and holds it there
securely.
Heres how.
Buy a wooden egg at your wifes favorite craft store and while youre there get
some
modeling clay too if you dont have some alread. It takes a chunk about the
size of your fingers tightly squeezed. A glue gun might be the third purchase.
Theyre inexpensive and really helpful in all kinds of tasks around the shop.
Hot glue sets much faster than 5-minute epoxy so its really great for holding
things in place.
Drill a hole into the fuselage at the center, half way between the shoot bolts
that hold the door closed and centered on the fuselage lip. The width of the
hole is determined by how far you want the egg to drop into the hole. I used
~ 1circumnference so the hole squeezes the egg about a third of the way up it.
To determine what to cut away from the egg to shape it into a plunger put the
egg
pointy side down into the hole youve cut. Warm up some modeling clay and
squeeze
it around the implanted egg. Pull, twist and cajole the egg out of the
clay. Close the door tightly on the eggless clay. This presses the clay and
defines the space you have between the fuselage and the door. When you open
the door the eggs hole has been squished back into where the egg used to be,
partially filling the hole. Being an artist, razor out the hole in the clay so
you can place the eggs pointy end back into the clay. Push the egg back into
the clay. With a marking pen draw a line around the outer half to three
quarters
of the egg where the clay contacts it. Take the egg out again and close
the door. Look down through the window and note on the clay where the egg
should
not be trimmed so that it will be flush with the inside of the door for added
adhesion contact. Open the door, push an ind
ent in
to the clay where the egg should not be trimmed. Put the egg into the clay,
mark
the eggs forward and rear side where you made the indentation into the clay.
Take the egg out and freehand a verticle arch on the egg giving you a cut line.
I used a belt sander to trim the egg to gross fit. Just hold it against the
front
of the belt sander as the sander is held upside down in a vise. The cylindrical
front of a belt sander grinds away most of the wooden egg you dont want.
To fine-trim the egg hot glue it into the hole in the fuselage. Use a dremel
a wood file and some disclosing paper to shape the egg exactly to the contour
of the door. Close the door gently on the egg while you hold the disclosing
paper in the gap between the egg and the door. Pull the disclosing paper slowly
out thereby leaving a mark on the gg where you need to grind it back. Grind
away where the disclosing paper shows the egg contour is high. When you
have the egg contoured enough to completely close the door feel the bottom of
the door to be sure it is flush with the fuselage. If its not, then use a
couple
of studs, wooden studs - not masculine buffons, and some carpenters wooden
door wedges to squeeze the fuselage-door planes t
o prop
er fit.
If your egg is still hotglued to the fuselage twist it out leaving the remaining
hotglue on the surface of the egg so it can be reinserted into the fuselage
correctly. When youre satisfied with how everything goes together, mix up the
smallest accurate batch of Epibond 420 to afix the eggs to the doors. It doesnt
take much at all. Add a little cotton fiber to make some stiff flox. Paint
some Epibond onto the carved out egg and onto the area on the door where the
egg will be afixed. Smear some vasolene wherever the Epibond could foul up
this whole project! Put the egg into the fuselage hole, smear on some flox and
close the door. Leave it to dry completely.
Open the door. Use some more Epibond and Bid to secure the egg onto the door.
I didnt glass up the fuselage hole to make an egg-holding cup. I dont think
its necessary and besides itd add weight.
The egg solution weighs ounces, has no moving parts and works like a charm. Who
could ask for anything more?
<html><body>
<DIV>Rob-</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Would it be possible for you to attach a couple of photos of the finished
project? I think I follow what you are saying but "a picture
is......"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks -</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Jim Puglise, A-283</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px
solid">-------------- Original message -------------- <BR>From: "Rob Neils"
<Rob@Neils.US> <BR>
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16609" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
<DIV><FONT face="courier new,courier" color=#000000 size=2><STRONG>I've got 178
trouble-free hours on my Europa tri-gear motorglider. I constructed
a unique "egg" solution to the bowing of the canopies. No extra latch
or moving
parts are needed. </STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="courier new,courier" color=#000000 size=2> </DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New
Roman">Europa
egg door latch.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT face="Times New
Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Ive
installed a wooden egg to prevent the cabin doors from bulging in flight. A
wooden
egg is trimmed and afixed to each door so that as the door closes the pointy
end of the egg inserts into a circular hole in the fuselage.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN>The shape of the egg draws the door to an exact
fit with the fuselage and holds it there securely.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New
Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New
Roman">Heres
how.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New
Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Buy
a wooden egg at your wifes favorite craft store and while youre there get some
modeling clay too if you dont have some alread.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes">
</SPAN>It takes a chunk about the size of your fingers tightly squeezed.
A glue gun might be the third purchase.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Theyre inexpensive and really helpful in all kinds of tasks around
the shop.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Hot glue sets much faster
than 5-minute epoxy so its really great for holding things in place.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New
Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New
Roman">Drill
a hole into the fuselage at the center, half way between the shoot bolts that
hold the door closed and centered on the fuselage lip.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN>The width of the hole is determined by how far you want
the egg to drop into the hole.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I
used ~ 1circumnference so the hole squeezes the egg about a third of the way
up it.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New
Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">To
determine what to cut away from the egg to shape it into a plunger put the egg
pointy side down into the hole youve cut.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Warm up some modeling clay and squeeze it around the implanted egg.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Pull, twist and cajole the egg out
of the clay.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Close the door tightly
on the eggless clay.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This presses
the clay and defines<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>the space
you have between the fuselage and the door.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes">
</SPAN>When you open the door the eggs hole has been squished back into
where the egg used to be, partially filling the hole.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN>Being an artist, razor out the hole in the clay so you
can place the eggs pointy end back into the clay.<
SPAN s
tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Push the egg back into the clay.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN>With a marking pen draw a line around the
outer half to three quarters of the egg where the clay contacts it.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN>Take the egg out again and close the door.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Look down through the window and
note on the clay where the egg should not be trimmed so that it will be flush
with the inside of the door for added adhesion contact.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN>Open the door, push an indent into the clay where the
egg should not be trimmed.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Put the
egg into the clay, mark the eggs forward and rear side where you made the
indentation
into the clay.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Take the
egg out and freehand a verticle arch on the egg giving you a cut
line.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New
Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">I
used
a belt sander to trim the egg to gross fit.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes">
</SPAN>Just hold it against the front of the belt sander as the sander
is held upside down in a vise.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The
cylindrical front of a belt sander grinds away most of<SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN>the wooden egg you dont want.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN>To fine-trim the egg hot glue it into the hole in the
fuselage.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Use a dremel a wood file
and some disclosing paper to shape the egg exactly to the contour of the
door.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Close the door gently on the egg
while you hold the disclosing paper in the gap between the egg and the
door.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Pull the disclosing paper slowly
out thereby leaving a mark on the gg where you need
to gri
nd it back.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Grind away where the
disclosing
paper shows the egg contour is high.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>When you have the egg contoured enough to completely close the door
feel the bottom of the door to be sure it is flush with the fuselage.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If its not, then use a couple of studs,
wooden studs - not masculine buffons, and some carpenters wooden door wedges
to squeeze the fuselage-door planes to proper fit.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New
Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">If
your egg is still hotglued to the fuselage twist it out leaving the remaining
hotglue on the surface of the egg so it can be reinserted into the fuselage
correctly.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When youre satisfied with
how everything goes together, mix up the smallest accurate batch of Epibond
420 to afix the eggs to the doors.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>It
doesnt take much at all.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Add
a little cotton fiber to make some stiff flox.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes">
</SPAN>Paint some Epibond onto the carved out egg and onto the area on
the door where the egg will be afixed.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Smear some vasolene wherever the Epibond could foul up this whole
project!<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Put the egg into the fuselage
hole, smear on some flox and close the door.<SPAN
style
"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Leave it to dry completely.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New
Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Open
the door.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Use some more Epibond
and Bid to secure the egg onto the door.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>I didnt glass up the fuselage hole to make an egg-holding cup.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN>I dont think its necessary and besides
itd add weight.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New
Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">The
egg solution weighs ounces, has no moving parts and works like a charm.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Who could ask for anything more?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></FONT></P></FONT>
<DIV><B><FONT face="courier new,courier" color=#000000
size=2></FONT></B> </DIV>
<DIV><B><FONT face="courier new,courier" color=#000000 size=2> </DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV></B></FONT><PRE><B><FONT face="courier new,courier" size=2
color000000?>
</B></FONT></PRE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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