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Re: Europa-List: Is bonding FL16 to fuse a bad idea?

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Is bonding FL16 to fuse a bad idea?
From: Fred Klein <fklein@orcasonline.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 22:39:02
Ron...see indented comments...Fred

On Jul 28, 2013, at 8:51 PM, rparigoris wrote:

> I'm thinking pretty hard I want to bond both of my FL16s to my fuse 
with Bondo. The FL16s are the hinge arms that get mounted to the flap 
cross tube with two fasteners.

                After looking at the build manual and my own photos 
taken during construction, it's my opinion that bonding the FL16s to the 
fuselage w/ bondo is not a good idea...I believe the key for this step 
is to ensure that the bolt holes in the FL18s are perfectly aligned w/ 
those in the W19s...if you want to trial fit the FL16s, do so as long as 
you can ensure the FL18s are shimmed in perfect alignment and don't 
move...once the FL18s are reduxed in place and bolted thru the fuse and 
you've dispensed w/ the alignment string, bolting the FL16s to the FL18s 
is straightforward. 
> 
> You see if these FL16s are temporarily bonded in position, once my 
FL18P + S are temporarily bonded to a piece of wood, then I goop them up 
with Redux/flox, set into position and I can insert actual pivot 
hardware between FL18P+ S and FL16s to make sure pivot hole alignment is 
perfect with inboard W19 flap hinges.

                May     be I'm missing something, but this sounds  
backwards...the FL18s should determine the location of the hinge point 
w/ the FL16s...not the other way around.
> 
> Question:
> Is a bad idea?

                I think so

> Or is there an easier way?

                Follow the manual and align the FL18s as shown in my 
pixs...but when I say "follow the manual", I certainly do NOT recommend 
following the SEQUENCE of operations shown in the manual; namely, to do 
this whole flap installation AFTER the top is bonded on...I understand 
that you HAVE already bonded on your top and...for the life of me...I 
simply cannot imagine having to deal with what you're facing...You have 
my most sincere condolences...though I presume that you have yet to 
install the baggage bay rear bulkhead...I give a hearty salute to anyone 
who has managed to install the flap mechanism AFTER the top has been 
bonded on the bottom fuselage.

                I did my damnedest to do absolutely EVERYTHING I could 
possibly do in the tailcone BEFORE bonding on the top and bonding in the 
...of course I used many many clecoes to ensure that trial fitting of 
the top was skookum (in perfect alignment).

> I just turned two aluminium bushings that center sewing thread in the 
.1875 ' diameter holes of W19s. Using a mini center drill and a finer 
pressure only drill chuck, drilling the .0145" holes was a piece of 
cake.

                You be the Zen master Ron...with what you're facing, 
being a yoga master wouldn't hurt either,


                Fred



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