Hints for Homebuilders Videos-What are your ideas?

[Charlie Becker]

Okay, so we've published over 220 Hint for Homebuilders (http://eaavideo.org/channel.aspx?ch=ch_hints) videos and we'll be filming some more tonight. We can always use more ideas so I'd like to hear what topics we should put on list for future shoots. Remember the topic should be able to fit in a 3-8 minute segment.

So what should we put on the list?

[Frank Giger]

Hmmm, things I would've never have done right if I hadn't been shown:

How to properly drill out a rivet. Seriously. The first time I drilled out a rivet I ruined a piece of tubing.

How to anneal aluminum tubing (very cool technique for tubing up to an inch in diameter - the ink from a red Sharpie pen evaporates at the appropriate temperature; make two lines on either side, heat it until one line disappears, roll the tube while applying heat, and work the torch over the other one. When it is gone, stop heating the tube! Now one can flatten and bend it without cracking.)

How to bend a piece of aluminum that itself is a 90 degree angle along the length around a radius. I'm going to have to tackle that one this weekend for the turtle deck on my Nieuport.

(Can you tell I'm building a tube and gusset plane?)

[CraigCantwell]

Charlie: A couple that I can think of right quick...using cynoacralate glue to hold hardware together while inserting in awkward locations...using it again to glue nuts and washers to sockets or wrenches for the same reason....drilling out steel/CRES/Ti hardware when heads are too messed up to use normal tools...using a compass/finger to lay out lines parallel to edges whether curved or straight....safety wire to hold Adel clamps tight when you need to remove the bolt but don't want to let the clamp get loose...using double face tape to hold parts together while piloting holes.

Coming from an aircraft production background, there are lots more out there that would help builders along with some tool usage tips too. A couple of those might not make sense to you, so PM me for a better explanation.

[Mike Hongisto]

How about vid on Vortex Generators? Before and after performance results (minimum liftoff airspeed, power off stall, power on stall).

I put these on my low wing, 520 lb Fisher Avenger (installed on the wing and tail; 3" apart on the wing and 1.5" apart on the underside of the stabilizer). I think it's one of the best performance enhancement that one can get - and for very little money. Also, it made a noticeable difference in ride quality. It rides smoother in turbulence than it ever did before. Also if one ever has to land off airport, that 5 to 8 MPH slower touchdown speed is a real safety benefit.

Your Sonex would make for a good test case; posting before and after results, along with your impressions of the difference in overall ride quality.

[Anymouse]

Here's something y'all might do for the composite guys. How to make an inspection cover...


1. Cut a hole the size that the actual cover will be. This will eventually be the cover, so don't hack it up. It may be helpful to determine how big the hole should be, then add width of the flange (both sides).

2. Smooth the edges of the cover making it symmetrical, or whatever shape you want. If it's not symmetrical, it will only fit one way.

3. Cover the inspection cover with tape and wax.

4. Insert the the cover into the hole. Hold it there with wood and tape so it stays flush.

5. Fill the gap between the cover and the hole with Aerosil or some other structural filler, depending on the composite system you're using.

6. Laminate over the hole with three layers of glass, or however much is needed to match the original material. This will form the flange.

7. After curing, drill holes for the screws.

8. Tap out the cover.

9. Grind down the excess glass to make a uniform sized flange.

10. Place nut plates on the flange, holding in place with clecos.

11. Drill holes as needed and rivet nut plates into position.

12. Secure the inspection cover with proper sized screws.

You will now have a flush, perfectly sized inspection cover.

BTW... This will work with almost anything that needs a flange.

[conodeuce]

I've enjoyed the various videos about jig construction, including quickie jig fixtures using hot glue.

How about a video that demonstrates using laser levels for aligning jigs? I'll be tackling a vertical wing jig in the next couple of months.

Thanks for asking.

[Norman Langlois]

Came upon this one today. I hate working fiber glass with masking tape and having to remove it or leave it behind. I do not know if this is a new discovery or just that I haven't come across this solution. This is a fiber glass over styrene, with epoxy. Just a new sponson float for my U/L. Since I had already completed the plane I had this product on hand. If one is a new builder most would not.Unless they had already built a plane and used the Stewart's system. Styrene will not except solvent based adhesives .The Stewart fabric adhesive seems to be an excellent alternative to masking tape. Use sparingly and cover patiently one can get a tight wrap over an object and even tack down with a hobby iron. After you are pleased with the package have at it with the epoxy resin.526527 I was still using masking tape but If i do another I will not .

[flyingriki]

Vaccum bagging.
More on composites.
The rest of your series is terrific!

[brucefenster]

How about a video showing how to use the Olfa P-800 heavy-duty plastic laminate (Formica) cutter to cut aluminum or the home made improved version described here: http://www.eaa.org/experimenter/articles/2011-09_howto.asp

[FunInAviation]

How about antenna placement, coax wire runs, what not to do.

[FunInAviation]

I thought of another video that might helpful. When I ordered my Garmin GTX 327 transponder, I also had the vendor create a labeled wiring harness to make things a little easier for my installation. When I started working on installing the harness, I found that there were a lot wires that I didn't need for the installation, since I'm only going to connect my transponder to my Dynon D-100. The one wire I did need wasn't there, in pin #19, which hooks to the Dynon 100. Then I watched the following video:

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=713328494001

This video taught how to install male pins into a round connector. It also showed how to remove the pins, once installed, using a small tool that when inserted into a pin hole would release any pin already installed. I used my version of the tool to remove the wires that I didn't need and transferred one of the wires to pin hole #19, to use to connect to my Dynon D-100.

686

Since many of the current avionics use 25 pin connectors, I think it would make a great video to show not only the installation and removal of the male pins in these type connectors, but the female pins as well.

[CraigCantwell]

Smitty: A couple of things that will help with that video....It helps to get pins and sockets in and out of the conenctor body if you squirt/douse/dribble a little high purity alcohol into the hole you are going to work with. We do tons of Mil-Spec connectors that have the synthetic inserts as well as the hard inserts and the alcohol helps tremendously...especially if you are hanging upside down in a fuel tank trying to rewire a 30+ wire connector some stone mason broke during maintenance.

Also, using the self stick silicone is fine, IF you have everything already working as it should. It's terrible to get apart if you have to break into the connector for some reason. We use it in a few places, but for the most part, we use teflon electrical tape when we need to add diameter to the wire bundle at the strain relief. It will stick to itself but can be cut with an X-acto if needed.

A good practice to use when you are working on the wiring plan, is to block draw your wiring schematics... ie a block with all the pin listings between that connector and the next one, showing only the ones going between the two. You may end up with the same connector on multiple diagrams, buty that's ok. It saves time and effort if you have to do some troubleshooting and makes it way easy to do a ringout prior to powering up your bird the first time. It aslo saves frustration if you are working with a big connector that has wires going to multiple locations

[FunInAviation]

Thanks Craig!

I appreciate the advice!

I tell everyone that as an electrician, I'm one heck of a dentist...:rollseyes:

[hydroguy2]

I built an airplane with out much difficulty, but now I need to know how to maintain it properly.

Could a short presentation be made like "new owners 101" or "tip's to taking care of your new baby".

[Chad Jensen]

I built an airplane with out much difficulty, but now I need to know how to maintain it properly.

Could a short presentation be made like "new owners 101" or "tip's to taking care of your new baby".
I added it to the list Brian!

[Kyle Boatright]

I'd love to see a video and tips on how to use a vacuum bag to form aluminum leading edges. Alternately, other good techniques for a homebuilder to form leading edges.

[Chad Jensen]

Keep the ideas coming...added yours Kyle!:cool:

[Rick Galati]

......So what should we put on the list?I'd like to see a "how to" segment on creating small parts from Plexiglas sheet. Besides the obvious...using a mold of some sort and the judicious application of heat....how is shaping Plexiglas properly done?

http://i54.tinypic.com/1zn0dwg.jpg

[Chad Jensen]

Good idea Rick...might be a good discussion to get in to to learn more about it to bring us to a point where we could do a video on it. I'm pretty sure a few Tailwind builders have shaped their own wingtip lenses, so maybe that would be a source...

[douger]

I'd like to learn how to build a nice, pretty electrical wiring harness.

[Seerjfly]

.

[SprintUS1]

Norman how did you get such deep lightening hole flanges. They are beautiful!!. What material.
Joe Goldman

[Norman Langlois]

Joe
A special compression die was made and is variable ,to create the flare in different size holes. as well as different flare. What you saw is the deepest and is done on 6061 T6 .050 . Its what makes my single spar what it is.Any less of a flare would not give the large diaphragm the strength of a truss work.1161
The die clamps the material before it coins it using a hydraulic press
Also used is simply a set of Green lee Punches.carefully debured so not to have crack starting points.
For anyone not knowing what I am referring to see earlier post about using Stewart's adhesive for working fiberglass . The two pictures were actually a mistake in my upload.
My plane is all very experimental with I think new ways to create an ultralight.If they are difficult than its probably why its not been done. No insult intended to anyone just my self explanation how or why is anything I may do unusual or new. I have taken extreme paths because I can. I have built machinery just to build this plane of mine. 3 plus tooling

[SprintUS1]

Beautiful, and strong. Great looking truss.
Joe

[Sonex1517]

How about vid on Vortex Generators? Before and after performance results (minimum liftoff airspeed, power off stall, power on stall).

I put these on my low wing, 520 lb Fisher Avenger (installed on the wing and tail; 3" apart on the wing and 1.5" apart on the underside of the stabilizer). I think it's one of the best performance enhancement that one can get - and for very little money. Also, it made a noticeable difference in ride quality. It rides smoother in turbulence than it ever did before. Also if one ever has to land off airport, that 5 to 8 MPH slower touchdown speed is a real safety benefit.

Your Sonex would make for a good test case; posting before and after results, along with your impressions of the difference in overall ride quality.

This is one I'd love to see, especially since I am building a Sonex. I used to own a Cherokee with VG's at the wing roots. I have been wondering how VG's would (or would not) work on my Sonex.

[SprintUS1]

On my plans built sprint I did the following: 1. took scrap aluminum bent it lw 90o and flattened out the ends. 2. I used these to brace every rib. Angled from the rib tip to the web, use cheap nuts and bolts. 3. Thus supported I measured with a strap the width needed for the leading edge and ordered it. I rolled it to LIGHTLY start the start the shape DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CREASE THE LEADING EDGE. I then used luggage straps (2") and wood scrap to pull the skin around the supported ribs. Drill, cleco, remove skin, remove braces, clean holes. Cleco and rivet. The tension makes for a very strong and stiff lE.
Joe G

[Pearson]

I'd like to see a "how to" segment on creating small parts from Plexiglas sheet. Besides the obvious...using a mold of some sort and the judicious application of heat....how is shaping Plexiglas properly done?

If this thread is still open, I would love to second Ricks suggestion for a video on forming Plexiglas. But I would like something more than just small parts. I would like to be able to make a formed skylight. My skylight would be about 35" square, and needs to have about a 2 or 3 inch bulge outward.

[Charlie Becker]

If this thread is still open
Yes, the thread is still open and I do monitor it for ideas so keep them coming!

Just don't forget that we produce them in batches so it takes a while for an idea to make it to a finished product.

[Christopher Ingram]

I would like to see more video's covering the different types of wood glues and epoxies. When It came time to choose my bonding agent I struggled to comprehend the various glues/epoxies and the pro's and cons of each. It would have been a time saver if I had a better idea of how the different products were applied, how much to apply, how much clamping pressure works best, what kind of surface preparation is or isn't needed and most of all just a better understanding of what is out there available to us builders.

Thanks,
Chris

[nrpetersen]

A simple dumb thing I've discovered - Large sheets of drafting Mylar are wonderful for pattern making for sheet metal parts such as fairings, brackets etc. The Mylar is dimensionally very stable, and you can write on either side of it with a pencil or squeak pen, while at the same time be able to see through it. It will lay flat yet is stiff enough that it can be used as a pattern for sheet metal parts.

It even makes a good work bench for pre-pregging epoxy layups using a putty knife for spreading the epoxy.

As you may speculate - my company threw out a whole pile of D size mylar when they converted to digital drafting. It was too good to throw away. Heh! Heh!:)

[jtrom]

I would like to see more video's covering the different types of wood glues and epoxies. When It came time to choose my bonding agent I struggled to comprehend the various glues/epoxies and the pro's and cons of each. It would have been a time saver if I had a better idea of how the different products were applied, how much to apply, how much clamping pressure works best, what kind of surface preparation is or isn't needed and most of all just a better understanding of what is out there available to us builders.Thanks,Chris+1

[Frank Giger]

Bending a leading edge.

OMG, I know all the hard ways of doing it, but not a simple one that gives great results.

[llyrad]

I still have to see these videos myself. I'm new here and I need all the information I can get.

[Eric Witherspoon]

Bending a leading edge.

OMG, I know all the hard ways of doing it, but not a simple one that gives great results.

You know about the shop vac method? There's an article in SA about this already - mid 1980's, I think (maybe 1986 or so). They were using it on the Monnett Moni design. This was rediscovered by Sonex builders maybe 5-6-7 years ago, and has caused mass abandonment of house-buckling presses ever since. Seriously, somewhere there's a photo of a Sonex wing leading edge press in someone's garage, where they used house jacks to the ceiling joists to - well, what did you think would happen - the ceiling cracked and the house lifted up... The shop vac method is casual and non-threatening by comparison. One builder already documented this on video - he distributed it via cd for a while, but it might be on a video website by now. If it isn't, it should be...

[wannabuild]

How about vid on Vortex Generators? Before and after performance results (minimum liftoff airspeed, power off stall, power on stall).

I put these on my low wing, 520 lb Fisher Avenger (installed on the wing and tail; 3" apart on the wing and 1.5" apart on the underside of the stabilizer). I think it's one of the best performance enhancement that one can get - and for very little money. Also, it made a noticeable difference in ride quality. It rides smoother in turbulence than it ever did before. Also if one ever has to land off airport, that 5 to 8 MPH slower touchdown speed is a real safety benefit.

Your Sonex would make for a good test case; posting before and after results, along with your impressions of the difference in overall ride quality.

Mike

Can you share any photos/information on the Vortex Generators on you Avenger. I am considering building an Avenger and am looking for any feedback regarding building/flying the Avenger.

Ken, Ontario Canada

[mdawson]

So what should we put on the list?

Hi Charlie,

I'm about to replace the control wires on an Australian Lightwing, an LSA sized rag & tube acft.

While there are a couple of videos that cover Nicopress, tension etc, I come from a marine background where I learnt proper preparation of wire rope so I have some questions which don't seem to be addressed anywhere.

Q1. Does the new control cable wire need to be pre-stretched before making up the cable lengths ? Why/why not ? Method ?
Q1a. If so what stretching tension would you use ? 1/2SWL ? 3/4SWL ?
Q2. When making up the new length should I make any allowance for future stretching ? How much ?
Q3. Is there a trick/jig to make-up the new cable to the same length as the existing cable ? (As simple as a couple of nails in a 4X2 ?)
Q4. What are the advantages/disadvantages of galvanised vs stainless steel wire.
Q5. If I use gal/SS wire should I use Cd or SS thimbles ? Why ?
Q6. What are the pros & cons of bare copper & nickel plated copper swages ? Which should I use for gal/SS wire ?

I'm sure a whole family of videos could be created covering different aspects of this subject.

Other points that could be covered:

Tips for the newby eg swaging one end of every wire first to get practice with the tools & process where you can just cut off a couple of centimetres and start again if you make a mistake. Likewise, finish the long ones first so you can cut them down and use them for the shorter cables if you make a mistake.

Why you heat shrink the wire tail but do not heatshrink the swage.

Why you don't use boat shop aluminium swages.

On a side issue, ongoing maintenance, should the wire be lubricated and if so what is available that won't attract dirt, how should it be applied to get penetration. (Somehow I don't think the lube we used on the mooring cables for a 40,000T container ship would be appropriate.:rollseyes:)

Parallel video(s) could cover making up cables for a new install, what are the options to connect cable to the turnbuckles or fixed points, advantages/disadvantages. Tips & tricks to getting the length right. Choice of cable.

With the move away from externally braced aircraft there is also less expertise readily available on rigging wires. Something on the specifics of rigging wires such as streamline sections v wire might be of interest. How do you measure the tension in a streamline section ?

While I'll have the new cables in the Lightwing before that video(s) could be made, perhaps there are other people out there who would benefit.

Thanks.

Mark

[martymayes]

Bending a leading edge.

OMG, I know all the hard ways of doing it, but not a simple one that gives great results.


You know about the shop vac method?

If you search "Bending a Sonex leading edge skin with the vacuum method" on you tube......

[Victor Bravo]

These are ideas off the top of my head, I DO NOT know if any of these have been produced already:

Using the "greased plates" method for aligning landing gear
"Cushion" in the movement of Bowden cable type engine controls, and proper routing/clamping of Bowden cable controls
Turnbuckle safety-ing, single and double wrap
Getting fabric covering down around 3D curved surfaces
Getting pinked fabric tape on straight, around wingtips and other curves
Adjusting the balance between thrust line and aerodynamic rigging
Various methods of deburring sheet metal, from classic tools to new-era homebuilder discoveries (scotchbrite wheels)
Step-drilling and reaming structural bolt holes for perfect fit and safety
Setback and other factors for correct sheet metal bending

BTW, congratulations on an incredible idea (the Hints for Homebuilders videos). This is a tremendous resource for builders... Home Run for EAA!

As someone mentioned before, you should consider adding videos for flying airplane maintenance. What about "Hints for Aircraft Owners", or "The Educated Aircraft Owner" videos, assisting pilots and owners of Cessna/Piper aircraft as well. This is a low-cost opportunity to further solidify EAA's position as the leader in sport aviation,as well as reaching out to pilots who were not otherwise "EAA types".

[Sirota]

Charlie,

I sure would like to know how others cut and install baffle material. Do you mitre corners? overlap them? glue them together? How do you go around a radius? Etc.

Dave



Okay, so we've published over 220 Hint for Homebuilders (http://eaavideo.org/channel.aspx?ch=ch_hints) videos and we'll be filming some more tonight. We can always use more ideas so I'd like to hear what topics we should put on list for future shoots. Remember the topic should be able to fit in a 3-8 minute segment.

So what should we put on the list?

[1600vw]

How to make tube fairings.

I would love to buy some of that material and make some tube fairings, I guess that is what they are called.

This may seem simple for the builder but to me this is a major undertaking. This would be a great how to. I am sure there are tricks to doing this.

It looks as if you just cut a measure then put ends on the new fairings and bolt them into place, But I am sure there is more to this.

There may already be a webinar on this and I have not come across it yet.

[CDS]

Vaccum bagging.
More on composites.
The rest of your series is terrific!

+1. I spent my time in wood shop and learned a fair bit from Dad about machinery, but I'd like to have a better understanding of composites.

[C130jake]

Removing pop rivets....tiny hole punch to knock out the stem before drilling....wish I knew that earlier.

More fabric covering hints and tricks...Covering a fuselage, alternate knot tying

Painting from prep, prime and finish coats

The videos have been a huge help.

Thanks

Jake

[nrpetersen]

An article on ways to degauss a steel tube fuselage to improve compass accuracy - or even make it possible to get the compass correction within reasonable numbers.

I had to work on my J4 for a long time with a degauss kludge before I could get the compass to work. I removed the tachometer and the compass before trying anything although I don't know if that is necessary. I found that the aircraft compass would correct up to about +/- 45 degrees but the old airplane steel fuselage was way beyond that. A degauss kludge can be made with a coil of Romex cable with the conductor and ground ends wired together to make a single continuous winding. Something to limit the current (like a heater) is necessary. Fiddling around with a piece of 4130 tubing, it seemed like it took about 50 ampere-turns to demagnetize.

[Charlie Becker]

All,

Thanks for the recent ideas. We'll add them to the list. We plan to shoot a few more in the next 45 days.

[SprintUS1]

I'd love to see a video and tips on how to use a vacuum bag to form aluminum leading edges. Alternately, other good techniques for a homebuilder to form leading edges.

I had problems bending the aluminum leading edge to fit. I realized that on order to manhandle the leading edge around the nose ribs they had to first be secured. I used 90o angle formed from scrap al secured with small nuts and bolts fro the top of rib to web of the spar. I then alone, help would have been good, used tiedowns and long peice of wood to rachet the skin around the ribs. You must first cut the skin to length as it might interfere with the straps.

[sadia]

thanks for such ideas.....i m also following ur page on fb....


regards

[depo]

I need instructions about how to select in the market the proper Styrofoam which shall be used to built Rutan/KR type of home-built aircraft. Discussing with colleagues of various experimental experience, i noticed that there is confusion and several mixed opinions (blue and pink polystyrene extruded, or polyurethane extruded, small/big cell, typical densities....). I'd love to see video about it, with eventually even market and brands references.

Here in Europe purchasing voluminous stuff from Aircraft Spruce or Wicks is not convenient (high oversee shipment cost), therefore we need criteria to find equivalent products in the local market.

Regards,
Bruno

[crusty old aviator]

Suggested responses to the old question: When will it fly? But dramatize the questioner and your recommended answers, don't just sit on a stool in front of the camera, or you will just bore us into going back to work on our own projects...which is what I should be doing instead of snooping around these forums!

[crusty old aviator]

Don't use TIG, MIG, or any other electric welder, and you won't have magnetism issues. Gas welding may be old school, but it's easier on the compass. And don't use brazing rod to tack weld your tubes, like I caught ol' PHP doing on one of his Pober Ace projects. That was a real PITA to grind off all the brass in order to get decent welds! Yeah, he looked good in the posed photos, but Paul never did learn how to weld.

[jddavis16]

I would like to see something on LED lighting, including taxi, landing and nav/strobes. How many lumens are needed for each application, how much power, etc. Which is better, round, square, or rectangle shaped lights.

Another item could be a whole new segment on engine overhauls. This could be broken down into many short videos.

[Jdw2717]

If you are still looking, a series on wood selection would be nice. I am looking at building a Mini-max Eros and would like to know more. The plans cover some of the information but it would be nice to have a more in-depth knowledge of what I am doing and where to find more information. Below is a list of what I would like to see covered if possible.
1. What type of wood is typically used in different applications like spars, longerons, rib cap strips, gusset material, etc. What is to be avoided?
2. Grain orientation for spars, longerons, rib cap strips, gusset material, etc.
3. Selection of wood for the parts listed above, including runout, knots, grain pattern, etc. and what is acceptable / safe in different applications.
4. Glue application. How much? Thin layer or a little thicker?
5. Moisture content. What to look for and how to change it properly. What about wood at different moisture contents (not extreme) used in the same parts?
6. Long term storage. Seal the wood as soon as each part is constructed or can you wait. How long is too long?
7. Warped wood. How warped is too warped?
8. Clamping pressure. When is it too much? Different clamping techniques and types for gussets, frame sides, fuselage assembly, etc.
I have an idea on most of these from building furniture most of my life but I would like to know more as these techniques pertain to aircraft construction. Besides, you need more videos for us wood and fabric guys. :)
Thanks,
John

[choppergirl]

Make a video on how tight bracing cross wires should be inside of wings and how to true them all up. Because I really don't know. I've seen a video somewhere of how tight control cables should be and how to tighen them up, something like around 20 pounds? Don't remember off hand... probably wrong.

Make a video on how to keep carpenter bumble bees from drilling holes in your wing spars and other wooden plane parts, which is obviously structurally dangerous.

[Eckertwa]

I would like to see some more composite videos. Examples would be mixing epoxy and microballons and/or flock to the correct consistency. Repair work would be a great example.

In general, I would like to see more advanced videos. It appears that many of the recent videos are basic and are intended for a newer audience that do not have a lot of building experience building. Techniques for moderately skilled builders would be great. An example would be methods for how to seal a fuel tank. Both fiberglass and sheet metal would interest me.

Longer more detailed videos would also be of interest.

Keep up up the good work. The Hints for Home Builders is the first thing I look for in the weekly EAA e-Hotline.


Wayne

[Ericklee]

How about a firewall forward installation video. It would have to be quick, but is something everyone needs to know when building a plane.

[CAVU Mark]

Latest design for Hints for Homebuilders does not work for me in FireFox. The old designed seemed fine, I could watch the video on a small screen (many times I just want audio) and search for new videos at the same time. The new design doesn't even play the video. Should would like to old design back.

[conodeuce]

Latest design for Hints for Homebuilders does not work for me in FireFox.
Which Firefox version are you using? On what kind of computer? What operating system is installed on that computer?
I experimented this morning with fresh installs of Firefox (version 60) on Windows, Mac, and Android. The videos are playing correctly.
So perhaps you just need to update your Firefox.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
Thanks.

[conodeuce]

I am certainly no expert builder. Slowly making my way through a plans-built tube-n-fabric parasol. So, I continue to find the Hints for Homebuilders very helpful.

But, here's a suggestion. How about producing a multi-episode video series that follows a project from start to finish? There would be the opportunity to dive deeply into the various tasks required to complete the airplane. Costs for the development of the series could be offset by sponsorships.

Given the prevalence of kits, I would suppose that focusing on that type of project would make the most sense. But, it would be very interesting to see a plans-built aircraft project depicted this way. To that end, I wonder if sufficient video and audio were captured during the somewhat recent Mechanix Illustrated Baby Ace project to edit into a long-form video.

Probably ten minutes after I post this reply, someone at the EAA will reply with a link to exactly what I am suggesting. That would be a pleasant discovery.

Thank you again for the incredibly helpful resources that you all provide to us builders.

[CAVU Mark]

Which Firefox version are you using? On what kind of computer? What operating system is installed on that computer?
I experimented this morning with fresh installs of Firefox (version 60) on Windows, Mac, and Android. The videos are playing correctly.
So perhaps you just need to update your Firefox.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
Thanks.

I am using the latest FF Ver 60.0.2 on an older PC (AMD processor) A10-5700, WIN 7 Home 64 bit, 12 G of RAM, MSI 2AEO motherboard, 1G of video memory - ATI ASUS EAH5450, 931GB of disc space, cable modem on wifi, 20MB download speeds. The older version of Hints worked fine, the new version does not show the preview screen, left hand menu. uBLock is disabled.

Chrome works on the same computer. I prefer FF.

[conodeuce]

CAVU Mark, I'm tempted to move to Firefox myself. The latest version is supposedly faster (was piggish in the past). Now that Google's omnipresence is starting to creep me out, Firefox is looking more attractive.

I'm sorry that I couldn't reproduce the problem.

Best of luck.

[Sam Buchanan]

But, here's a suggestion. How about producing a multi-episode video series that follows a project from start to finish? There would be the opportunity to dive deeply into the various tasks required to complete the airplane. Costs for the development of the series could be offset by sponsorships.

There are a ton of online builder logs with very detailed descriptions and photos. Many of these logs are of plans-built aircraft and will be applicable in a general sense for anyone building a similar aircraft. Googling will find many instances of blogs and should provide hours of valuable reading. A new video series would be more-or-less a repetition of the online resources.

[conodeuce]

There are a ton of online builder logs with very detailed descriptions and photos.
Yes indeed, there are many web logs of experimental projects. I follow multiple. An in-depth video series would chiefly be a means of evangelism. The new world of media that we are living in is starving for content. So, a well made video series would be welcome.

[Tench745]

I, for one, have been reading everything I can get my hands on for help in building my Junior Ace. I have not, however, found anything that fully tackles the depth of information I'm looking for. Perhaps an appendix of links to all these "tons of online builder logs with very detailed descriptions and photos" would be quite helpful.
Even the hints for homebuilders are a general overview and gloss over specifics, and often ignore the "why" of what we're doing. I agree that an in depth, long-form video series would be a welcome resource, and suspect it will also be a form of evangelism as conodeuce suggests. Much like the "Build this plane for under $800 including engine!" article in Popular Mechanics kicked off the homebuilding movement, using the media of today; Youtube, Facebook, forums etc; could help revitalize the home building movement, bringing it back out of the realm of $40K kits and retirees, bringing it to the forefront for younger generations.
Granted, a truly "affordable" homebuilt would do a lot to encourage this as well; the $800 airplane of 1955 would be about equivalent to a $7000 build today, but that's a different soap box for a different time.
Edit:
As it is, people like Peter Sripol are filling this void in media for younger generations by cataloging his inexpensive ultralight builds. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the depth of experience that many older members of the EAA family possess, and may lead the younger generations to making uninformed and potentially dangerous decisions. Nothing against Peter, he's just the most prominent creator of this type of content that I can think of at the moment.

[Sam Buchanan]

I understand what you are advocating and am sympathetic to the novice builder who doesn't have the technical background of the gray-beards. There are two obstacles to inexpensive homebuilts that immediately come to mind:

1) The desire for immediate gratification with the latest and greatest flash and bang. Yes, the legacy designs have their own charm but not the appeal of new aircraft. This desire to have strong performance, quick builds, and the latest tech drives the community of builders into the "$40K kits".

2) The lack of a reliable, field-proven, low-cost and readily available powerplant in large quantities. The $7000 aircraft doesn't happen because there is no way to fill these powerplant needs in this price range. A decent used Conti or Lyc is going to consume that $7000 budget with nothing being spent on the airframe, and good used engines are becoming quite rare. The "alternative" engines are plagued with low-time field history/reliability and often sketchy support.

I wish we had a good solution to your question but I suspect it is just going to be necessary to raise the $$$$$ bar to achieve the reliability and performance desired.......and the market has already done that.

[Tench745]

I understand what you are advocating and am sympathetic to the novice builder who doesn't have the technical background of the gray-beards. There are two obstacles to inexpensive homebuilts that immediately come to mind:

1) The desire for immediate gratification with the latest and greatest flash and bang. Yes, the legacy designs have their own charm but not the appeal of new aircraft. This desire to have strong performance, quick builds, and the latest tech drives the community of builders into the "$40K kits".

2) The lack of a reliable, field-proven, low-cost and readily available powerplant in large quantities. The $7000 aircraft doesn't happen because there is no way to fill these powerplant needs in this price range. A decent used Conti or Lyc is going to consume that $7000 budget with nothing being spent on the airframe, and good used engines are becoming quite rare. The "alternative" engines are plagued with low-time field history/reliability and often sketchy support.

I wish we had a good solution to your question but I suspect it is just going to be necessary to raise the $$$$$ bar to achieve the reliability and performance desired.......and the market has already done that.

I appreciate the sympathetic ear, Sam, and understand the harsh reality. The powerplant issue certainly came to mind and is a seemingly insurmountable obstacle until demand is great enough for the industry to take notice. Of course, you'd still have no field history and questionable support.
I'm afraid I took this thread off track and away from my intended point, that a well made, in depth series covering the build and test flying of one of the more inexpensive homebuilts would be a valuable resource for us beginners and potentially a useful outreach tool for the EAA.

On a related note, if there exists a resource or resources already containing this information, I would personally be very appreciative of a list of them. There are many technical manuals out there, but it's not always clear which ones are valuable for a specific task and some information may be lost without wading through technical specs in multiple volumes. At least, this is my experience so far.

[rwanttaja]

I, for one, have been reading everything I can get my hands on for help in building my Junior Ace. I have not, however, found anything that fully tackles the depth of information I'm looking for.

Try the Pete Bowers Centennial Fly Baby Page:

http://www.bowersflybaby.com/PB100/index.html

And click the "Jump to Construction Information" link.

I've got some references to key Tony Bingelis articles (scroll up a bit), information on setting up the shop, some info on hardware, and some basic workmanship guidance.

In addition, there are in-depth articles on wing and fuselage construction. Not directly related to a Junior Ace, but wood is wood.....

Ron Wanttaja

[Sam Buchanan]

Yep, the FlyBaby page would be at the top of my list. Also, a set of Bingelis books is mandatory for any novice builders of 'legacy' wood aircraft:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/bvpages/bingelis5.php

7329

[Tench745]

Yep, the FlyBaby page would be at the top of my list. Also, a set of Bingelis books is mandatory for any novice builders of 'legacy' wood aircraft:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/bvpages/bingelis5.php


Thank you.
Yup, I've got two of the Bingelis books already, very good information, but even still good information on the same/similar topics is spaced out over the two volumes, making it harder to remember where I've seen it when I need to refer back. I'd like to compile a database of information/resources as I build to help myself and future ace builders, much as Ron has done for the Fly Baby.
In that vein, over time I would like to get together a list of current suppliers for materials as well as articles, etc on how to actually assemble an aircraft.
That's enough of me derailing this thread for now. I'll likely post more as I go in my Corben Jr Ace Build (http://eaaforums.org/showthread.php?7943-Corben-Jr-ace-build) thread.
Be the change you want to see, or something like that. :)

[CAVU Mark]

Reading is good, building is better. I just finished my third Stearman but only one plane was completed! OR... find a local museum and help restore some aircraft. That is what I did at the Air and Space Museum and the USS Midway, now I am the fabric guru (I learned from Frank who built TBMs on Long Island in the 40s) Can't read about that in a book.

[Yellowhammer]

C.B.,
I would like to learn how to install a capacitance type gauge for a Fiberglas header tank. Also where to install the gascolator.

For fuel gauges (cap. type) what indicators must be used with which capacitors etc.

[DonN]

I'd like to see a video on cleaning and preparing a steel tube fuselage that has been over 20 years in the making for priming/painting.

[DonN]

I would also like to see videos on using other fabric systems - Stewart and Oratex come to mind, as well as patching fabric from one system with materials from another.