Author Topic: where I have been for 2 years-My airplane  (Read 3521 times)

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Offline jeffp51

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Re: where I have been for 2 years-My airplane
« Reply #15 on: October 11, 2025, 03:02:39 am »
Hi Sleek,  good to hear from you again.  My building partner and I have completed the wings and the tail.  We had the main part of the fuselage assembled, and have spent the last while taking it back apart, deburring all the rivet holes, priming parts and preparing for reassembly.  After a long summer of doing that, we are finally at the stage where we are starting to rivet parts together.  The challenge has been to not paint ourselves into a corner and assemble parts that will prevent us from getting at other parts.  After that will come all the wiring and engine work.  We are putting a modified corvair engine (that first saw life in 1967) onto the firewall.  Lots to do still and every step is a new challenge.  But it also means learning new skills with every step.

Offline sleek

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Re: where I have been for 2 years-My airplane
« Reply #16 on: October 11, 2025, 03:58:58 am »
Man, I do it for a living, but i gadda say im jealous of you here. That has to be fun. Working with .032 and .o40 mostly ( I assume anyway ) most your rivets will be blind fasteners, aka, cherries. What state are you in? If. Not far and you want a hand, im not liscenced but I am happy to help if you like.
Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

Dont seek your happiness through the approval of others

Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: where I have been for 2 years-My airplane
« Reply #17 on: October 11, 2025, 11:16:54 am »
I was a helicopter crewchief in the late 60s, I crewed OH-6As mostly with a few Hueys thrown in as well, there is not much I didn't do to them. I could take an OH6A down into small pieces, put it back together, call a pilot and fly off in it.

Like Sleek says, once this stuff gets in your blood it never leaves; 56 years later I still rush outside to look when I hear a flight of Blackhawks or Chinooks fly over.

Offline jeffp51

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Re: where I have been for 2 years-My airplane
« Reply #18 on: October 11, 2025, 01:58:52 pm »
Man, I do it for a living, but i gadda say im jealous of you here. That has to be fun. Working with .032 and .o40 mostly ( I assume anyway ) most your rivets will be blind fasteners, aka, cherries. What state are you in? If. Not far and you want a hand, im not liscenced but I am happy to help if you like.

I am in Pleasant Grove, Utah.  Most of the Zodiac is made out of .025" 6061-T6 aluminum. The rivets are a proprietary rivet developed by Zenith aircraft for their kits,  but they are mostly blind rivets.  I would be happy to have your help anytime.  I'll show you my bows and arrows too.

Offline sleek

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Re: where I have been for 2 years-My airplane
« Reply #19 on: October 12, 2025, 10:27:35 pm »
Wow, I wish I knew! I was just that way in Wendover for the flight shoot competition! Ill be there again next August though, ill look you up then!
Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

Dont seek your happiness through the approval of others