REFLECTOR: What would you do - not do?

[Andrew Ellzey]

I will second not to trust the cut lines on your fuselage. I found several 
mistakes, my windshield cut lines were 3/4" lower on one side and crooked 
with the top fuselage. I also found my rear windows different sizes and also 
crooked with the world. Measure four times and cut once.

Andy Ellzey


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Ewen" <jewen at comporium.net>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 9:13 PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: What would you do - not do?


> Welcome Steve,
> You have already received many great techniques.  One of the greatest is 
> preweting your lay-ups on plastic, I find .003 PE sheet to work the best. 
> Not including wings, 90% of my glass work used this technique.  I would 
> like to add a few suggestions that I did not see previously mentioned.
>
> *** Do Not trust the factory cut lines, triple check them.  My worst 
> example: I bought my kit second hand and did not like the condition of 2 
> strake panels.  I bought replacements.  The replacements had cut lines 
> marked  in the vicinity of the fuselage joint, one line was off by 4" to 
> 5" at one end.  Had I cut anywhere close to the factory line, I would have 
> been buying another strake panel.
> * In areas of multiple lay-ups (example gear area) try to make all lay-ups 
> at the same, saves a lot of sanding between lay-ups.
> * Try to get copies of past velocity view newsletters.  I found a lot of 
> great ideas and clarifications in them.
> * I agree with statements about avoiding modifications, one mod I would 
> suggest was called "The great big hatch." (appeared in one of the Velocity 
> Views)  I think this one is well worth the effort.
> * During strake construction there is a requirement to invert the fuselage 
> (instructions circa 1995.)  I developed a technique that does not require 
> flipping the fuselage.  Tanks were leak free, passed a 24 hour balloon 
> leak test (balloon burst after 24 hours due to OAT temp rise.)  When you 
> are ready to do your stakes let me know if you would like the procedure.
>
> Hope this helps and happy building,
> Joe
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve Goldman" <steve at fatcatair.com>
> To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 10:25 AM
> Subject: REFLECTOR: What would you do - not do?
>
>
>> So I'm a soon to be builder (kit should be delivered in June) and I found 
>> it
>> interesting to see the discussion of what tools are good to have in your
>> shop. I've been reading the kit manual for a while and I'm up to chapter 
>> 8.
>>
>> I've looked back thru at least 2 years of archives and I don't see a 
>> thread
>> posing the question I'm interested in. Given your building experience 
>> what
>> do you wish you had done or not done?
>>
>> I've been following Andy Millin's progress for quite a while and I'd 
>> guess
>> his list would start with more sanding of the wing core with his 5' 
>> permagrit
>> bar. I'm curious as to other builders thoughts.
>>
>> -- 
>> Steve Goldman
>> '77 Tiger N28531
>> Pittsboro, NC 27312
>>
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