REFLECTOR: task order for completing the strake?

[NMFlyer1 at aol.com]

Grigore, 
 
I am note sure about how newer supplies/factory fuel gauges and such are,  
but here's how I did mine. 
 
My site gauges are per the plans. So were the fuel caps. 
My capacitance gauges are bendable type and are installed from the inside  of 
the fuselage about as far aft as you can get. (capacitance probes measure  
INSIDE the tube. a dab of jeffco on the outside should not make a difference.) 
 
I cut the holes bent/cut the probes so that they measure near the fuel  
strainers. 
 
I then augured out the foam in between the fuselage and packed it with  
Jeffco and flox. then sanded it smooth. 
 
 
I did all the structural prep as per the "old" plans. I wanted things well  
sealed so I then gouged out a little of the foam on the edges of the baffles,  
and packed those with Micro. Then lower baffles installed per plans. 
 
Then I sanded, then sealed all of the insides of the strakes with Jeffco  
(except where the structural bonds needed to be on the leading edge and the  
spar). 
It was pretty easy to spot bubbles/pinholes in the Jeffco, so I touched  
those up with a modeling brush & Jeffco before things cured. I also sealed  the 
sides of the baffles with a light coat. 
 
I did use flanges and installed the baffles in the tank per the plans. 
 
I lightly sanded all of the jeffco. I then marked where the  baffles met the 
top strake with a marker.  I sanded the area where the  baffles met the top of 
the strake a with 80 grit, so that it would make  structural contact. 
 
I then coated the insides of all the surfaces with a thin coat of jeffco  
(just like they say to do with the regular method). I also recoated the hole  
where the fuel senders go thru the fuselage. 
 
Then I mixed up jeffco's structural epoxy and flox. I used this to mound  the 
required space above baffles. 
 
The rest is basically per the plans. 
 
See previous posts for how I had to leak test the tanks. or E-mail me  
directly. I have posted this before. 
 
One thing. It was hot and humid (for here in NM) and the Jeffco cured  faster 
than the regular kit epoxy I was used to. (I believe it was standard  
hardener).  It was a good thing I had a helper that day to get everything  done 
before it cured. Now would be a good time of year to knock this out as it  would 
buy your more time and flexibility. 
 
Hope that helps. 
 
 Kurt 
 
 



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