New Stuff!

2/22/07- Finish welded the engine mount spools into the corners of the fuselage.

2/18/07- Formed the top corners of the fuse at station 0 to accept the engine mount spools.

2/16/07- Cut and formed the seat pans.

2/10/07- Elevator trim lever, throttle quadrants, rudder cable fairleads, engine mount.

1/16/07- Finished all the floorboards.

1/12/07- Floorboard brackets are tacked, floorboard fabbed.

1/9/07- Fabbed & tacked floorboard brackets.

12/17/06- Mounted the brake master cylinders.

11/22/06- Mounted the tailwheel bracket.

11/14/06- Mounted the wheels and brakes.

11/1/06- Tacked the reinforcing straps on the landing gear.

10/30/06- Landing gear axles are beveled for straps.

10/28/06- Both landing gear are all tack welded.

7/25/06- Fit the rear landing gear bracket.

7/18/06- Built the axle support jigs.

7/5/06- Tack welded the fuel tank mounting bushings in place.

6/30/06- Mounted the elevator reverser and walking beam.

6/27/06- Welded in the rudder pedal mounts.

6/26/06- Welded the battery tray and supports in place.

6/25/06- Designed and welded the battery support tray.

6/22/06- Notched and welded the front seat back tubes in place.

6/21/06- Jigged and welded the seats in place.

6/19/06- Built the seat bottoms.

6/13/06- Jigged the torque tube in place and welded the mounts to the fuselage.

6/4/06- Continuing to finish weld the fuselage.

5/26/06- Started finish welding the fuselage

5/25/06- Completed the fuselage rotating stand for welding.

5/18/06- Made parts for the rotating fuselage stand for finish welding.

5/16/06- Welded the stick boots to the torque tube.

5/15/06- Drilled the stick boots for the sticks.

 5/11/06- Building the elevator reverser and walking beam.

5/9/06- Built the stick boots.

This is the Steen Skybolt.  Beautiful, isn't it?  I hope to have mine finished sometime in 2007.

7/6/06- I recently had a request for my list of 4130 steel plate that I ordered for my Skybolt.  This list includes 2 extra sheets of .050 plate due to 2 rejected control stick boots- a learning experience.  This list is not definitive and I haven't cut out all my parts yet, it's just the best that I could pull off the plans.
Quan          Description
6                 6x12x.050
5                 6x12x.063
3                 6x12x.071
4                 6x12x.100
4                 6x12x.125
2                 6x12x.040

Also, click on the link for a .pdf file of my tubing kit invoice from Dillsburg Aeroplane Works.

4/21/06- Visit to Steen Aerolab.

I had an interesting discussion with Barrett at Steen during my last visit and he gave me 12 helpful tips that you won't find on the plans so I'll list them here.  Below, there are some pictures of an adjustable seat system and an access cover at the factory.
1.  Mount brake calipers forward instead of down so you won't rip them off when you get a flat.
2.  Mount your wheelpants with the tires flat to get them mounted at the right height for the same reason as #1.  Barrett said that if your wheelpants get ripped off due to a flat or hard landing, they will go right through the bottom wing.
3.  When covering the turtle deck and fin, cover the right side first then the left so that the final seam ends up on the right.  Most people approach an airplane from the left side, so the seam will be less visible.
4.  Don't run fuel and smoke tank vent lines down the gear legs like the Yellowbird.  Fuel and oil will set hot brakes on fire.
5.  Extend the axles another 11/4" inboard to facilitate jacking the plane up with a standard floor jack.
6.  To get a good transition from the turtle deck to the fin without wrinkles, attach a wood filler strip to the bottom fin rib.
7.  Seam the fuselage covering down the middle of the turtle deck and fin and around the bottom longerons.
8.  Use medium weight fabric.  Heavy weight fabric is unnecessary.
9.  Often the covering will stick to the tubing and not come off tangent causing a dip in the fabric.  A little bit of MEK and the iron will release it and get rid of the dips.
10.  The firewall is mounted by pinching it between the engine mount and fuselage.
11.  Use body filler to even out the edge along the bottom of the turtle deck after riveting it.
12.  Do not use felt under any covering.  It balls up from the friction between the covering and the felt and it holds moisture causing corrosion and rot.

Smooth Landings,

Shell Lightning