May 16, 2015 Build Report

In spite of The Mack airport having a Fat Tire Fly-in with lots and lots of really neat airplanes with tires big enough to make them look like Monster trucks, the repair-build group did get stuff done. I spent too much time watching the competition, a really interesting spot landing contest with genuine money as the prize (heavy metal won by Hector in his Cessna 180 N180C, at 5 feet from the line, and Light aircraft won by someone named POPS from Winnemucca  NV. in a Super Cub at 9 feet. Travis Reese won heavy metal  in the power off from 800 feet at 4 feet but there was no money just bragging rights.  I was so interested in the competition that I almost missed lunch cooked by John C. If Anthony had not brought me back to reality I would have missed it totally and the build crew would not have gotten the sliver on. There was a Mackey SQ, and Blue Grey’s new Just Aircraft SUPER STOL competing and not having seen either of these spectacular aircraft preform,  I took a minute and shirked my job on the build. OOPs! We are bottle necked on the build as we covered and are painting the belly of the Hawk. And we have to let each coat dry. (The weather held -no rain, so we could paint without blushing). The process goes something like this-

Finishing Dakota Hawk #28 belly
Finishing Dakota Hawk #28 belly
    (1) Build a paint booth. (Anthony, Ken P, Kim, and lots of well used 1 inch PVC pipe and fittings (out of my junk) hung from the ceiling with a clear  plastic makes an awesome paint booth, and kept the dirt out plus kept from over-spraying everything in the hanger. It has a fan to move the air, LED 4′ lights and no dust. this was done several Saturdays ago.

    (2) Put on a brushed coat of Poly Brush then install all the tapes and inspection holes, drain holes and doilies over them- (John Wilson, Josiah, Anthony, and both Silas boys, Pat Wehling and anyone who happened to walk into the booth.(there is only 3 paint respirators so everyone had to take turns).

    (3) Put on a Sprayed coat of Poly Brush. (Anthony, Josiah, John Wilson, Pat W, all learned how to work a HVLP spray gun. and they did an awesome job). they did this without the Poly Spray dripping off on the floor. NO-RUNS.

    (4) A coat of Poly Spray Was put on. This coat was done both lengthwise and cross wise so there was no spots left uncovered. As this coat dried we watched the spot landing contest. and when the silver dried it was sanded smooth.

    (5) Another coat of Poly Spray was added both lengthwise and cross ways. this should have been the last coat before the color but the kids found out about the fun of runs, so it was back to sanding and correcting errors. With a little touch up the color can go on this week then final assembly can commence. currently there is not much anyone can do until the painting is finished.

While the paint rodeo was going on the Engine build ran parallel to it. John C, Bill D, Anthony, Pat, and John W started final assembly on the engine. The rods are on the crank, properly torqued and cotter pins installed. The steel parts were Magnafluxed by Leonard Lentz at WestStar. Again WestStar came to the rescue and donated the Magnaflux time plus giving us all the documentation to show the parts are acceptable. Only problem was the vacuum pump gear was not in the parts given to WestStar. So I am going to have to beg another favor and see if we can get it done. Plus I am twisting Brian Miller’s arm for the adapter and  vacuum pump drive gear out of his 0-200 to install in the HAWKS 0-200. Colorado Airparts wants $400.00 for these two parts and we are way short on funds. (Colorado Airparts also supplied the rod bolt cotter keys-No Ace hardware keys were used. Also they supplied the silk thread and the Hylomar case sealent.) We will have to replace Brian’s parts when our ship with all the gold comes in. With these parts installed, the 8 amp vacuum pump drive alternator that Ladd gave us can be used on the nose of the engine until the ship arrives so we can get a proper rear drive alternator. Until the Magnaflux on the gears are done, we cannot Slam the case halves together so the engine will start looking like an engine. Several engine people John W, Pat W and Bill D got their practice learning proper safety techniques per 4313-1A. With the book in hand, they did and redid until the safeties looked like the pictures, and were tight. (6 to 8 turns per inch with the tail turned under ect. ect.)

with Dakota Hawk #28 panel
with Dakota Hawk #28 panel
At the same time Rodger Olander (He did an awesome job with Grahpite on the nose for his Mitchel wing). is fabricating a Graphite instrument panel for us. Only problem is the graphite fabric he got from Aircraft Spruce has so many flaws in it it is not cosmetically usable. (See Photo). Tres said he would try to get us some non flawed graphite fabric unless someone in the club has some-(hint – hint- about 10 inches by 30 inches).

Another hint is WE NEED CASH  I am really cheap but even us cheapskates eventually run out of ideas. DONATIONS ACCEPTED! We need to get Ercoup engine mount bushings and spacers (about $200.00) to put the 0-200 in the Hawk. Plus [we need] misc hardware and a carb. Hector said to use Jerry’s idea and use the C-85 carb with a primer. Hector said the serious hop up guys do this because the 150 carb with the pump has a flat spot when accelerated rapidly. I would think just the opposite would happen. Jerry purchased a primer so it would just be plumbing. Just hate lots of fuel lines, but is not expensive and we have the carb, in fact two of them. I thought about selling them, but they are better than nothing and a 150 carb can be installed later.

Anyway the Build continues- Did I say bring CASH?