H in t s F or H o m e b uil d e r s
Winging It
Using dry ice and drift pins
By Cy Galley, EAA Lifetime 71015, Rock Island, IL
It is cold. You are shivering. You need to attach a cantilevered wing on the fuselage of your plane. The wing is
heavy and awkward. You are by yourself. What to do?
I used an engine hoist as shown in the photo. It made
a nice, steady platform to carefully position all the
bolt holes at one time without damage. Rather than
force and damage anything when it got too cold to
work, I blocked it up and returned to it the next day.
The blocking circled in the picture secured the wing
even if the borrowed hoist would leak hydraulic fluid.
The carpet was a convenient place to lay tools without
damaging the new paint.
The next day, I had a good supply of drift pins and a couple
of 9/16 bolts that I ground to bullet points to precisely line
up the holes. I also stopped at the package good store and
got some dry ice to shrink the bolts. The smaller diameters
of the bolts at 40° F. below zero made them easier to slide
in dry—no lubricants. When the bolts warmed up, a snug
fit was ensured. Hammering the bolts in could easily damage the fittings as they are aluminum.
Homebuilder Hints Videos
Here are four of the 328 homebuilt videos currently available for members to view.
Soldering Tips-Holding Wires
Holding two wires together for soldering can be a challenge, especially if they are under your
instrument panel. Mitch Zehr from the EAA aircraft maintenance staff shows how to use the plastic
top from a spray can to help make it easier.
Laying a Bead of Resin Microspheres with a Caulk Gun
Mark Forss of EAA's SportAir Workshops demonstrates three simple techniques for installing
a bead of resin microsphere mixture for constructing joints and fillets in composite work, and
demonstrates how to construct a "production bead layer."
Masking Surfaces for Painting
Bob Koehler shows different products to use when masking off areas prior to painting. Bob is an
A&P; Mechanic and EAA SportAir Workshop instructor.
Propeller Erosion Tape
Dick Koehler explains how special 3M tape can be used to protect the leading edge of propellers
from erosion and demonstrates how to apply the tape.
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Vol.2 N o.10 / October 2013
Photography by Cy Galley