Ferg,
Like Andrew, I can't see the pictures so there's a bit of a problem
visualizing your predicament.
When I put my wings on the first time at the airport, the wing bushings
refused to align themselves with bushings in the cockpit module. This
is in spit of the fact I had the wings on and off several times during
the build and the seemed to fit quite well. I'm not sure exactly why,
but they were off by just enough that the big pip pin and the solid pin
refused to enter. I was able to estimate that the wing bushings were
short of alignment by something between 1/16 & 1/32 inch. I fashioned
up a set of pins to assist in the alignment. The pins were fabricated
---From 1/2 inch round bar stock. Here is a picture of the two pins along
with the solid pin supplied by Europa:
The taper on the insertion end ensured that the pin entered the bushings
and coaxed them into alignment. Once both pins were in, one could be
removed and replaced with either a pip pin or the solid pin. With one
proper pin in place, the other taper pin could be removed and replaced
with a proper pin.
Like Andrew, I also use two pip pins rather than the big solid pin.
The scale and squares in the picture are 1" so you can determine the
various dimensions of the pins.
As for removal of the stuck pintle, I'm at a loss until I can see just
how it's configured and how it's stuck. I'd avoid cutting anything for
access until you had an opportunity to correspond with Bud. He's the
real Guru and if anyone can come up with a solution, he should be able.
Blue skies & tailwinds,
Bob Borger
Europa XS Tri, Rotax 914, Airmaster C/S Prop.
Little Toot Sport Biplane, Lycoming Thunderbolt AEIO-320 EXP
3705 Lynchburg Dr.
Corinth, TX 76208-5331
Cel: 817-992-1117
rlborger@mac.com
On Jun 5, 2013, at 11:30 AM, f.kyle@sympatico.ca wrote:
Cheers,
Before I begin this chronicle, I beg you - do not open
unless you have a modicum of forbearance and compassion. Do not open
within 2 hours of eating. This article is based on my Mono, but
detachable wings make it a Europa item for all who crave enjoyment
.
NOTE: Due to size restrictions, addenda, sketches and photos follow in
=93You=92ll cry 2=94. I used =93ADJUNCT=94 to describe various items.
After 15 years of building and boasting, I got the fuselage
out of the spare bedroom, and up to the airport to match with the wings.
Life improved at home markedly, but the wings were not obedient -
perhaps because they had waited through two winters while the fuselage
lay in relative comfort.
Attaching the wings, there was a marked =93thunk=94 when the
port pip-pin began its entry. I noticed that it was in only one inch or
so, and surmised that the port spar was the reticent item. While I was
cursing and sweating at this event, a buddy came across the hangar and
slid the starboard pin in, slick as a whistle.
I mused as to how to react ,and after some consultation with
the burgeoning Advisory Board (casually forming at the hangar),
calculated that a =91tapered spindle=92, suitably divided into sections
would easily (a) urge the bushings on the port side to align as it
entered, (b) if properly sectioned, would fall in sections into the
belly (for recovery), when pressed forward into the dark, (c) as the
pip-pin was installed in trail. The bushings would then become
accustomed to their fates and obey in future.
I designed the item in question - see Adjunct A [see
PINTLE2, attached} - and asked Heinz at the warplane to fashion it. The
idea was that the sections would follow one another because of a
centring pin guaranteeing concentricity.
Now to the design: I tried to measure the free distance
---From the back of the starboard spar bushing to the fuel tank forward
face, as to be the free space into which the sections would fall after
passing through.
The opportunity to do this was badly restricted by (1) my loss of many
sketches I made and stored on the computor. This latter dimmed in
utility and I =93upgraded=94 (I think they call it). Despite a thousand
oaths of purity, the family computer agent lost many sketches, including
measurements now hidden in the completed fuselage. Let the court examine
the drawings in chapters called =93Fuel Tank=94 (my #16) and are titled
Fig.2 =93Strap baggage bay to maintain desired position=94 and Fig. 3,
=93Sectional view through centreline of tank=94., or see below as
Adjuncts (B) and (C). [ADJUNCT(B) is SpindleMaster, attached] [ADJUNCT
(C) is PORTwingBOLT3, attached]
Back to the design. This was completed after a
long day, at about 11:45 pm. I callipered the space across the tank
bottom and scaled the drawing to calculate the space behind the spar
bushings to the tank forward face to establish the length of the front
section of the spindle for its fall on reaching freedom - see item (b),
para 4 above. As Adjunct (A) shows it came to 4.75 inches with 5/8
inches of space remaining. Plenty.....
The device was produced by my buddy Heinz at the Warplane
Heritage Museum across the bay. Heinz reversed the connecting pin
between sections (for centring purposes) It=92s shown as dotted red in
ADJUNCT (C). Back to para 3 and the =93thunk=94. In that split second,
I realised what had happened. In my torpor, I had transcribed 2-3/4
inches to 4-3/4 inches in the plan. The spindle had thumped the fuel
tank and was now jammed part-way into the spars and stuck - - and so was
I.
The present state, as displayed in Adjunct (C) was drawn full-size. At
right the Port pip-pin shows the thickness of spars and seat bulkhead to
be correct..... the relative thickness of bulkhead and spars might be
incorrect, but the total was right. Now, the effect of the reversed
Heinz inter-section pin became clear. Instead of a depression into
which I might drill and tap a thread to hold a retracting threaded rod,
I=92m looking at the pin. I used the front sections of the spindle to
guide a smaller drill bit into the pin. However, it was perhaps 0.5 mm
off centre and some of the pin remained erect. As I continued, I felt
the bit snag the face of the spindle and it rotated. With the other end
snug against the tank, I panicked that perhaps I was drilling a hole in
the tank. I blanched even further.
I am now being educated as to what lies in that sacred cavern - aileron
roll mechanisms, two spars, the pitch control tube and several sets of
nuts and bolts with which to contend. None of these devices seem to be
shown in relative/measured position - and I can=92t see to look in.
If you=92re still with me, see Adjunct (D), [PINTLEsite.jpg, attached] a
print of the spindle in situ, courtesy of Al=92s boroscope. Yup, there
are the twin scars of an attempt to handsaw the 3/8 inch (+/-) stainless
steel spindle, oh, and a single rut produced when it was the other way
around.
So there you have it. That is the present state of affairs. An expert
here banned the use of a moderate-sized reciprocating saw - as bestial -
prepared blade is Adjunct (E). ADJUNCT (F) is P5090153.JPG, attached,
and is an extended hacksaw blade arm with about 2 inches of teeth
exposed - used by hand to dig two of those ruts in the pintle in the
boroscope view. I am contemplating welding a long arm with 2 inches of
hacksaw blade at the business end and a jig saw attached outside the
belly panel hole. One must remember that the pip-pin is about 2 inches
---From the outer skin, so a reciprocator must not have a larger range of
travel. That=92s why the expert banned the =93Sawzall=94 as they call it
and I reverted to the other choice (F).
If you have come this far, you must have an opinion - not of me, that=92s
assumed - but of the solution. If so, let me have it. Otherwise, you may
want to haunt this site hoping to hear of another choice later. In the
meantime, please tell me the width of the spars and the depth of the
seat back, and any photo of the spar entry holes (port side) so I can
visualise the contents of same.
As the Old Guy said, =93I have to close now as I hear Sister coming
upstairs with that @#$%^& syringe=94.
Cheers, Ferg
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