Chapter 19 - Wings - Part 2

Last Friday my brother came down from Seattle and helped me cut the first of the three wing sections. I really messed up when ordering the foam and so I only had enough to cut the outboard section.

After cutting the core, we cut the wiring conduit and split the cores allong the shear web. Next I bonded the blocks togather with micro to complete the two individual foam coars. These will be bonded back together after the shear web is layed up.

Chapter 19 - Wings - Part 1

Well, as the plans say, "this is the big one", the wings.

First step was cutting out and assembling the wing jigs. These are used to allign the wing foam cores while they are bonded togather and while the shear web is layed up.

Each jig is split into 4 peices and bolted togather so that they can be separated for different layups.

When I constructed the canard, I purchased preformed foam cores. However after assisting Steve Parkins cut one of his Cozy MKIV wing cores, I reallized how easy it was and decided to cut my own wing cores.

After I completed the wing jigs I bonded the wing templates from the A drawings onto formica laminate and cut them out. These templates guide the hot wire cutting tool to form the airfoil. Also included are templates for cutting torque tube access, aileron cutouts and wiring conduit and winglet.


Here is a photo of the hotwire cutting tool I constructed. An assistant will be required to weild this while cutting the foam cores.


The foam blocks are enroute. In the meantime I will be transfering the "talking numbers" and other information to the back side of each template. Sometimes a reverse template is required depending on weather or not the template is used inboard or outboard of a block, and of course when the other wing is constructed as well.

Chapter 14 - Center section Spar - Part 3

Happy new year everyone.

The last few weeks I have managed to work steadily on completing the center spar. Today the spar is complete (except for 2 2-1/2" access holes).

The plans call for the spar to be permanently installed at this time. I think however that I will not do that. The EZ takes up a lot of shop space with the center spar and canard installed. If I leave the center spar off and remove the canard, I will have plenty of room in the shop to complete the last of the large layups on the big work table, the wings. I believe that after the wings are complete, I can disassemble the large work table, or cut it down to take less space while I complete the spar installation and build the wing strakes.

Here are some photos of the spar completion:

Here is the center spar after the spar cap layups and the aft bid exterior layups. The 4 aluminium plates are floxed into place. 3 plies UNI glass are layed up over each of these hard points.

After the UIN layups are cured, the center access hole is cut and 3 plies BID is layed up over the foward face of the spar. This hole will allow access to the inside of the center spar for wing attach nuts. This space will also be a baggage compartment behind the passenger seat.

Here is another view of the completed spar.

And here is the spar temporarily installed into the fuselage.

Chapter 14 - Center section Spar - Part 2

We had quite the cold snap here in the north west and heating the shop to acceptable temperatures had been futile until late last week. With the help of a couple of heaters I managed to get the shop warmed up enough to do some layups.

Here is the inside of the center section spar with the internal glass plies and bulkheads. In this photo the top of the spar is on the right. The bottom, on the left, has a slight dihedral. The aft face is down and the forward face is up. In the right background is pictured the 3 panels, glassed on the inside surface, that will be the forward face of the spar.

Here is another picture of the 3 forward panels ready to micro in place.

Here pictured is the spar after the forward face has been bonded in place and the spar cap troughs have been carved.

Pictured here are the 6 1/4" attachment point reenforcement pieces. Each of these locations will later be drilled to receive 1/2" bolts attaching the wings to this center spar.

And yesterday I completed laying up the center spar shear web. Next up are the spar caps.

Chapter 14 - Center section Spar (and misc photos)

Materials for my Center Section Spar should arrive via the magic brown van tomorrow.

While waiting for the materials (1/4" divinicell foam, aluminium, fiberglass and epoxy) I dug out the spar jig that I built many months ago. I cut the urethane foam parts (which are pictured test fitted into the jig).

I also cut the 1/8" aluminium attachment renforcement peices (the remaining reinforcement parts will be cut when I recieve the 1/4" stock tomorrow).

Finally I cut the 8 spar cap templates.

MISC. Photos...

Here is a photo of a cover I installed just forward of the instrument panel. the two triangular "flanges", just aft and on the left and right of the panel, will provide a surface for the a gasket on the canopy to seal against.

Also here is a picture of the final nose shape. My brother commented that I never posted a final photo. The top of the nose still remains to be glassed because I want better access to install brake resivoirs and other items before it is glassed in place. I also want to find a clean way of instlling the access hatch.

Chapter 13 - Nose - Complete!

Ok, I admit that saying this chapter is complete is a little inaccurate. I still have to install the static port, pitot tube and complete the nose access hatch. However I am going to wait on closing up the nose until more work in that area is complete. Next up will be the main spar.

I finally have finished fabricating all of the rudder/brake pedal parts. Tomorrow I should be receiving some hardware from Aircraft Spruce to complete the installation. What follows are some photos of the left pedal test assembled:

Here is a shot of both pedals. Only the left (pictured on the right) has the brake parts installed at this stage.

Here is a shot of the pedal in the position it will normally be, with the rudder un-delployed.

Here the pedal is in the positioned where the rudder will be fully deployed, but just before brake pressure is applied.

Another shot in the un-deployed state:

Chapter 13/18 - Nose and Canopy - Part 6

It has been a while since I have done any work on my project and I have been getting a little upset at myself for not making more progress. So, today I got back into the shop and finished up fabrication of the the rudder/brake pedals.

I am finding gas welding a little easier now, however I wouldn't say I am good at it yet. The following pictures show the completed rudder/brake pedals. The plans call for the brake master cylinders to be mounted on the firewall and are actuated by a cable via a bell crank (also mounted on the firewall).

Most folks these days are opting to mount the master cylinders up front to make for extra room for O-320 installation.

The design of the linkages are my own, however they are inspired by examples of others I have seen on the web.

Here is the pedal in the neutral position (rudder not retracted).

And here is the position of the rudder pedal with the rudder in the fully extended position and just before any brake pressure is applied.

And finally the full rudder and brake pressure position.