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The Seagull has landed


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  • 4 months later...

I have news on the front wing bolt issue. If you recall, Gary M converted his to dowels and I got my wrists slapped by my elders and betters for copying. It left a small gap at the LE root.

We tried every permutation of tools to tighten the bolts, generally involving curtain hooks and holes on thumb head bolts. Without slim, strong hands it's very hard to tighten the bolts manually.

Grazing Ian Shaw/Modelfixings for some replacement wing bolts for an Acrowot, which are 1/4 20 UNC and not M6, at least on my nearly finished one, I saw a Proxxon socket and screwdriver set with a slim ratchet handle, 3 lengths of extension shaft, and a neat UJ, on offer. It winked at me. It's excellent, all Proxxon kit seems to be and Ian reckons the 10mm socket in the set is a good enough fit on a 1/4 20 hex head nylon bolt. The equivalent socket head bolt requires a 3/16" hex key which isn't a stock item and Ian's looking for a supply which doesn't involve buying a whole boxful, but again the Torx 25 in the Proxxon kit is a nearly fit.

I'm waiting for the bolts with hex heads but had a play with the socket heads last night and am convinced it's a viable and very elegant solution. I'm aware that this space congestion isn't unique to Seagull Yaks and I commend the potential solution to awkward wing bolts.

The Proxxon set is going to get a huge amount of use and a spare in the flight box is a distinct requirement!

BTC

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  • 1 month later...

Flew Sat for the first time with its Saito 125, no cowl, about 6 oz of lead for a 140mm c of g. Ample power, twitchy on elevator until we dialled it right down and it landed with appreciable up elevator. As my superiors felt the c of g was good, I suspect wing incidence which will be another pain in the rear.

At least the new wing bolt tightening method was much easier, though one of the fronts worked loose in flight so they'll have to be nipped up in future.

Cowl fettling continues.

BTC

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Gary,

Worth a try on BMFA Classifieds to find a new wing set?

Cowl; am I getting tiny g/f splinters every time I touch it?! What was the stuff you used for the ducting/blanking in yours? I was thinking 1/8" ply then remembered you'd used foam board which I guess would be easier to shape.

Also remembered that there was discussion over mine re the incidence, which might have been nearly right as 5mm of up el suggests to me it needs some positive incidence added.

You can see why Acrowots are so popular, can't you?

BTC

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Bruce.

Engine baffling material is Darice 6mm Craft Foam. It's solid foam, fairly dense but easily cut and glued. Not easy to get hold of the original Darice brand at a decent price in the UK though. There are other brands but I'm not sure how good they are e.g. Staples stuff was card coated foam - not really the same thing. The 2 links are click-able.

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