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Lynn Matteson
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan
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 Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:27 am Post subject: Ski-building story |
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Here's the ski-building story, from my perspective:
I didn't have a tubing notcher, and the cheap one that our EAA
chapter has, had been used without lubing the main shaft, so I drove
about 360 miles roundtrip to buy a heavy duty one, and a tubing
bender. When I got home, my Spruce order of 4130 was there. I had
been battling the flu, so wasn't in the greatest shape to begin
bending right away, so the first practice bend came 6 days later.
Then came building a jig, and that took 3 days. I had to build a
symmetrical jig to build asymmetrical skis, a right and a left, so
that took a little thinking, namely a full scale drawing to help
visualize the thing. My first thought about the jig would have had me
cutting the jig apart to get the first ski out...no wonder these damn
engineers get paid so much money: )
I got the parts all cut, bent, notched, angled, and welded up, and
primered in the next 4 days, then came rigging the cables. I did as
much nicopressing as I could at home in a heated shop before I had to
go and break ice off the hangar door and set up the plane for the
finish rigging. That took the better part of 2 days....getting the
tail up on a stand, alone, for the 5 degree-down setting was a chore
with only 5 gallons in each tank...don't try this with full tanks.
That done, the front cables and shock cords came next. There were
too many angles involved (for me) to simply use trig to figure the
maximum length for the front cables to allow 20-35 (I settled on 25)
down deflection angle. I could do the math for the "flat" angle, but
the skis being 20 inches out from the fuselage meant involving a
secondary angle, and my solid geometry skills got left behind in
college (about the time I left engineering studies for photographic
studies), so I did a simple mockup at home, in the warm, and came up
with the proper length cables. Got the hardware all installed and
took it out for some taxi tests in the 1 1/2-2 inch snow on my
runway. Lotsa strange noises emitted from the combination of frozen
ground, wheel-penetration skis with little tail wheels at the back
end of each ski rolling over frozen mole runs, etc., and the fact
that I hadn't been in the plane for 26 days, all added up to a breath-
holding 20 minutes of thrashing around on the runway....(these noises
diminished when I turned the ANR's on : ) ) I was learning to lift
the tail with power and forward stick, and that was kinda scary at
first, then I got used to doing it and getting the tail turned around
in good shape. I could have and was, turning using only the tail
wheel (no ski back there...yet, or maybe ever) but wanted to learn
turning using the rudder only and stick and power. All went well, so
I did my usual turn in front of the hangar, then decided to go out
again, powered up and went back out...the sky was too full of snow
for actually flying it, so I did some more "weld-breaking tests" then
decided to put it away. All looked good after post-taxi inspection,
so I hangered it. At first I couldn't understand how all the snow got
in the hangar....then I though about that "going back out" again
move...yup, I gotta learn to close the hangar doors before that
maneuver next time.
I made 7 landings at 4 airstrips the next day, all on about 2 inches
or less of snow, so mostly the wheels were doing all the support of
the plane, so the skis themselves were not tested yet...maybe today
if I can locate some snow.
The cost of the materials came to about $439 USD (tubing and plastic=
$284, hardware=$155) the tools that I bought (that I either needed or
WANTED) came to $537, and jigging was a mere $20 or less. My flight
instructor assured me that I would want to double up on the front
cables and shock cords, so that'll add a little more hardware.
Lynn
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Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM |
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dave
Joined: 22 Sep 2006
Posts: 1382
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:52 am Post subject: Ski-building story |
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Good Story Lynn,
I bet you remmber me writing this message . And like i said it not cheap.
That set on EBAY is a Hell of a deal if anyone wants them, here is link .
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item 0068252947&fromMakeTrack=true
DAve
---
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_________________
Realtime Kitfox movies to separate the internet chatter from the truth
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msm_9949(at)yahoo.com
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:38 am Post subject: Ski-building story |
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Great story Lynn. Now that you're all set up and experienced . . . how about knocking off a few more pairs? 
do not archive
Lynn Matteson <lynnmatt(at)jps.net> wrote:
[quote]--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Lynn Matteson
Here's the ski-building story, from my perspective:
I didn't have a tubing notcher, and the cheap one that our EAA
chapter has, had been used without lubing the main shaft, so I drove
about 360 miles roundtrip to buy a heavy duty one, and a tubing
bender. When I got home, my Spruce order of 4130 was there. I had
been battling the flu, so wasn't in the greatest shape to begin
bending right away, so the first practice bend came 6 days later.
Then came building a jig, and that took 3 days. I had to build a
symmetrical jig to build asymmetrical skis, a right and a left, so
that took a little thinking, namely a full scale drawing to help
visualize the thing. My first thought about the jig would have had me
cutting the jig apart to get the first ski out...no wonder these damn
engineers get paid so much money: )
I got the parts all cut, bent, notched, angled, and welded up, and
primered in the next 4 days, then came rigging the cables. I did as
much nicopressing as I could at home in a heated shop before I had to
go and break ice off the hangar door and set up the plane for the
finish rigging. That took the better part of 2 days....getting the
tail up on a stand, alone, for the 5 degree-down setting was a chore
with only 5 gallons in each tank...don't try this with full tanks.
That done, the front cables and shock cords came next. There were
too many angles involved (for me) to simply use trig to figure the
maximum length for the front cables to allow 20-35 (I settled on 25)
down deflection angle. I could do the math for the "flat" angle, but
the skis being 20 inches out from the fuselage meant involving a
secondary angle, and my solid geometry skills got left behind in
college (about the time I left engineering studies for photographic
studies), so I did a simple mockup at home, in the warm, and came up
with the proper length cables. Got the hardware all installed and
took it out for some taxi tests in the 1 1/2-2 inch snow on my
runway. Lotsa strange noises emitted from the combination of frozen
ground, wheel-penetration skis with little tail wheels at the back
end of each ski rolling over frozen mole runs, etc., and the fact
that I hadn't been in the plane for 26 days, all added up to a breath-
holding 20 minutes of thrashing around on the runway....(these noises
diminished when I turned the ANR's on : ) ) I was learning to lift
the tail with power and forward stick, and that was kinda scary at
first, then I got used to doing it and getting the tail turned around
in good shape. I could have and was, turning using only the tail
wheel (no ski back there...yet, or maybe ever) but wanted to learn
turning using the rudder only and stick and power. All went well, so
I did my usual turn in front of the hangar, then decided to go out
again, powered up and went back out...the sky was too full of snow
for actually flying it, so I did some more "weld-breaking tests" then
decided to put it away. All looked good after post-taxi inspection,
so I hangered it. At first I couldn't understand how all the snow got
in the hangar....then I though about that "going back out" again
move...yup, I gotta learn to close the hangar doors before that
maneuver next time.
I made 7 landings at 4 airstrips the next day, all on about 2 inches
or less of snow, so mostly the wheels were doing all the Need Mail bonding?
Go to the Yahoo! Mail Q&A for great tips from Yahoo! Answers users. [quote][b]
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Lynn Matteson
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:45 am Post subject: Ski-building story |
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God, those look VERY similar to what I just built...and they are less
than 200 miles from me, up near Grand Rapids. Somebody better jump on
those for the price that is showing now. I have never done any Ebay
purchasing, but maybe I'd better learn....that is SUCH a good deal
for those skis.
Lynn
On Jan 21, 2007, at 12:50 PM, dave wrote:
[quote]
Good Story Lynn,
I bet you remmber me writing this message . And like i said it not
cheap.
That set on EBAY is a Hell of a deal if anyone wants them, here
is link .
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?
ViewItem&item 0068252947&fromMakeTrack=true
DAve
---
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_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM |
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Lynn Matteson
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:27 am Post subject: Ski-building story |
|
|
Not a bad idea, but the lawyer cost would be prohibitive, I'm sure.
The problem with mine is that they are designed around my 16x7.50x 8
tires. The ones on eBay right now are for taller tires, and narrower.
I could adjust a few things in the jig I suppose...hmmm...still that
liability thing, though.
One more thing about gathering the materials for the skis...not
knowing what would work best, I ordered 1/4" and 5/16" shock cord,
already having some 3/8" on hand from my pre-Grove gear days. To my
dismay, I found that the 1/4" was stronger than the 5/16". I ended up
using the 3/8" cord and Spruce's end fasteners.
Oh yeah, mine weigh about 13 pounds each and have 1/4" thick UHMW
polyethylene bottoms/shoes...so far no snow sticks to them, and very
little piles up on top of the part behind the wheel. That may be due
to having not much snow to test them on.
Lynn
On Jan 21, 2007, at 1:37 PM, Marco Menezes wrote:
| Quote: | Great story Lynn. Now that you're all set up and experienced . . .
how about knocking off a few more pairs?
|
| | - The Matronics Kitfox-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
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_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM |
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Michel
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 966
Location: Norway
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 3:02 pm Post subject: Ski-building story |
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On Jan 21, 2007, at 5:28 PM, Lynn Matteson wrote:
| Quote: | Here's the ski-building story, from my perspective:
|
Thanks for the report and good luck with your ski flying, Lynn. My
experience is that the wheel penetrating skis with the little wheels
behind, makes it easier to prevent a ground loop as it provides a
better directional control.
So, watch it when the snow is gone and you have removed the skis!
Cheers,
Michel
do not archive
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_________________
Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200 |
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Lynn Matteson
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:10 pm Post subject: Ski-building story |
|
|
Ya mean I gotta take 'em OFF? : ) I just figured I'd keep moving
north until it stayed snowy all the time....sorry, I think I've been
reading too many bush pilot books.
Lynn
do not archive
On Jan 21, 2007, at 6:02 PM, Michel Verheughe wrote:
| Quote: |
On Jan 21, 2007, at 5:28 PM, Lynn Matteson wrote:
> Here's the ski-building story, from my perspective:
Thanks for the report and good luck with your ski flying, Lynn. My
experience is that the wheel penetrating skis with the little
wheels behind, makes it easier to prevent a ground loop as it
provides a better directional control.
So, watch it when the snow is gone and you have removed the skis!
Cheers,
Michel
do not archive
|
| | - The Matronics Kitfox-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List |
|
_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM |
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msm_9949(at)yahoo.com
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject: Ski-building story |
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Can't you deal with the product liability issue same way the kitplane industry does? Sell it unassembled, as a kit. You weld and prime, purchaser does the remaining "51%". As for the lawyer stuff, I could help you there, maybe in exchange for a prototype set of skis. I'm about 70% serious here so if you're interested, contact me off list.
do not archive
Lynn Matteson <lynnmatt(at)jps.net> wrote:
[quote]--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Lynn Matteson
Not a bad idea, but the lawyer cost would be prohibitive, I'm sure.
The problem with mine is that they are designed around my 16x7.50x 8
tires. The ones on eBay right now are for taller tires, and narrower.
I could adjust a few things in the jig I suppose...hmmm...still that
liability thing, though.
One more thing about Finding fabulous fares is fun.
[url=http://farechase.yahoo.com/promo-generic-14795097;_ylc=X3oDMTFtNW45amVpBF9TAzk3NDA3NTg5BF9zAzI3MTk0ODEEcG9zAzEEc2VjA21haWx0YWdsaW5lBHNsawNxMS0wNw-- ]Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites[/url] to find flight and hotel bargains. [quote][b]
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