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Nose cone access

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aslsa.rng(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 1:54 pm Post subject: Nose cone access

The first thing I realized when I decided to create a new wiring harness for my Mk III was that I would have to be a contortionist of extreme flexibility in order to accomplish the task. After much hemming and hawing I decided to cut the nose and create access that would give me access for this project and future maintenance, too. My first thought was that I would be able to use european style articulated cabinet hinges on the forward edge so the hatch cover could be easily opened and the flange around the opening would be fiberglass bonded to the inside of the nose cone. That didn't work out since the nose cone is made with polyester resin (I'm guessing here because of the smell of the resin as it was cut) and the nose cone and the cut out both relaxed after the cut and distorted so much that I elected to use .025" Alclad aluminum for the flange and attach it with 3/32" SS pop rivets. Things I learned from the project:

1. Do not use an abrasive wheel to do the cutting. No matter how I tried to steady my hand, the cutter sucked in up to the hub when I cut the corners and created a jagged cut. It's an easy fix, but I think I could have avoided the problem. 

                   If I had used a router bit and created a thin plywood guide frame I could have perfected the cutout in the frame.

                  If I had used the cable drive handset I could have held the handset flat against the surface of the nose cone.

 

2. I should have made a frame to support the nose cone before cutting and attached it with small blobs of Bondo to prevent the nose cone from distorting. This could have been combined with the cutting frame idea to kill two birds.....

 3. I could have taken a splash off the nose cone and used it to create a mold for a new reinforced hatch cover so the hinge idea would have worked.

4. It would have been only a little harder to copy Mike Welch's nose cone and build the hatch in from the start.

 



Rick

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jlsk1(at)frontiernet.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:16 pm Post subject: Nose cone access

Great Idea, this access. I wish I had thought of  doing something like this!!

 Jim Kmet

 Cookeville, TN

 MK-3C

 do not archive

 [quote]   ---

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slyck(at)frontiernet.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:19 pm Post subject: Nose cone access

Rick, you deserve at least an attaboy for that work.  It looks  

great.  I'm a firm believer in being able to

access and remove stuff.  10-32 screws are much better than rivets.

My windshield, nose bowl and doors are all easily removed. My panel  

is accessed with one screw and and velcro.

BB



On 1, Mar 2009, at 4:53 PM, Richard Girard wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   The first thing I realized when I decided to create a new wiring  

 harness for my Mk III was that I would have to be a contortionist  

 of extreme flexibility in order to accomplish the task. After much  

 hemming and hawing I decided to cut the nose and create access that  

 would give me access for this project and future maintenance, too.  

 My first thought was that I would be able to use european style  

 articulated cabinet hinges on the forward edge so the hatch cover  

 could be easily opened and the flange around the opening would be  

 fiberglass bonded to the inside of the nose cone. That didn't work  

 out since the nose cone is made with polyester resin (I'm guessing  

 here because of the smell of the resin as it was cut) and the nose  

 cone and the cut out both relaxed after the cut and distorted so  

 much that I elected to use .025" Alclad aluminum for the flange and  

 attach it with 3/32" SS pop rivets.

 Things I learned from the project:

 1. Do not use an abrasive wheel to do the cutting. No matter how I  

 tried to steady my hand, the cutter sucked in up to the hub when I  

 cut the corners and created a jagged cut. It's an easy fix, but I  

 think I could have avoided the problem.

                   If I had used a router bit and created a thin  

 plywood guide frame I could have perfected the cutout in the frame.

                   If I had used the cable drive handset I could  

 have held the handset flat against the surface of the nose cone.

 2. I should have made a frame to support the nose cone before  

 cutting and attached it with small blobs of Bondo to prevent the  

 nose cone from distorting. This could have been combined with the  

 cutting frame idea to kill two birds.....

 3. I could have taken a splash off the nose cone and used it to  

 create a mold for a new reinforced hatch cover so the hinge idea  

 would have worked.

 4. It would have been only a little harder to copy Mike Welch's  

 nose cone and build the hatch in from the start.



 Rick

 <Nose hatch 2.jpg><Nose hatch 3.jpg>

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mdnanwelch7(at)hotmail.co
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 3:38 pm Post subject: Nose cone access

Rick C

  

   I don't quite understand your reference to my nosecone.

  

   After two attempts at making a decent looking nosecone (and I wasn't pleased with either version) C I bought an authentic New Kolb Co. Xtra nosecone. (as seen in the attached photograph)

  

   All chromoly tubing alterations on my MkIII are identical to an genuine Xtra.  I had detailed measurements and photographs from an Xtra fuselage.  

  

   Although I tried to make my own nosecone C I decided a real Xtra nosecone would be better.

  

   However C your access door is timely information!!  I needed to get access to the front area C also.  You just helped me figure out how.  My access will be from below C though.  Thanks

  

 Mike Welch

 MkIII 

 

  Date: Sun C 1 Mar 2009 15:53:03 -0600

Subject: Nose cone access

From: aslsa.rng(at)gmail.com

To: kolb-list(at)matronics.com



The first thing I realized when I decided to create a new wiring harness for my Mk III was that I would have to be a contortionist of extreme flexibility in order to accomplish the task. After much hemming and hawing I decided to cut the nose and create access that would give me access for this project and future maintenance C too. My first thought was that I would be able to use european style articulated cabinet hinges on the forward edge so the hatch cover could be easily opened and the flange around the opening would be fiberglass bonded to the inside of the nose cone. That didn't work out since the nose cone is made with polyester resin (I'm guessing here because of the smell of the resin as it was cut) and the nose cone and the cut out both relaxed after the cut and distorted so much that I elected to use .025" Alclad aluminum for the flange and attach it with 3/32" SS pop rivets.  Things I learned from the project:

1. Do not use an abrasive wheel to do the cutting. No matter how I tried to steady my hand C the cutter sucked in up to the hub when I cut the corners and created a jagged cut. It's an easy fix C but I think I could have avoided the problem. 

                  If I had used a router bit and created a thin plywood guide frame I could have perfected the cutout in the frame.

                   If I had used the cable drive handset I could have held the handset flat against the surface of the nose cone.



 2. I should have made a frame to support the nose cone before cutting and attached it with small blobs of Bondo to prevent the nose cone from distorting. This could have been combined with the cutting frame idea to kill two birds.....

 3. I could have taken a splash off the nose cone and used it to create a mold for a new reinforced hatch cover so the hinge idea would have worked.

 4. It would have been only a little harder to copy Mike Welch's nose cone and build the hatch in from the start.

 



 Rick

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John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:26 pm Post subject: Nose cone access

That is quite a cargo hole.  

  

 I had to cut an access hole in the bottom of my  nose cone to gain access to the brakes.  Hated doing it, but only choice I  had.  Mine is only 6" X 12" (or close to it).  Just enough room to get  my hand up in there to work on stuff:  antenna, master cylinders, brake  pedals, and brake fluid resevoir.

  

 I used nut plates and SS dome head screws to attach  with a sheet metal flange riveted inside.

  

 Wish I had a big hole like that to work  through.  Would make life much easier when the time comes.

  

 john h

 mkIII

  

  

  	  Quote: 	
		      The first thing I realized when I    decided to create a new wiring harness for my Mk III was that I would have to    be a contortionist of extreme flexibility in order to accomplish the task.    After much hemming and hawing I decided to cut the nose and create access that    would give me access for this project and future maintenance, too.     



   Rick

	
   [quote][b]

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_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

aslsa.rng(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:04 pm Post subject: Nose cone access

Well Mike, all I can say is that it looks so good I thought it had to be

custom made, not that the factory Xtra nose looks bad.

Rick



On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 5:36 PM, Mike Welch <mdnanwelch7(at)hotmail.com> wrote:



[quote]  Rick,



   I don't quite understand your reference to my nosecone.



   After two attempts at making a decent looking nosecone (and I wasn't

 pleased with either version), I bought an authentic New Kolb Co. Xtra

 nosecone. (as seen in the attached photograph)



   All chromoly tubing alterations on my MkIII are identical to an genuine

 Xtra.  I had detailed measurements and photographs from an Xtra fuselage.



   Although I tried to make my own nosecone, I decided a real Xtra nosecone

 would be better.



   However, your access door is timely information!!  I needed to get access

 to the front area, also.  You just helped me figure out how.  My access will

 be from below, though.  Thanks



 Mike Welch

 MkIII



 ------------------------------

 Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 15:53:03 -0600

 Subject: Nose cone access

 From: aslsa.rng(at)gmail.com

 To: kolb-list(at)matronics.com



 The first thing I realized when I decided to create a new wiring harness

 for my Mk III was that I would have to be a contortionist of extreme

 flexibility in order to accomplish the task. After much hemming and hawing I

 decided to cut the nose and create access that would give me access for this

 project and future maintenance, too. My first thought was that I would be

 able to use european style articulated cabinet hinges on the forward edge so

 the hatch cover could be easily opened and the flange around the opening

 would be fiberglass bonded to the inside of the nose cone. That didn't work

 out since the nose cone is made with polyester resin (I'm guessing here

 because of the smell of the resin as it was cut) and the nose cone and the

 cut out both relaxed after the cut and distorted so much that I elected to

 use .025" Alclad aluminum for the flange and attach it with 3/32" SS pop

 rivets. Things I learned from the project:

 1. Do not use an abrasive wheel to do the cutting. No matter how I tried to

 steady my hand, the cutter sucked in up to the hub when I cut the corners

 and created a jagged cut. It's an easy fix, but I think I could have avoided

 the problem.

                   If I had used a router bit and created a thin plywood

 guide frame I could have perfected the cutout in the frame.

                   If I had used the cable drive handset I could have held

 the handset flat against the surface of the nose cone.

 2. I should have made a frame to support the nose cone before cutting and

 attached it with small blobs of Bondo to prevent the nose cone from

 distorting. This could have been combined with the cutting frame idea to

 kill two birds.....

 3. I could have taken a splash off the nose cone and used it to create a

 mold for a new reinforced hatch cover so the hinge idea would have worked

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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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