A little progress XL H-58

[Chuck in Indiana]

No progress lately.  Last week we were up in Wisconsin visiting The Kid and his wife. We were going to the Wisconsin Moto Guzzi rally, and the night before sitting around drinking a couple of beers. He asked how the project was coming. I told him ready to paint and assemble. When he learned I was not going to rib stitch it, he gave me *the look.* (He's an A&P/IA and runs possibly the biggest gen aviation maintenance facility in the country.. C77.)
"You know.. there is a *lot* of pressure trying to lift the fabric off the top of the wing as well as I do..and.. I'd rib stitch the tail feathers, too.They get beat up pretty badly with prop blast. Yeah, I know it is only a 60mph airplane, but I'd feel better if you rib stitched it."
Aaarrg! I thought I was ready to paint, assemble, and would be flying in a couple of months.
This is how projects get stalled. I'm just not interested in rib stitching, and especially *laying all those stupid tapes* right now.
This just may turn into a Winter project, but that's ok. The reason I'm building this is for something to do..

[Chuck in Indiana]

Actually, a little progress finally. I had a Moto Guzzi parts job for the water jet guy, so made a drawing and took some stock to him for the Verner exhaust flanges. He did it for nothin.. 
Exhaust system, some assembly required. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Welcome to Indiana. 2 days ago, I was riding my motorcycle in 70 degree weather. Today.. we have 2 inches of snow. (!)
Fortunately, I have an airplane project.  Rib stitched the horizontal and vertical stabs and elevators. Have the rudder prepped for tomorrow. No doubt this is overkill, but why not?
for instance..

parts is parts

[Kamcoman77]

Looks great, as usual. A question about your powder coating. How did you prep the aluminum parts? I figure sandblasting and acetone cleaning is OK for the 4130 stuff.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Thanks, Keith..(ahem) from memory  red Scotch brite. I have some all purpose paint thinner that I most likely used to wipe them down. I bead blast steel. Powder coating isn't nearly as fussy as spraying paint.

[Kamcoman77]

Thank you. So a good scrubbing with red Scothbrite to get the oxide off, a wipedown with acetone or MEK and powder coat before the oxide builds back.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Back at it. Ailerons stitched and taped. Should finish up the tail feathers tomorrow.

On long tapes, I like to lay about 6 inches in the wet poly brush, then let it dry a bit. Then you can put a little tension on the tape when laying the rest to keep it straight and foil that guy that will be sighting down them to see if they are straight. 
You know he will..

[Chuck in Indiana]

Grandkid Max is visiting from college. "I've got this.."  and he did.

Finished stitching the left wing yesterday, and we should finish the right wing today. Getting around the compression struts took some creative bending of a rib stitch needle of course, and there are places that require you to just stitch around one cap strip.
We'll "get er done, though.." when your Kid says he'd feel better if you rib stitch it, that's what a guy's going to do. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

I gave Max the glory of the stitch we were looking for.. the last one. He's using a special needle we made out of a clothes hanger to stitch places that couldn't be done normally because of internal structure being in the way.

Whew!It would have taken me forever trying to do it by myself.

[Chuck in Indiana]

In case anyone finds this with a search.. here's a gotcha. I never gave a thought about the chalk lines to line tapes up, etc. I've always painted silver, and "silver covers every color, every color covers silver." I'll bet one coat of color won't cover these chalk lines, and since they are covered with poly brush, there is no getting them off.

[okdonn]

Think of them as the defects that let the evil spirits out ...

[Dan_]

 I've always painted silver, and "silver covers every color, every color covers silver." I'll bet one coat of color won't cover these chalk lines, and since they are covered with poly brush, there is no getting them off.

How about making them a feature instead of a bug by painting a silver stripe there... 

[Chuck in Indiana]

I've often said it's hard to find good help any more.. 
the two new gallons of paint are different colors. Yes.. I've stirred the crap out of them.

What I am looking for is "unbleached muslin".  The one on the right is the closest I could find with the poly fiber paint chips. Can't have two different colors, though, so a 40 mile round trip to the paint store to get an empty gallon and quart can was in order. Mixed them together, along with UV retardant.
I can't spray.. my temporary (15 years or so) paint booth is torn down. I'm going to roll it on. Watched several youtube videos of boat guys painting this way, so armed with a little knowledge and a 4 inch foam roller.. had at it.
There *is* a learning curve of course, so I painted the bottom of the horizontal stabs and elevators first.  After that, I was getting better and painted the tops of the ailerons.

Looks pretty good. I'm going to get it done this way. Yay.. there was some blue chalk on the ailerons, too, and one coat covered it. Some days, you get the bear. 
So far, I've used less than a cup of paint on one side of the stabs, elevators, rudder and vertical fin and ailerons.

[Chuck in Indiana]

My take on "unbleached muslin." 

[Kamcoman77]

Awesome!