A little progress XL H-58

[Kamcoman77]

Beautiful work, as usual. May need stabilizing bracket at top when that Verner starts to shake a little.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Maybe just take it off..if it "flies like a Cub," it will do everything at one speed, too. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

The right tool for this job would have been an 8 foot shear. I don't have one, and made do with a HF imitation Pexto machine to slit the gutter flashing.

Had some .015" left over from the floorboards and used it to wrap the leading edge.

Now, another problem. The shoulder harness is too long to hook it up at the rear spar mount. I don't want to hook it back at the top longeron.. I'd just as soon take my chances of whacking the panel with my face as getting spinal compression if it goes over on it's back. Does anyone know of a shoulder harness that isn't 5 feet long?

[Kamcoman77]

Here is how one builder attached his harness to the fuselage. Don't know if yours is too long for this.

[jrbirdman47]

I don't know what he's measuring, but using that technique, accuracy is going to suffer a bit......... 

[IflyHG]

I don't know what you are using for a harness but I know in auto racing the harnesses the fixed length of the harness can be adjusted.  They use a piece of metal with 2 slots in it close together where the webbing goes through, out to the anchor, and back through the metal gismo again.  It is called a slider bar, a google search will show images.  I have them on my racing harnesses. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

I don't know what you are using for a harness but I know in auto racing the harnesses the fixed length of the harness can be adjusted.  They use a piece of metal with 2 slots in it close together where the webbing goes through, out to the anchor, and back through the metal gismo again.  It is called a slider bar, a google search will show images.  I have them on my racing harnesses.

Yeah, it's adjustable, but still too long when adjusted as short as it will go. It's too heavy anyway.. I just happened on it on the net and hit the buy it now button a year or two ago. It was cheap (legal eagle content) and green..

[Chuck in Indiana]

I'm detailing this build on a Moto Guzzi forum.. a bunch of (ahem) eclectic characters for sure.  Always helpful, a guy from Australia asked it this would work..
https://anywitchway.com.au/products/chain-me-up-shoulder-harness-silver

[thseng]

I think you want the should harness somewhere between horizontal and 20 degrees down going from your shoulders aft. 

Random example:

[Dan_]

FAA recommendations are on pgs. 31-32 in the attached PDF, corresponding to pgs. 25-26 on the printed page.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Thanks, guys.. my ancient 4313 doesn't give any information on shoulder harness except "must meet strength requirements blah blah."
I'd always thought down is bad. The FAA says down is ok as long as the seat is at least as high as the pilot's shoulders. Not even close on the legal eagle.
Here is a screenshot of the latest 4313-2a chapter 9.

That rules out going to the first cluster aft of the cockpit, which is where I was thinking about after Tom posted the picture above.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Well, well.. looky here. A shoulder harness mount. (some assembly required)  I dug around in my "good junk" pile and found this 1/16" 4130 formed piece from when I scratch built the Great Lakes trainer back in the 80s/90s. As Grandmother always said, "never throw anything away if you think you might need it some day." Well, honestly I never thought I'd need it, but threw it in the good junk box.

a little tape around the tube, a flat piece to bolt it together with a shoulder harness mount welded to it, and it'll be done. The Lovely Assistant says she can make the shoulder harness as short as I want. I love it when a plan comes together..  

[Chuck in Indiana]

(sigh) I started this project for "something to do." It's been tolerable out in the hanger the last couple of days and I've finished up the punch list. It's always bittersweet for me to finish a big project..I enjoy building things, thinking of how to do this and that, etc. If you don't, you'll never finish an airplane project.
Don't tell the Lovely Assistant, though. I'm sure she can find *plenty* of projects for me. 
Mounted the seat belt/shoulder harness, hooked up the fuel lines and sight gauge. Put a quick drain in the fuel tank. Decided the #2 wood screws I was using to hold the center section down might be a little too light, and replaced them with #6X1/4. Did other little nickel and dime stuff.
Tomorrow, I'll call the aerodrome and see if they have gotten radial engine oil in yet. If so, I can prelube the Verner,track the prop, and see if that bad boy will run. Oh, yeah, I need to come up with a way of putting fuel in the tank without cracking that delicate leading edge.
Gratuitous picture..

[Chuck in Indiana]

You know what is worse than finding a fuel leak? *not* finding a fuel leak after taking off the wing, cutting the fabric, etc. 
After filling the tank, I was patting myself on the back (always dangerous) looking at the two sight gauge fittings, front and rear outlets.. and saw fuel dripping off the quick drain. I think I've mentioned how much I hate fuel in the wing..tightened up the quick drain and it slowed down. Hmmm. Tightened it as much as I dared, and still leaking. Drained the fuel. Took out the quick drain and the 3/8 to 1/4 bushing that goes into the tank. Looked at the bushing with my 10X magnifier, and it had a crack in it. Ran to the hardware store and bought a new brass bushing. Installed that and the quick drain, put a couple of gallons of fuel in, and didn't see any leak. Yay. Did other stuff, came back later, and there was fuel on the bottom of the wing by the quick drain.   
Thought I *must* have cracked the weld tightening the quick drain bushing.
Removed the tank with all that entails. Leak checked with a rubber glove over the vent and maybe 3 psi in the tank. Turned off the air supply. Gloved stayed up. Dawn and water in a spray bottle. Went over ever weld more than once.
Nada.
Came in to lunch. If the glove is still inflated when I go back out, I'll put a couple of gallons of fuel in it and let it sit. Assuming it's not leaking.. I'll reinstall it, baseball stitch the fabric back together, put finishing tapes over the stitching, paint, and reinstall the wing.
I was pretty upset yesterday, but then remembered I was doing this for *something to do.* 
Some things aren't meant to be understood..

[Chuck in Indiana]

All the above happened. No leaks. The only thing I can think of is the fuel shut off valve has an o ring in it, it was dry.. leaking.. and fuel ran down the fabric to the lowest part of the wing, dripped off the quick drain boss, and looked like it was leaking. 
Dummied up the fuel system, filled the tank, and waited.
Nothing.
 
Gave up, reinstalled the tank in the wing and baseball stitched the fabric back together. Tomorrow, I'll put finishing tapes on the whole mess, paint it, and maybe with the help of my lovely assistant (tm) bolt the wing back on.
After all I'm doing this for *something to do..*