Microlighters

Well after a long lay off I have finally started to build again. As you can see from the photos I have been trying to mould the little guy into flying from an early age...hopefully it works!

After more hours than I would like to admint attempting to get the rear canopy frame/hoop to mirror the one in front of it, I have finally managed it. It was essentially torture as each bend does not always have the expected result. Even the manufacturer admits that they need to simplify this element. After that the welded assembly "roll over" bar (I wouldn't want to take my chances with it though ) was fitted quite quickly earlier today with a couple of shims.

A bit of trial fitting of the rear canopy after that and them trimming out the excess (and cracked area) with the dremel which went fairly well. The last photo shows the lay up before trimming and it gives you an idea of the scale of the bubble....serious viz. Feeling quite motivated now that we appear to have passed the tedious hoop bending stage.

It's about time you started building again.........

Duck Rogers wrote:It's about time you started building again.........

Hey Peking Duck, isnt it time you put your own project under a new topic on here and stop making comments on hardworking peoples topics

Sorry for the hijack,

Ducky you scallywag.... ....as Aerosan says where is the 701 build/rebuild! No one is going to buy work as your excuse for not having finished yet?

Back to work James...

Scotsman wrote:Ducky you scallywag.... ....as Aerosan says where is the 701 build/rebuild! No one is going to buy work as your excuse for not having finished yet?

He doesnt work...except if you take working on my nerves as "work"......... toe nou oom Duck

San lol

Ole ducky is suddenly a bit quiet! Duck post some pics man I would really like to see how your build is going.

Drilled the rear canopy to the rear frame today and started trimming the side to fit...starting to come together slowly. Lots of fiddling around to get things right though.

Nice!!

Thanks Jean. Looking forward to getting The canopy finished as it has been a bit of mission to be honest.

j

Would you believe it, another effing crack in the canopy. I was working on the rear canopy with a mate of mine and on drilling the last hole (ironically a stress relieving hole in a corner area) and an inch long crack decided to appear under no pressure at all.

I am gatvol of the canopy and cannot wait to be done with it. I think that hopefully I can rescue the rear canopy as the small cracked area looks like it can be cut out. Grrrrr

Hey James, lets swap - you can do my (censored) cowl, and I will do your canopy .

Sounds like a plan. Upgrading the canopy looks better but is just kak work. The kit manufacturer really needs to improve this section of their "kit". On other Zodiac forums numerous people have had to reorder new canopies due to cracking etc....grrrr

Scotsman wrote:San lol

Ole ducky is suddenly a bit quiet! Duck post some pics man I would really like to see how your build is going.

Too lazy to take pics............
The aircraft is now virtually complete. All that remain is that the leading edge ribs of one wing needs to be replaced. So that wing has to be opened and slightly "deconstructed" And then lots of little niggly and finecky things to be done. Not too far off now....... Thank goodness for that, I was getting tired of making tools and jigs.
Next one will be a kit.........much easier than plans-built

Ok, here's a pic...........