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Post by larkshead on Apr 26, 2012 14:25:56 GMT 1
I don't have any flight-time on this yet, but it looks good on the bench, even under power:
I removed the screws holding the cowl to the firewall and replaced them with very small finishing nails. I used small-diameter nails so that they would not damage the threads on the firewall in case I decide this doesn't work out. I inserted them with a single drop of glue to lock them in place and pressed them into the foam until only about 1/16 inch was showing. I -very slightly- enlarged the mounting holes in the cowl so that they would fit over the nail-heads. (These are finishing nails, so the heads are really just slight bulges.)
The cowl now just snaps into place and can be removed by squeezing it slightly.
Of course I still have to remove the prop the old-fashioned way, but this gives me a quick way to inspect the motor, mount, and firewall.
I'm interested to see what happens on the next tip-over landing. I'm hoping the cowl will just pop loose without damage. We'll see.
Regards,
-Peter
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Post by renard80 on Apr 26, 2012 23:28:26 GMT 1
Hey, that sounds interesting, Peter. Locating those three tiny screws through the cowl and onto the firewall is a right pain for those of us who are well-stricken with years . . . Let me get this straight. You have inserted the finishing nails into the firewall's screw holes and glued them into place, with their heads protruding slightly? Yes? If so, presumably the nails are extremely small diameter. If it doesn't work, will you be able to remove the nails OK, bearing in mind they are glued, albeit with only a small drop? Please let us know how this mod progresses. Some good thinking there!  |
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Post by realbob on Apr 27, 2012 2:27:03 GMT 1
COuld you send detailed pictures, this looks a very good idea!
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Post by larkshead on Apr 27, 2012 2:46:31 GMT 1
Let me get this straight. You have inserted the finishing nails into the firewall's screw holes and glued them into place, with their heads protruding slightly? Yes? If so, presumably the nails are extremely small diameter. If it doesn't work, will you be able to remove the nails OK, bearing in mind they are glued, albeit with only a small drop? Forgive me for saying it Renard: You've hit the nail on the head. - All points.  I've already had to reposition one of the nails. A quick twist with a pair of pliers and the glue (White Gorilla) released easily. Don't know when I can come up with a flight test and closeup pictures, but I'll try. Regards, -Peter |
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Post by kenninny on Apr 29, 2012 19:03:20 GMT 1
I got tired of lineing up the holes to screw the screws in too so I put some hook & loop on mine, works great
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Post by renard80 on Apr 29, 2012 23:24:10 GMT 1
I put some hook & loop on mine, works great I'm really glad you've mentioned this, as I have been wondering for some time whether Velcro (hook and loop) would work. Lining up those tiny screws is a right PITA. What have you done, just put a small piece at each of the three screw locations? |
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Post by kenninny on Apr 30, 2012 4:40:58 GMT 1
yes just cut both peices to size pull the paper off one side, and stick it to the inside of the cowl at the three screw points, then pull the other side off, mount the cowl on the plane, press it down so it stick to the fuse, and seperate the velco.
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Post by renard80 on Apr 30, 2012 17:10:15 GMT 1
Thanks for the info.
So often the answer to a problem is quite simple! It just requires a bit of lateral thinking.
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Post by texasrob on Jan 31, 2013 20:26:33 GMT 1
It is not exactly quick release, but sorta is. I just removed the struts from the battery box and use a small white zip tie to connect them together. They naturally sit in about the same place (right behind the battery box latch. This allows you to choose your own tension (how tight you make the zip tie) and after you clip off the excess, you can hardly see it. When you want to take the wing of, just clip the zip tie and grab another one when you want to put the wing back on. I carry about 50 of them around with me in my flight box.  |
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Post by coupe1942 on Sept 24, 2013 23:12:14 GMT 1
Older thread, but I like the zip tie idea and may have to try that out in the future. I am currently trying out the use of a single bread tie/twistie to see how it works. I burn off the coating to them and the wire is then ready to install. I am not sure just how many times they can each be used, but it is a cheap and easy diy solution for the struts to be anchored with. I am also piddling around with the Velcro tape today, but not so sure I like that as much as trying the finishing nail trick on the cowl. We shall see though, as I started with the Velcro strips to see what they would do.
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jklong03
Squadron leader
Utah, USA (Yes, it is a state!)
Posts: 226
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Post by jklong03 on Sept 24, 2013 23:45:34 GMT 1
Coupe, I know it's already been mentioned, but I could find no easier solution for strut mounting than going to Lowes or Home Depot and getting some small screw eyes. I took a strut with me and found some in a little package of about 4 of them that would slide through the slot in the bottom of the strut and screwed into the existing holes just fine. Turn them one way and slip the strut slot over them, then a simple 90 degree twist and your struts are going now where! Plus they were gold color and added a touch of class! About $1.97 as I remember. Easy-peasy!
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Post by renard80 on Sept 25, 2013 0:03:47 GMT 1
Coupe, I know it's already been mentioned, but I could find no easier solution for strut mounting than going to Lowes or Home Depot and getting some small screw eyes. I took a strut with me and found some in a little package of about 4 of them that would slide through the slot in the bottom of the strut and screwed into the existing holes just fine. Turn them one way and slip the strut slot over them, then a simple 90 degree twist and your struts are going now where! Plus they were gold color and added a touch of class! About $1.97 as I remember. Easy-peasy! Yep, that is definitely one of the easiest ways, jk. But finding the correct screw eyes can prove difficult. They have to be small enough to pass through the strut hole, but that often means the thread is too small to fit the existing fuselage holes. My solution was to use large screw eyes which did fit the fuselage holes. Then, in the vice, I opened out the eye and twisted it to form a right angle. The strut hole slips over this, then turn it to lock the strut in place. (BTW, how come this thread went wildly off topic, from cowls to wing struts?) |
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jklong03
Squadron leader
Utah, USA (Yes, it is a state!)
Posts: 226
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Post by jklong03 on Sept 25, 2013 0:20:04 GMT 1
Coupe, I know it's already been mentioned, but I could find no easier solution for strut mounting than going to Lowes or Home Depot and getting some small screw eyes. I took a strut with me and found some in a little package of about 4 of them that would slide through the slot in the bottom of the strut and screwed into the existing holes just fine. Turn them one way and slip the strut slot over them, then a simple 90 degree twist and your struts are going now where! Plus they were gold color and added a touch of class! About $1.97 as I remember. Easy-peasy! Yep, that is definitely one of the easiest ways, jk. But finding the correct screw eyes can prove difficult. They have to be small enough to pass through the strut hole, but that often means the thread is too small to fit the existing fuselage holes. My solution was to use large screw eyes which did fit the fuselage holes. Then, in the vice, I opened out the eye and twisted it to form a right angle. The strut hole slips over this, then turn it to lock the strut in place. (BTW, how come this thread went wildly off topic, from cowls to wing struts?) Perhaps the box stores in the UK don't stock the same variety that those here in the "colonies" have. I went to Lowes and found the perfect ones fairly quickly. How any thread here on SCC stays on topic is a mystery to me:) Sent from my XT907 using proboards |
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Post by renard80 on Sept 25, 2013 16:21:25 GMT 1
Perhaps the box stores in the UK don't stock the same variety that those here in the "colonies" have. In happier times, we had lots of little shops known as 'ironmongers'. They were Aladdin's Caves, where experienced old men in brown dustcoats lurked among piles of everything imaginable. They knew everything and would happily sell you one screw, one washer etc., invariably the correct size. Then the big stores moved in and the little old men couldn't compete. So now we have to buy from huge, impersonal stores, where everything is sealed in plastic bags so you can't compare easily. Small items like screw eyes, screws, washers etc come in multiple packs - you can't buy just one of them. They call it 'progress'.  (On the other hand, I well remember one little man saying sadly to me: "People want advice or one washer, they come to me. But they buy bigger items from the big stores, who can sell them cheaply. I can't survive by selling washers . . . ") |
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Post by coupe1942 on Sept 26, 2013 0:30:08 GMT 1
There are a hundred ways to skin a cat and the cat won't like any of them. Yes, the screw eyes idea works well, but I could not find the correct fit at Lowe's or Home Depot when I initially bought some to try out. It will be a bit before I use them, as I have lots of small zip ties to go with or even lots of bread ties to use up, first. I put a pair of the screw eyes into a vise today and squeezed them just enough so that they work fine in passing through the hole in the strut, okay. They come 40 to a package, so no worry over losing them anytime soon. I guess I can also use the eyelet of them to anchor a camera tether line made from fishing line. Who says you can't teach an ol' dog new tricks? :-)    |
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