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last weekend I learned that trying to mix a full quart of primer, with a drill press set to spin at more than 4000 rpm, can make quite the mess


What have you learned during your build?

Yeah! We need pics of this!!!

I learned this summer that mixing epoxy in large batches is a big no-no...it gets real hot, and causes one (me) to over-react, drop the cup it was mixed in, and ruin it in to one nice solid ball.

1. I have learned that I must resist the urge to pump that resin pump that extra time because I always end up with too much and waste it.

2. Leave plenty of room during the cut to the waste side of the line because you will wander off course and could accidently cut into the keeper material.

3. Scan Van's entire catalog everytime you need to order something just in case there is something else you will need 2 seconds after pushing the submit button.

4. Call orders into Vans in the morning and ship it USPS Priority mail and you will have it in two days for less than half what the others cost.

I am sure there are more, I will think on it...

papakeith wrote:last weekend I learned that trying to mix a full quart of primer, with a drill press set to spin at more than 4000 rpm, can make quite the mess


What have you learned during your build?

Oh man Keith, even without pictures I'm .... but glad I haven't done it .... yet


If I figure something will take me one evening, it takes at least two. In other words, I getting much better at estimating

It is against the laws of the universe to open an expensive overnite shipped box for at least two weeks after receipt.

staying to focused can cause you to loose view of the important things.

Spike learned how not to open a tube of Proseal.

I'll think about pictures. After the cleanup, I doubt they would do the scene justice

Lets just say it was 8 am on a Sunday morning, and I wanted to get something done before heading over to the farm. I chucked the squirrel cage stirrer in the drill press and slid the quart of paint in place.

I flipped the switch only for a moment and then back off. I watched the paint swell in the already full paint container. I also made a mental note that the press hadn't fully spun up -"that's odd" I thought to myself.

Then without any hesitation I flipped the switch on.

The best way I can describe it is that the paint "burped" out of the bottle and belched all over the bench, the wall, the drill press, my hands, my pants, the oxy-acelyene torch hoses and tanks, the sample tubing I've been welding, a couple of wrenches, and a few other odds and ends.

a fun morning for sure

I learned that I will do most anything for airplane money. Normally I turn water into electricity, but when my boss asked if I would climb a 120' tower to install a repeater antenna, I said yes as long as I get overtime pay for it.


Look closely and you'll see me at 60' platform. taking a break and almost freezing up. FOCUS

remember to focus on your work. DO NOT LOOK DOWN!!!

Repeat DO NOT LOOK DOWN

Anyone who thinks tower climbing would be a piece of cake, go put on a harness and I'll let you install the camera.

Ugh, I'd be peeing my pants. Funny how you give a guy some ailerons and a lycoming and all of a sudden the heights aren't that scary.

svanarts wrote:Ugh, I'd be peeing my pants. Funny how you give a guy some ailerons and a lycoming and all of a sudden the heights aren't that scary.

oh it was scary, i won't be doing that again anytime soon. But I got 6hrs of OT for about 1 hr on the tower

hydroguy2 wrote:Anyone who thinks tower climbing would be a piece of cake, go put on a harness and I'll let you install the camera.

It's really GREAT exercise, esp. with 25 lbs. of gear on your back 30 minutes or so to 900', 15 seconds or so to get down

uh, sir, can you pay me in tower hours??? i like it.

Looks like fun!

I thought of another thing I learned while building...just LOOKING at Stainless Steel the wrong way will cut you. I HATE that stuff!!!

I knew someone that worked a few years constructing and maintaining tall towers.

His first ascent they only took him up about 400 feet to break him in. LOL

Eventually he was going to the tops of 1500 footers routinely, he had some awesome pictures.

I'm thinking anything over about 30 feet, and it doesn't matter - you're still dead when you hit the ground. Just like deep water, it doesn't matter if it's 7 feet or 7,000 feet - you're still gonna drown if you can't swim.

airguy wrote:I'm thinking anything over about 30 feet, and it doesn't matter - you're still dead when you hit the ground. Just like deep water, it doesn't matter if it's 7 feet or 7,000 feet - you're still gonna drown if you can't swim.

True, but you'll live through the fall longer the higher you are up.

Hey Brian,

If you think that tower is bad, try climbing a radio transmission tower 130 ft tall and 3 ft across the base and 10 inches at the top! I used to do that when I was an engineer for a radio station in Washington State. Had to replace aircraft warning bulbs. Lots of fun! - - -NOT!!

Dan

Wicked Stick wrote:

airguy wrote:I'm thinking anything over about 30 feet, and it doesn't matter - you're still dead when you hit the ground. Just like deep water, it doesn't matter if it's 7 feet or 7,000 feet - you're still gonna drown if you can't swim.

True, but you'll live through the fall longer the higher you are up.

thanks for reminding me.....