Nice work, I am sure it’s very satisfying.

Looks great!

@asa

I am shopping large Kydex at this time, care to share where you got yours and the cost?

Thanks

I simply bought 2’ x 4’ sheets from Amazon. Hard to beat cheap/free shipping and ease of ordering. It’s Kydex V which is a recycled Kydex. I’m a treehugger so this is a bonus to me personally. I made an order in 2019 and 2021 and the color matches perfectly. I’m a fan.

KYDEX V Sheet - 0.028" Thick, Black, 24”x48” Nominal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051WAUTS/re ... UTF8&psc=1


I actually just tonight used some scraps to make a heat molded holster for my Halloween costume…

Does that stuff burn/melt?

It melts, won’t hold a flame.

I order several sheets to cover my aluminum floorboards and cargo area, thanks

Between the two of you, you’ve depleted the global supply of Kydex:

Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.

Looks great. I was wondering what to use for panels and now I have another option… if they get any more in.

Have you done any thermoforming with it? There’s a bend in the stock wood Stinson station wagon panels at the back for shoulder space that I’d like to copy.

VortexAlternator wrote:Have you done any thermoforming with it? There’s a bend in the stock wood Stinson station wagon panels at the back for shoulder space that I’d like to copy.

It works a lot like aluminum. You can roll it in a slip roll, roll beads in it, bend it in a brake.... you don't need heat unless it's a pretty harsh forming opearation, then a good heat gun and it will amaze you. It's awesome stuff!!
John

Due to the difficulty on controlling heat in local areas of the sheet, I prefer cold forming unless it’s something like a pulley cover or holster where you’re molding a large percentage of the piece. Using heat to bend a line in the middle of the sheet may prove difficult without gaining much. It’s fun to work with though. Also it’s finished as is if you like the color/texture.

VortexAlternator wrote:Between the two of you, you’ve depleted the global supply of Kydex

I only ordered six 2’x4’ pieces

The fuselage swap has been delayed for a variety of reasons so I took some time off the oratex the past week and got the M7 back into annual. It's 1590 hours total time, airframe and engine. Original engine, original fabric. Lots of boroscoping found only good things in terms of engine health. The airframe is pretty rough overall - cracking paint, some surface rust, etc. All things I already knew. We addressed any areas needing attention and had to fix a couple things like getting the muffler welded and magneto needed it's 500hr. Both were accomplished by local guys very affordably. A rebuild is imminent but she will do fine for a bit longer. Plus, it feels better beating up on a beater than a pristine plane.




Annual complete, my two prized 1984 shitbox possessions hanging out together. Toyota Tercel SR5 - the dream machine. Lifted of course.


On the M6 side of things...

Horizontal stab ready for rib stitching


Day dreaming with the new instrument panel frames and blank lower panel. Options are endless.

I can’t imagine building without a flying plane. Good for you.

I wonder how many of us run shitbox cars and neglect them to spend money on our planes. I bet a lot.

Nice work, Asa!

daedaluscan wrote:I can’t imagine building without a flying plane. Good for you.

I wonder how many of us run shitbox cars and neglect them to spend money on our planes. I bet a lot.

Having a flying plane in the winter isn’t so important to me. Spending my summer flying in Alaska has me jaded HARD. Flying in Colorado honestly is rarely worth the cost of gas. That being said, a plane sitting out of annual is hardly a plane at all so money spent to make it fly able is money well spent. I’m planning to fly it home to Kentucky for Thanksgiving.

I love the tinkering/projects just as much as flying and I’m good at it for the most part. If I weren’t trying to pursue my A&P, I would just build a bearhawk - I think I’d love the kit building process. Maybe that’s next for me. I don’t like that I couldn’t use an experimental for any commercial uses though.

Come on ASA, what's not to like about 10K DAs; turbulence; cold; and very few mountain strips. Go south........

Yes Jack, not sure what I'm thinking...


Got the M7 back in her big girl boots last night. For some reason this plane looks so good in pictures yet in person is pretty damn rough. Maybe it's the lighting, but even outside on the ramp (where it lives), it looks good in pics.

That's a good result, right there!

Wellllllllll

I sold that M7 last weekend. My dreams of making an M6 with the M7 wing were dashed. FAA is taking too long on the mod kit and the market as you all know is super hot, so I got out of it while I could for an offer I couldn't refuse. Delivered it to the Maule factory for the new buyer who is getting instruction in it from the factory test pilot. He's a very low time pilot so hopefully he knows what he's getting into. While I was down there of course I got a tour of the Maule factory which was pretty cool. Got me all hyped up about being a Maule owner.. as I was getting rid of my Maule....

Last pic with ole 56L. It sure was ugly but the 10hr flight from Colorado to Georgia had no hiccups at all, flew great.


Maule factory sights, including a new factory seaplane door option that David Maule made:




But then yesterday I worked out a deal for an M6. It has rough fabric, paint, interior, and panel. Strong firewall forward, wings, cowling. Hopefully this will make it a great donor and let me continue my project! No approval from FAA required and no need to overhaul the engine is a perk. It was listed on trade-a-plane for a month or two with no hits because a high list price and the negatives listed above. I should have it in hand in January.


Work on the oratex fuselage continues. Rib stitching complete and finish tapes have begun.