---------------------------------------------------------- Pietenpol-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Wed 08/23/06: 25 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 05:35 AM - Re: J3 lift struts on ebay (Jim Ash) 2. 06:13 AM - Re: J3 lift struts on ebay (Andimaxd@aol.com) 3. 07:02 AM - Re: J3 lift struts on ebay (Cinda Gadd) 4. 09:07 AM - struts (Michael D Cuy) 5. 09:15 AM - Re: J3 lift struts on ebay (Jim Ash) 6. 09:47 AM - Re: J3 lift struts on ebay (Gordon Bowen) 7. 09:49 AM - Doug from CA ! (Michael D Cuy) 8. 10:23 AM - High strength (non rusting) lift struts (Jim Markle) 9. 11:11 AM - Re: Parallel struts and Gene's question (Gene Rambo) 10. 01:26 PM - Re: Parallel struts and Gene's question (walt evans) 11. 02:19 PM - Re: Doug from CA ! (Bill Church) 12. 02:37 PM - First Taxi Test (slowbilder@comcast.net) 13. 02:46 PM - Re: Parallel struts and Gene's question (Don Emch) 14. 02:56 PM - Re: First Taxi Test (RAMPEYBOY@aol.com) 15. 03:09 PM - Re: Parallel struts and Gene's question (gcardinal) 16. 04:28 PM - Continental Engine (Isablcorky@aol.com) 17. 05:15 PM - Re: First Taxi Test (Jeff Boatright) 18. 05:48 PM - Re: Parallel struts and Gene's question (John Egan) 19. 05:51 PM - Re: First Taxi Test (John Egan) 20. 06:14 PM - Re: J3 lift struts on ebay (Dennis Engelkenjohn) 21. 06:37 PM - Re: photo of an Ultra Piet in water-- attached (D.Reid) 22. 06:37 PM - Just a question.... (D.Reid) 23. 06:44 PM - Re: First Taxi Test (D.Reid) 24. 07:17 PM - yahoo group problems (Larry Nelson) 25. 07:32 PM - Re: First Taxi Test (Cinda Gadd) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 05:35:40 AM PST US From: Jim Ash Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Jim Ash Be careful with old J3 lift struts. Original struts were open to the atmosphere. Moisture condensed inside, ran down the tube, and collected in the bottom, causing them to rot out from the inside out. There's been AD out on these for a good number of years now. I don't remember all the details, but the AD requires an expensive inspection and rolling them with hot oil on a relatively frequent basis. A good lot of the Cub people have replaced theirs with sealed struts (from Univair, normally), which eliminates the removal & inspection requirement of the AD. I had the ones in my Cub replaced maybe 5 years ago. Consequent to all this, there is a glut of old, possibly unsafe J3 lift struts on the market. A lot of folks are trying to take some of the sting out of having to spring $400 each times four for the new ones by selling the old ones. If your intentions are to shorten them, you'll have to open them up anyway, and if the upper part is clean and you can re-fabricate the lower part, then you can put a nice set of struts together for a steal. But if you need them full-length, buyer beware. Can somebody here tell us if the J-3 struts are longer than the Piet requires, and by how much? Jim Ash ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 06:13:53 AM PST US From: Andimaxd@aol.com Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay Can somebody here tell us if the J-3 struts are longer than the Piet requires, and by how much? Jim Ash I cut off about two feet when I made mine. Max Davis Arlington TX NX101XW (Reserved) _Photo Display_ (http://mykitplane.com/Planes/photoDisplay.cfm?PhotoName=Davis%20Piet%20071304%20W%20and%20Bal%20004.jpg&PhotoID=2587) ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 07:02:34 AM PST US From: "Cinda Gadd" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Cinda Gadd" Checked a J3 Cub on the field, lift struts are 123 inches long. My GN-1 lift struts are 84 inches long. Skip > > Can somebody here tell us if the J-3 struts are longer than the Piet requires, and by how much? > ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 09:07:26 AM PST US From: Michael D Cuy Subject: Pietenpol-List: struts --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Michael D Cuy J-3 struts are longer than req'd by our Pietenpols--not sure by how much, but enough to cut off the bottom foot or so I believe--maybe more. and use them. Mike ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 09:15:59 AM PST US From: Jim Ash Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Jim Ash Cool! Then we're in. I think my old struts are still in the mailing tube dumped out behind the hangar belonging to the guy who put the new ones in for me. If they're only 84", then I could hack them up the next time I'm in Florida to get them under the 8' regular shipping limit and send them home. Jim Ash -----Original Message----- >From: Cinda Gadd >Sent: Aug 23, 2006 10:01 AM >To: pietenpol-list@matronics.com >Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay > >--> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Cinda Gadd" > >Checked a J3 Cub on the field, lift struts are 123 inches long. > >My GN-1 lift struts are 84 inches long. > >Skip > > >> >> Can somebody here tell us if the J-3 struts are longer than the Piet >requires, and by how much? >> > > ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 09:47:38 AM PST US From: "Gordon Bowen" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Gordon Bowen" Any way you measure it, it's cheaper and wiser to weld up your own struts. Reasons: Struts are such a critical part of the plane, used struts have rust inside them (always do, always will, just a matter of how much), many AD's have been issued on Piper struts over the last 40 years requiring fabric-type punch testing of the lower ends of struts and/or Xray analysis, each homebuilt is ever so slightly different therefore you custom size your struts to your airplane. They are not difficult to weld up or have welded. 4130 streamline tube is kinda expensive, round tube 4130 is cheap and considering the low and slow nature of the Piete design, this an option. You can always put steamline fairing around the round tube. Newly constructed custom sized struts will last your lifetime and you won't have to worry about one more thing on your homebuilt. Gordon Bowen ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cinda Gadd" Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 6:01 AM Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay > --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Cinda Gadd" > > Checked a J3 Cub on the field, lift struts are 123 inches long. > > My GN-1 lift struts are 84 inches long. > > Skip > > >> >> Can somebody here tell us if the J-3 struts are longer than the Piet > requires, and by how much? >> > > > ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 09:49:41 AM PST US From: Michael D Cuy Subject: Pietenpol-List: Doug from CA ! --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Michael D Cuy AHA------ that's right, that was you that sent me that photo. I have long since lost the link but maybe it is still out there. Good idea. Mike ________________________________ Message 8 _____________________________________ Time: 10:23:48 AM PST US From: "Jim Markle" Subject: Pietenpol-List: High strength (non rusting) lift struts --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Jim Markle" Or 6061-T6 struts from Carlson (http://www.sky-tek.com/struts.html) Jim Markle Pryor, OK 214.505.6101 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon Bowen" Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 9:46 AM Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay > --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Gordon Bowen" > > > Any way you measure it, it's cheaper and wiser to weld up your own struts. > Reasons: Struts are such a critical part of the plane, used struts have > rust inside them (always do, always will, just a matter of how much), many > AD's have been issued on Piper struts over the last 40 years requiring > fabric-type punch testing of the lower ends of struts and/or Xray > analysis, each homebuilt is ever so slightly different therefore you > custom size your struts to your airplane. They are not difficult to weld > up or have welded. 4130 streamline tube is kinda expensive, round tube > 4130 is cheap and considering the low and slow nature of the Piete design, > this an option. You can always put steamline fairing around the round > tube. Newly constructed custom sized struts will last your lifetime and > you won't have to worry about one more thing on your homebuilt. > Gordon Bowen > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Cinda Gadd" > To: > Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 6:01 AM > Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay > > >> --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Cinda Gadd" >> >> Checked a J3 Cub on the field, lift struts are 123 inches long. >> >> My GN-1 lift struts are 84 inches long. >> >> Skip >> >> >> >>> >>> Can somebody here tell us if the J-3 struts are longer than the Piet >> requires, and by how much? >>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > ________________________________ Message 9 _____________________________________ Time: 11:11:30 AM PST US From: "Gene Rambo" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Parallel struts and Gene's question All of this is well and good, and I already know these things. My question remains, will someone PLEASE just tell me if their struts are parallel and whether they were conscious of that fact during construction. So far, unless someone can tell me otherwise, it looks like no one has even considered the question or noticed whether the struts were parallel or not while building their airplanes. Gene ----- Original Message ----- From: Don Emch To: pietenpol-list@matronics.com Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 9:54 PM Subject: Pietenpol-List: Parallel struts and Gene's question --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Don Emch" > Gene, I think BHP's idea for the landing gear/strut attach point isn't so much about whether or not the struts are parallel but about where to attach the back of the front seat. A quick look inside the cockpit of different Piets will tell you if the builder left everything as located on the plans or if he moved the ash piece back. If the ash piece is moved back to the center of the cluster the plywood back of the front seat will come down and sit on top of the ash piece. If the ash piece is left 'as is' in the plans the seat back will glue to the back side of it. I went so far as to bevel that back edge to get a good glue joint. With this setup the seat back is now attached to the top cross member, the front edges of the fuselage side uprights and the back edge of the ash cross piece. (got all that!?) All very good joints. I feel this is important because the seat back is a stuctural member offering cross sectional strength as well as floor stiffness. We all know there are some areas of the plans that are left to the imagination, but when you think about a 16/17 year old Orrin Hoopman taking measurements and drawing the parts and pieces, after Mr. Pietenpol made them, so that others could understand them, it's really amazing they are as complete and as accurate as they are! If you question anything on the plans and are thinking about changing it, make sure you really consider why he did it that way. Just about every time you'll figure out and realize he was an exceptional 'eyeball engineer'! Don E. NX899DE Down with a sick magneto, hope to be flying again by the weekend! Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=56518#56518 http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Pietenpol-List http://www.matronics.com/contribution ________________________________ Message 10 ____________________________________ Time: 01:26:03 PM PST US From: "walt evans" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Parallel struts and Gene's question Gene, I said I'd measure when I got up there. Best I can do. Don't go there every day. Conscious of the fact when building,,,no. Just built to plans walt evans NX140DL "Put your wealth in knowledge, and no one can ever take it from you" Ben Franklin ----- Original Message ----- From: Gene Rambo To: pietenpol-list@matronics.com Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 2:11 PM Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Parallel struts and Gene's question All of this is well and good, and I already know these things. My question remains, will someone PLEASE just tell me if their struts are parallel and whether they were conscious of that fact during construction. So far, unless someone can tell me otherwise, it looks like no one has even considered the question or noticed whether the struts were parallel or not while building their airplanes. Gene ----- Original Message ----- From: Don Emch To: pietenpol-list@matronics.com Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 9:54 PM Subject: Pietenpol-List: Parallel struts and Gene's question --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Don Emch" Gene, I think BHP's idea for the landing gear/strut attach point isn't so much about whether or not the struts are parallel but about where to attach the back of the front seat. A quick look inside the cockpit of different Piets will tell you if the builder left everything as located on the plans or if he moved the ash piece back. If the ash piece is moved back to the center of the cluster the plywood back of the front seat will come down and sit on top of the ash piece. If the ash piece is left 'as is' in the plans the seat back will glue to the back side of it. I went so far as to bevel that back edge to get a good glue joint. With this setup the seat back is now attached to the top cross member, the front edges of the fuselage side uprights and the back edge of the ash cross piece. (got all that!?) All very good joints. I feel this is important because the seat back is a stuctural member offering cross sectional strength as well as floor stiffness. We all know there are some areas of the plans that are left to the imagination, but when you think about a 16/17 year old Orrin Hoopman taking measurements and drawing the parts and pieces, after Mr. Pietenpol made them, so that others could understand them, it's really amazing they are as complete and as accurate as they are! If you question anything on the plans and are thinking about changing it, make sure you really consider why he did it that way. Just about every time you'll figure out and realize he was an exceptional 'eyeball engineer'! Don E. NX899DE Down with a sick magneto, hope to be flying again by the weekend! Read this topic online here: ________________________________ Message 11 ____________________________________ Time: 02:19:13 PM PST US Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: Doug from CA ! From: "Bill Church" --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Bill Church" Here you go: http://questiongravity.com/piet/index.htm Bill C. -----Original Message----- From: owner-pietenpol-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-pietenpol-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Michael D Cuy Sent: August 23, 2006 1:01 PM Subject: Pietenpol-List: Doug from CA ! --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Michael D Cuy --> AHA------ that's right, that was you that sent me that photo. I have long since lost the link but maybe it is still out there. Good idea. Mike ________________________________ Message 12 ____________________________________ Time: 02:37:11 PM PST US From: slowbilder@comcast.net Subject: Pietenpol-List: First Taxi Test Today I successfully completed the first taxi test of Pietenpol N491RH. It has been a long haul to get to this point. I bought the plans from Bernie Pietenpol in August of 1969, just after I got home from the EAA Convention at Rockford. There is some wood in the plane that I cut that month. Various moves, job responsibilities, divorce, travel, etc. have caused starts and stops in the project over the years, but I am finally ready to call for inspection for an Airworthyness Certificate. I picked the screen name slowbilder (misspelling intentional) for this listserve as appropriately reflecting the 37 years it has taken to get to this point. The plane is built from the 1933 plans. The tailwheel installation is my own design. I did not move the wing back, but extended the engine mount. The CG came out within the envelope. With the stock landing gear it is of course very light on the tailwheel. I am using a Continental C-75-12 for power. It has the generator and starter. The battery is mounted on the front of the firewall. The airframe was completed before we had routine access to the internet (Maybe even before the internet existed.) and I rarely had contact with other Piet builders, so I spent lots of nights working out the answers to questions that we can get on-line now in a short time. It is rewarding to see that most of the solutions I am seeing in this forum are the same that I came up with. I appreciate the answers to my questions I have received from you folks out there. Ill keep you posted as I pass further milestones. Bob Humbert Battle Creek, Michigan N491RH

Today I successfully completed the first taxi test of Pietenpol N491RH.  It has been a long haul to get to this point.  I bought the plans from Bernie Pietenpol in August of 1969, just after I got home from the EAA Convention at Rockford.  There is some wood in the plane that I cut that month.  Various moves, job responsibilities, divorce, travel, etc. have caused starts and stops in the project over the years, but I am finally ready to call for inspection for an Airworthyness Certificate.  I picked the screen name slowbilder (misspelling intentional) for this listserve as ap propriately reflecting the 37 years it has taken to get to this point.

 

The plane is built from the 1933 plans.  The tailwheel installation is my own design.  I did not move the wing back, but extended the engine mount.  The CG came out within the envelope.  With the stock landing gear it is of course very light on the tailwheel.  I am using a Continental C-75-12 for power.  It has the generator and starter.  The battery is mounted on the front of the firewall.

 

The airframe was completed before we had routine access to the internet (Maybe even before the internet existed.) and I rarely had contact with other Piet builders, so I spent lots of nights working out the answers to questions that we can get on-line now in a short time.  It is rewarding to see that most of the solutions I am seeing in this forum are the same that I came up with.  I appreciate the answers to my questions I have received from you folks out there. 

 

Ill keep you posted as I pass further milestones.

 

Bob Humbert

Battle Creek, Michigan

N491RH
________________________________ Message 13 ____________________________________ Time: 02:46:47 PM PST US Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: Parallel struts and Gene's question From: "Don Emch" --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Don Emch" Gene, If the plans have a different distance at the bottom of the struts than at the top, then they would not be parallel. I followed the plans very closely in this area. My struts must not be parallel then. However, when I set up the wing, to ensure my wing was where I wanted it to be, I built a fixture to hold the wing above the fuselage and made the struts to length. Don E. Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=56768#56768 ________________________________ Message 14 ____________________________________ Time: 02:56:03 PM PST US From: RAMPEYBOY@aol.com Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: First Taxi Test Way to go Bob! I'm into year one of my Mustang II thinking I'm on the same schedule as you were! Nice to know there is light at the end of the tunnel!! ________________________________ Message 15 ____________________________________ Time: 03:09:17 PM PST US From: "gcardinal" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Parallel struts and Gene's question During the construction of NX18235 it was neither noticed, nor considered, whether or not the lift struts were parallel. As of today I still don't know if they are parallel. It flies just fine........ Greg Cardinal ----- Original Message ----- From: Gene Rambo To: pietenpol-list@matronics.com Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 1:11 PM Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Parallel struts and Gene's question All of this is well and good, and I already know these things. My question remains, will someone PLEASE just tell me if their struts are parallel and whether they were conscious of that fact during construction. So far, unless someone can tell me otherwise, it looks like no one has even considered the question or noticed whether the struts were parallel or not while building their airplanes. Gene ----- Original Message ----- From: Don Emch To: pietenpol-list@matronics.com Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 9:54 PM Subject: Pietenpol-List: Parallel struts and Gene's question --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Don Emch" Gene, I think BHP's idea for the landing gear/strut attach point isn't so much about whether or not the struts are parallel but about where to attach the back of the front seat. A quick look inside the cockpit of different Piets will tell you if the builder left everything as located on the plans or if he moved the ash piece back. If the ash piece is moved back to the center of the cluster the plywood back of the front seat will come down and sit on top of the ash piece. If the ash piece is left 'as is' in the plans the seat back will glue to the back side of it. I went so far as to bevel that back edge to get a good glue joint. With this setup the seat back is now attached to the top cross member, the front edges of the fuselage side uprights and the back edge of the ash cross piece. (got all that!?) All very good joints. I feel this is important because the seat back is a stuctural member offering cross sectional strength as well as floor stiffness. We all know there are some areas of the plans that are left to the imagination, but when you think about a 16/17 year old Orrin Hoopman taking measurements and drawing the parts and pieces, after Mr. Pietenpol made them, so that others could understand them, it's really amazing they are as complete and as accurate as they are! If you question anything on the plans and are thinking about changing it, make sure you really consider why he did it that way. Just about every time you'll figure out and realize he was an exceptional 'eyeball engineer'! Don E. NX899DE Down with a sick magneto, hope to be flying again by the weekend! Read this topic online here: ________________________________ Message 16 ____________________________________ Time: 04:28:28 PM PST US From: Isablcorky@aol.com Subject: Pietenpol-List: Continental Engine Looking for a Continental Engine 65,75,85 or 90. Preferably a runout to be rebuilt but will consider what's available. Have time to wait awhile but will buy when opportunity presents itself. Will pickup with CASH. Nathan Moss ________________________________ Message 17 ____________________________________ Time: 05:15:06 PM PST US From: Jeff Boatright Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: First Taxi Test --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Jeff Boatright Congratulations! Good luck on the first flight. Jeff ________________________________ Message 18 ____________________________________ Time: 05:48:02 PM PST US From: John Egan Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Parallel struts and Gene's question Gene, This summer at the Brodhead Piet fly-in, I measured a variety of completed Piet wing strut attachment distances. I have found that of all the strut distances that I measured, every Piet had non parallel struts (I did not measure all the Piets). As I recall, the lower dimension was typically shorter than the top from about 1/2" to 1". I also noticed that I could not identify the out of parallel by eye. My only drive to measure the attachment distances was to see if the out of parallelness of my project (not complete yet) would be detected by the eye and look poorly. My apologies to the group for not being able to join the discussion sooner, as I was having trouble sending e-mail these past three days or so. My son fixed me up this evening. I would also like to thank those who offered advice on bending flat steel. I ended up buying a $26 bench top break from Harbor Freight which worked great for my needs. Thank you, john Gene Rambo wrote: All of this is well and good, and I already know these things. My question remains, will someone PLEASE just tell me if their struts are parallel and whether they were conscious of that fact during construction. So far, unless someone can tell me otherwise, it looks like no one has even considered the question or noticed whether the struts were parallel or not while building their airplanes. Gene ----- Original Message ----- From: Don Emch To: pietenpol-list@matronics.com Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 9:54 PM Subject: Pietenpol-List: Parallel struts and Gene's question --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Don Emch" Gene, I think BHP's idea for the landing gear/strut attach point isn't so much about whether or not the struts are parallel but about where to attach the back of the front seat. A quick look inside the cockpit of different Piets will tell you if the builder left everything as located on the plans or if he moved the ash piece back. If the ash piece is moved back to the center of the cluster the plywood back of the front seat will come down and sit on top of the ash piece. If the ash piece is left 'as is' in the plans the seat back will glue to the back side of it. I went so far as to bevel that back edge to get a good glue joint. With this setup the seat back is now attached to the top cross member, the front edges of the fuselage side uprights and the back edge of the ash cross piece. (got all that!?) All very good joints. I feel this is important because the seat back is a stuctural member offering cross sectional strength as well as floor stiffness. We all know there are some areas of the plans that are left to the imagination, but when you think about a 16/17 year old Orrin Hoopman taking measurements and drawing the parts and pieces, after Mr. Pietenpol made them, so that others could understand them, it's really amazing they are as complete and as accurate as they are! If you question anything on the plans and are thinking about changing it, make sure you really consider why he did it that way. Just about every time you'll figure out and realize he was an exceptional 'eyeball engineer'! Don E. NX899DE Down with a sick magneto, hope to be flying again by the weekend! Read this topic online here: --------------------------------- How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messengers low PC-to-Phone call rates. ________________________________ Message 19 ____________________________________ Time: 05:51:43 PM PST US From: John Egan Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: First Taxi Test Yes, congratulations! A brand new airplane. What color? slowbilder@comcast.net wrote: Today I successfully completed the first taxi test of Pietenpol N491RH. It has been a long haul to get to this point. I bought the plans from Bernie Pietenpol in August of 1969, just after I got home from the EAA Convention at Rockford. There is some wood in the plane that I cut that month. Various moves, job responsibilities, divorce, travel, etc. have caused starts and stops in the project over the years, but I am finally ready to call for inspection for an Airworthyness Certificate. I picked the screen name slowbilder (misspelling intentional) for this listserve as ap propriately reflecting the 37 years it has taken to get to this point. The plane is built from the 1933 plans. The tailwheel installation is my own design. I did not move the wing back, but extended the engine mount. The CG came out within the envelope. With the stock landing gear it is of course very light on the tailwheel. I am using a Continental C-75-12 for power. It has the generator and starter. The battery is mounted on the front of the firewall. The airframe was completed before we had routine access to the internet (Maybe even before the internet existed.) and I rarely had contact with other Piet builders, so I spent lots of nights working out the answers to questions that we can get on-line now in a short time. It is rewarding to see that most of the solutions I am seeing in this forum are the same that I came up with. I appreciate the answers to my questions I have received from you folks out there. Ill keep you posted as I pass further milestones. Bob Humbert Battle Creek, Michigan N491RH --------------------------------- Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out. ________________________________ Message 20 ____________________________________ Time: 06:14:09 PM PST US From: "Dennis Engelkenjohn" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Dennis Engelkenjohn" They are longer and by over a foot. I bought 4 at Oshkosh a couple yrs back for $25 ea. They are not open on the ends though, but sealed both ends. Still I want to inspect them, hopefully through the fork hole in the bottom and if they are bad then cut off the bottom where they had the problems and if all right them cut off the top end. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Ash" Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 7:35 AM Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: J3 lift struts on ebay > --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Jim Ash > > Be careful with old J3 lift struts. Original struts were open to the atmosphere. Moisture condensed inside, ran down the tube, and collected in the bottom, causing them to rot out from the inside out. There's been AD out on these for a good number of years now. I don't remember all the details, but the AD requires an expensive inspection and rolling them with hot oil on a relatively frequent basis. A good lot of the Cub people have replaced theirs with sealed struts (from Univair, normally), which eliminates the removal & inspection requirement of the AD. I had the ones in my Cub replaced maybe 5 years ago. > > Consequent to all this, there is a glut of old, possibly unsafe J3 lift struts on the market. A lot of folks are trying to take some of the sting out of having to spring $400 each times four for the new ones by selling the old ones. If your intentions are to shorten them, you'll have to open them up anyway, and if the upper part is clean and you can re-fabricate the lower part, then you can put a nice set of struts together for a steal. But if you need them full-length, buyer beware. > > Can somebody here tell us if the J-3 struts are longer than the Piet requires, and by how much? > > Jim Ash > > ________________________________ Message 21 ____________________________________ Time: 06:37:01 PM PST US From: "D.Reid" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: photo of an Ultra Piet in water-- attached --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "D.Reid" I hope everyone understands I was just being faucisious in my statement. This is truely a very unfortunte event. I'm just glad the pilot is alright and can live to do it again!...but next time...keep an extrat 12" altitude....for good measure. Dave... (still looking to the East) (seriously) Down in Florida ----- Original Message ----- From: "D.Reid" Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 2:49 PM Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: photo of an Ultra Piet in water-- attached > --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "D.Reid" > > Ohhhhhhhh...Noooooooo. He should have been more careful of where he was > stepping when he walked to shore! I see he put his foot right through the > wing! > > Some people just dont think! > > Dave (Hoping this isn't an Omen)... Down in Florida. (hmmmm..."Down in > Florida" isnt sounding too good anymore either. But, I guess it's better > than being Down OFF Florida)! > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Michael D Cuy" > To: > Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 2:07 PM > Subject: Pietenpol-List: photo of an Ultra Piet in water-- attached > > >> Guys-- I hope you enjoy this photo. I saved it after reading the >> caption >> about the guy flying it low over a river/lake and just touched >> the wheels by accident and it flipped over near shore. He was able to >> get >> out, stand up in near the shore and said the camera that he >> took this photo with didn't even get wet. >> >> Happy sailing ! >> >> Mike C. >> > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> > > > ________________________________ Message 22 ____________________________________ Time: 06:37:01 PM PST US From: "D.Reid" Subject: Pietenpol-List: Just a question.... Anyone having trouble posting to the list? My past few attempts have been rejected for some unknown reason. Dave ________________________________ Message 23 ____________________________________ Time: 06:44:26 PM PST US From: "D.Reid" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: First Taxi Test Congrats Bob, Be careful with that light tail wheel! Just how light was it when weighed? Dave...Down in Florida ----- Original Message ----- From: slowbilder@comcast.net To: Piet Group Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 5:36 PM Subject: Pietenpol-List: First Taxi Test Today I successfully completed the first taxi test of Pietenpol N491RH. It has been a long haul to get to this point. I bought the plans from Bernie Pietenpol in August of 1969, just after I got home from the EAA Convention at Rockford. There is some wood in the plane that I cut that month. Various moves, job responsibilities, divorce, travel, etc. have caused starts and stops in the project over the years, but I am finally ready to call for inspection for an Airworthyness Certificate. I picked the screen name "slowbilder" (misspelling intentional) for this listserve as ap propriately reflecting the 37 years it has taken to get to this point. The plane is built from the 1933 plans. The tailwheel installation is my own design. I did not move the wing back, but extended the engine mount. The CG came out within the envelope. With the stock landing gear it is of course very light on the tailwheel. I am using a Continental C-75-12 for power. It has the generator and starter. The battery is mounted on the front of the firewall. The airframe was completed before we had routine access to the internet (Maybe even before the internet existed.) and I rarely had contact with other Piet builders, so I spent lots of nights working out the answers to questions that we can get on-line now in a short time. It is rewarding to see that most of the solutions I am seeing in this forum are the same that I came up with. I appreciate the answers to my questions I have received from you folks out there. I'll keep you posted as I pass further milestones. Bob Humbert Battle Creek, Michigan N491RH ________________________________ Message 24 ____________________________________ Time: 07:17:21 PM PST US From: Larry Nelson Subject: Pietenpol-List: yahoo group problems --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Larry Nelson Someone else just asked if anyone was having problems posting. I cannot reply to any message on either of the two Yahoo groups I subscribe to. At the bottom of each page it says "error on page" but I think that is maybe something not "Yahoo related". Any advice? Larry Nelson Springfield, MO Beechcraft Bonanza V-35B N2980A Cessna 195 N9883A Pietenpol Air Camper N444MH 1963 GMC 4106-1618 SV/ Spirit of America ARS WB0JOT __________________________________________________ ________________________________ Message 25 ____________________________________ Time: 07:32:28 PM PST US From: "Cinda Gadd" Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: First Taxi Test Congratulations Bob, I just taxied for the first time the GN-1 I bought and only had to reinstall the wings and rigging and it was way cool. I can only imagine it will be a whole other level when I taxi the Piet I'm building. Any chance of a picture? Skip Today I successfully completed the first taxi test of Pietenpol N491RH. Bob Humbert Battle Creek, Michigan N491RH