----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2007 7:37
PM
Subject: [LML] Re: Permanant Header
Tank
Brian,
Don't feel bad - I had to do mine 3 times.
First time was just using the forward deck before I added the header
tank. Fit great (which meant something was bound to go wrong). My
header tank support obviously had a twist, because after I bonded the header
tank to the forward deck, no amount (or combination) of heat, pulling with
tie-down straps, or cursing would get that assembly to fit. Drilled out
the rivets in the forward deck, filled in the holes, realigned everything (fit
wasn't as good as the first time, but nothing some trimming and micro wouldn't
fix). Second time, some epoxy or flox from the pad behind the hinge got
into the hinge joints, the hinge pins wouldn't pull out, and I essentialy had
a permanently bonded header tank, only that wasn't my plan. Snapped the
hinges off the forward deck, somehow separated the upper and lower hinge
halves, and tried again, this time with a liberally lubricated hinge pin as
well as duct tape protecting the hinge joint.
The point of this story is: You've got at
least two more tries before you can claim "Worst Header Tank Attachment
Experience".
I've been at it with this kit for (this number
can't be right) just over 4000 hours and 10 years, and I can sympathize with
the desire to just get the part finished, but everybody else has pretty much
covered why you wouldn't want to do this. If those hinges are kicking
your butt, use the screw method. I saw a beautiful LNC2 at Oshkosh a few
years ago that had a screwed-on header tank (naturally, AFTER I went through
all that with the hinges). Think about this: If you sprung a leak
between the header tank and the forward deck on the forward side of your
header tank, what would you do?
Gary Fitzgerald
LNC2 extra-slow build
~70%
engine: TBD
St. Charles, MO
----- Original Message -----
Anyone have good reasoning as to why I
shouldn't permanantly bond my header tank on? I tried the hinge method
and the fit with the cowling was terrible so I had to take the entire thing
apart today.