Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 01:38:38 -0400
Message-ID: <redirect-1711325@logan.com>
From: JIMRHER@aol.com
Subject: Outstanding Workmanship Award -- N6XE
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Jim,

After seeing your L-IVP at Oshkosh, my only surprise is that you only won
the outstanding workmanship award...  

We're trying to do our body work as we go along on our Legacy construction.
I noticed that your gaps and seams look perfect -- I mean perfect -- they
even seem to have a nice 45 deg bevel on the edges.  What pre-primer/paint
gaps did you work to and how did you get that perfect bevel on the edges?
Any other useful suggestions, opinions for first time builders?  

I'm sending this through the LML since I'm sure everyone would like to hear
your secrets...

Thanks in advance for your advice,

Valin Thorn
Legacy #173

Thanks for the complements Valin. I don't know what the judges did but they 
encourage you to come back again. I am very happy to have my plane instead of 
the Grand Champion, which was very nice also.

On the Gaps, which not everyone picked up on, I must say that I had some very 
excellent help. But one secret was to make the gear door or other doors 
perfect then install in the larger hole with release tape on the edges. Then 
full the space with Flox and after it is firm you use a .062 dia. drill and 
run it around the door. Let it harden and grind and Sand, sand, sand. When 
you think the surface is OK start by priming and then sanding, mostly with a 
board, to find the low spots. Then fill with flox, or Bondo, or micro. They 
all have there place. I bet we sprayed, filled, and sanded at least 10 times. 
Then we thought is was Paint ready. Tom Conners then sprayed and sanded 15 
times to get what you saw. Tom did all the edges and it looks machined. Most 
of the .060 gaps got filled with paint to about .050 in. Some had to be 
sanded from the inside after paint and assembly. Some were too tight and I 
have cracks to show.

On the color side. I have White Pearl and Dark color change paint 
combination. And I can't believe the temperature difference in the sun. I can 
easily hold the back of my hand on the White but I can't hold a finger on the 
dark paint. I guess that there is at least 30* difference. I will measure it 
someday. For example, the chicken bolts only show in the dark paint and not 
in the light, yet.

Hope this helps,

Jim Hergert
N6XE, "An Sex Y" L4P