Updating all my documents for the inspection, it looks like I have

~ 6 years 10 months elapsed time (thanks to location and climate I can only work weekends, and not at all between August and October)

~650 hours of build time (60 of which was the vinyl wrapping)

~$63,000 of spend on parts (small to big)

~10 occasions where I gave up

~2 occurrences where I had to be restrained from torching the whole damn thing  (well, I was close to it!!!)

What a project. 

My build log

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Comment by Gary Welch on June 19, 2017 at 5:47pm

I had a hard time getting the cable tensions dialed in, even with proper safetying and a proper tension gauge. I'd measure them and swear they were perfect. Then a few days later I would remeasure and they would be out of spec. This happened more than once. I never got a good explanation of why this was happening. Metal cable isn't supposed to stretch.

As you know adjusting all of the control cables is a PITA. I have a bad back and bad neck so this was also a very painful process for me. A lot of screaming and swear words went into adjusting my cables! 

Comment by Paul Sanders on June 19, 2017 at 3:56pm
Hey Gary, no need to respectfully suggest, I appreciate you noticing and letting me know. I don't know why I didn't think to look at the EAA video site, I've used that for lots of other how tos. I agree that is a much better way to tie the turnbuckle, I will redo them this weekend.

Thanks, Paul
Comment by Gary Welch on June 18, 2017 at 9:54pm

Congratulations! It's a helluva accomplishment.

I was viewing your build log and noticed the pic of your rudder turnbuckle safety wire. In the interest of safety can I respectfully suggest you check out this EAA video which shows the proper way to do this in detail:

http://eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=1590219800

In the video Brian Carpenter notes that safetying as you have done can allow the the turnbuckle to unwind as much as one and a half turns. That would greatly affect the cable tension.

I'm no expert but I recently finished my 601 and got an education on this. 

Plane looks awesome!

Comment by Tim Smart on June 9, 2017 at 8:05pm

Congrats on your completion Paul and good luck with the inspection and test phase.  I enjoyed your summery and I'm sure many can identify what you so eloquently describe...

Comment by Joe Harrington on June 3, 2017 at 3:35pm

Only 2 times when you almost put a match to it?... That’s pretty good. My project was mostly done in my friend’s heated attached garage because my garage has no insulation. I often thought and occasionally told others that “I hope Trav’s house burns down tonight!”... Congrats on persevering!

Comment by John Burns on June 2, 2017 at 12:49pm

Great post !  Congratulations on the completion.  It looks great !

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