Pietenpol-List: Wing spar questions
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 7:31 pm
Original Posted By: "Jack T. Textor"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Interested in the Smoke....In a message dated 1/16/2006 6:31:36 PM Central Standard Time, kmheidecpo(at)yahoo.com writes:I am seeking some information as to the set-up and design of smoke systems. I have no idea what liquid is used to create smoke nor do I know the location of the liquid port into the exhaust(s) make smoke. I am seeking information forfuture reference and extra-curricular activities to gather necessary parts needed.....(here I come salvage yard...whoopie!)I have though of finding a windshield wiper fluid container that hold a gallon of fluid and carefully stow it inside the fuse with a button on the dashand a filler neck with cap to the outside for ease of filling. For instance, My Honda Element has a nice compact 1 gallon fluid container with pump which couldbe stowed within the plane and controlled with a push-to-talk button located on the stick. Has this been done before? What are other people using for theirsmoke system? Am I just out in left field?KenFargo, NDKen,Ya wanna talk about smoke ?? Lets talk about smoke !!My smoke system consists of an after-market windshield washer pump and tank, plumbing to each exhaust pipe, and wiring to the switch on the power lever. Iisolated / mounted the tank on the upper left motor mount tubing, with a couple layers of rubber strap. I routed the clear tubing to a Tee fitting securedin rubber, to the engine mount, then used 1/8" brass tubing to each of the fittings in the exhaust pipes. I laid out the route of the tubing, marked thepipes, and removed both exhaust pipes. I cut a 1/8" pipe coupler in half, radiused each half to the radius of the pipe, and oxy / accy welded them to the aft pipe of each side. After welded, I drilled one #60 hole through the exhaust pipes. I placed these holes toward the bottom edge of the fittings, theorizing that if oil would lay in there it would gum up. The switch is a pushon / push off button, that is mounted right to the throttle handle. This location allows me to work the smoke without taking my hand off the throttle. I originally thought it would only smoke good at full power, but came to find I don't need much over 1/4 throttle to Smoke 'Em Up !! I can smoke 'em while taxiing, without any problem !! My exhaust pipes point down and away from thefuselage, and even when all the oil doesn't vaporize, the fuselage hardly getsanything on it. I have a couple of squawks on the system, that I have taken careof. 1.) I mounted the tank at about the same level as the fittings on the exhaust pipes, and it always dribbles out the pipes, with a little bit of smokeas a result. Over a period of a couple of hours, it will drain the tank, but I usually 'Smoke em up' before that happens.2.) When I ran the tank empty, and refill it, the pump would cavitate because of the way the line ran from the bottom of the tank to the pump, and Iwould always have to prime the pump, by blowing in the top of the tank. I gotsome strange looks from folks, while I performed this operation !!3.) The tank was too small. It only was big enough to do about 3 smoke runs. I would like to put about a 5 gallon bucket up there on the firewall, butI don't have enough room !!4.) I had to remove the top cowling to re-fill the tank. I'm building a new tank out of fiberglass / West System resin, with a fill tube out to the right side of the cowling. I'll mount it lower on the firewall. This will takecare of all the squawks.5.) I now have been using the new smoke tank, but I have a small leak in the tank. I used West Systems resin for the fiberglass tank, and evidently I didn't get the seam sealed up good enough. I've never had that problem when Iused polyester resin, but it kicks very quickly. The West System gives some time, but it is also quite a bit more expensive. After the warnings about thestuff catching on fire, I'll be repairing the tank before my next flight.Chuck G.NX770CG________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: Wing spar questionsDate: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 20:46:44 -0600
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Interested in the Smoke....In a message dated 1/16/2006 6:31:36 PM Central Standard Time, kmheidecpo(at)yahoo.com writes:I am seeking some information as to the set-up and design of smoke systems. I have no idea what liquid is used to create smoke nor do I know the location of the liquid port into the exhaust(s) make smoke. I am seeking information forfuture reference and extra-curricular activities to gather necessary parts needed.....(here I come salvage yard...whoopie!)I have though of finding a windshield wiper fluid container that hold a gallon of fluid and carefully stow it inside the fuse with a button on the dashand a filler neck with cap to the outside for ease of filling. For instance, My Honda Element has a nice compact 1 gallon fluid container with pump which couldbe stowed within the plane and controlled with a push-to-talk button located on the stick. Has this been done before? What are other people using for theirsmoke system? Am I just out in left field?KenFargo, NDKen,Ya wanna talk about smoke ?? Lets talk about smoke !!My smoke system consists of an after-market windshield washer pump and tank, plumbing to each exhaust pipe, and wiring to the switch on the power lever. Iisolated / mounted the tank on the upper left motor mount tubing, with a couple layers of rubber strap. I routed the clear tubing to a Tee fitting securedin rubber, to the engine mount, then used 1/8" brass tubing to each of the fittings in the exhaust pipes. I laid out the route of the tubing, marked thepipes, and removed both exhaust pipes. I cut a 1/8" pipe coupler in half, radiused each half to the radius of the pipe, and oxy / accy welded them to the aft pipe of each side. After welded, I drilled one #60 hole through the exhaust pipes. I placed these holes toward the bottom edge of the fittings, theorizing that if oil would lay in there it would gum up. The switch is a pushon / push off button, that is mounted right to the throttle handle. This location allows me to work the smoke without taking my hand off the throttle. I originally thought it would only smoke good at full power, but came to find I don't need much over 1/4 throttle to Smoke 'Em Up !! I can smoke 'em while taxiing, without any problem !! My exhaust pipes point down and away from thefuselage, and even when all the oil doesn't vaporize, the fuselage hardly getsanything on it. I have a couple of squawks on the system, that I have taken careof. 1.) I mounted the tank at about the same level as the fittings on the exhaust pipes, and it always dribbles out the pipes, with a little bit of smokeas a result. Over a period of a couple of hours, it will drain the tank, but I usually 'Smoke em up' before that happens.2.) When I ran the tank empty, and refill it, the pump would cavitate because of the way the line ran from the bottom of the tank to the pump, and Iwould always have to prime the pump, by blowing in the top of the tank. I gotsome strange looks from folks, while I performed this operation !!3.) The tank was too small. It only was big enough to do about 3 smoke runs. I would like to put about a 5 gallon bucket up there on the firewall, butI don't have enough room !!4.) I had to remove the top cowling to re-fill the tank. I'm building a new tank out of fiberglass / West System resin, with a fill tube out to the right side of the cowling. I'll mount it lower on the firewall. This will takecare of all the squawks.5.) I now have been using the new smoke tank, but I have a small leak in the tank. I used West Systems resin for the fiberglass tank, and evidently I didn't get the seam sealed up good enough. I've never had that problem when Iused polyester resin, but it kicks very quickly. The West System gives some time, but it is also quite a bit more expensive. After the warnings about thestuff catching on fire, I'll be repairing the tank before my next flight.Chuck G.NX770CG________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: Wing spar questionsDate: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 20:46:44 -0600