Building process, order of operation?

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libertyman777
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:53 pm

Building process, order of operation?

Post by libertyman777 »

I recently purchased a partially completed Piet. The fuselage is complete, sitting on the gear, rudder and elevators complete, wings complete, struts complete. So there is a lot done and a lot to do.

I’m looking for some guidance on where to pick up and get things going. My gut tells me:

1) Finish the control sticks (attach forward to completed rear.
2) Finish elevator control cables to stick
3) Rudder pedal installation fore and aft.
4) Rudder cables to pedals
5) mount cabanes then wings, struts
6) build and mount lift struts
7) build and install wire bracing for wings
8) build aileron controls
and so on.....

What I want to avoid is doing something out of order and wasting a lot of time and materials. For example, when does the fuel tank need to be installed in the wing and will it effect anything??

You don’t know what you don’t know but I feel confident that there is a guide out there that will help. Thanks in advance!!
Paul
r1200gsDave
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Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:14 pm
Location: Monroe, WI USA
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Re: Building process, order of operation?

Post by r1200gsDave »

Photographs would be very helpful.

I have been working on my Piet for 10 years and I am still working on the order of operations though.....
libertyman777
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:53 pm

Re: Building process, order of operation?

Post by libertyman777 »

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r1200gsDave wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 3:53 pm Photographs would be very helpful.

I have been working on my Piet for 10 years and I am still working on the order of operations though.....
It was Terry Hand's plane, super nice guy. I picked it up a couple weeks ago. I'm still working on my shop in the basement and the lighting is not good. I have some pics from Terry's hanger. So it looks like if you click on the image, it will rotate it 90 degrees.
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taildrags
Posts: 637
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:39 pm

Re: Building process, order of operation?

Post by taildrags »

My suggestion was that you try to do anything you can do that's inside the cockpits and empennage as early as you can, because it gets more and more difficult to work inside there as the fuselage sides and covering go on, but you've got a steel tube fuselage that makes it much easier to work on things without having to crawl into the cockpits or fuselage. Sounds like you're reasoning through the building process, which is very good. If you can look at some other Piets, you might get a better idea of things that should be done earlier in the build, or things that might obstruct your work later. One thing that sometimes gets overlooked is the fact that the aileron control cables from the bellcrank on the control stick cross each other on their way up to the pulleys in the wing centersection, and that leads them across the back of the instruments in the rear cockpit. Take a look at some airplanes to get a better idea of which areas get tighter after the cables are installed.

Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
Air Camper NX41CC, A75 power
libertyman777
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:53 pm

Re: Building process, order of operation?

Post by libertyman777 »

taildrags wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 11:45 am My suggestion was that you try to do anything you can do that's inside the cockpits and empennage as early as you can, because it gets more and more difficult to work inside there as the fuselage sides and covering go on, but you've got a steel tube fuselage that makes it much easier to work on things without having to crawl into the cockpits or fuselage. Sounds like you're reasoning through the building process, which is very good. If you can look at some other Piets, you might get a better idea of things that should be done earlier in the build, or things that might obstruct your work later. One thing that sometimes gets overlooked is the fact that the aileron control cables from the bellcrank on the control stick cross each other on their way up to the pulleys in the wing centersection, and that leads them across the back of the instruments in the rear cockpit. Take a look at some airplanes to get a better idea of which areas get tighter after the cables are installed.

Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
Air Camper NX41CC, A75 power
Thank you Mr. Zuniga, that is very helpful.
P
r1200gsDave
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Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:14 pm
Location: Monroe, WI USA
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Re: Building process, order of operation?

Post by r1200gsDave »

I would agree with Oscar on getting everything inside right now. I am working on getting to the covering of the fuselage, my wings and tail are all covered now and it is getting pretty exciting.

I often think "what will this look like covered", or "what will this be like to cover" when thinking through what to work on. I find that helps me stay focused and see what I might be forgetting to do.

Another way to think about it is "what will be impossible to work on when this is covered". The front rudder pedals are a good example of that. Work inside out.

I also have gotten pretty good at assembly and disassembly of the parts. You need to put it together to ensure fit and finish, then take it apart to work on the next step, only to have to put it together again, then take it apart..... That is how my work goes, I make a part, try it out, realize that is is not going to work, remake / redo the part, try it again.... realize that I got ahead of myself, again. I have gotten pretty accustomed to disappointment. However, I do take great pride in finally getting it right and see that perseverance pays off.

Good luck, anything that you do on the project is a step forward, no matter what.

Just do it.
Dave
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taildrags
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Re: Building process, order of operation?

Post by taildrags »

Kevin Purtee's little inspection viewport in the floor of the passenger cockpit helps with access to the front rudder pedals (and fuel tank, if yours is up there). But since libertyman's plane is the steel fuselage, I'm not sure what the floor framing looks like up there on it.

-Oscar
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