CH601XL Kits

[ianrat]

They have arrived!

 

My 601XL kit and the other two kits that are going to Brisbane have finally arrived.

 

After a little bit of confusion in the USA all of the kits have now arrived. My kit and one of the other kits arrived here in Brisbane but the other kit found its way to Sydney some how. The shipping company then trucked it back up here.

 

Spent the day unpacking the kits and i was impressed in how Zenith rapped all of the parts in paper before packing them into the crate. There were no missing parts. After helping scratch build a 701 the new kit comes with most parts completely formed and pre drilled and things like the inspection holes are already cut into the wing skins.

 

Now the fun begins with the putting it all together.

 

On a sadder note i was upset to here of loss of Garry Sweetnam. The plane that was lost is the one that i went for the test flight in. Garry will sadly missed.

 

Ianrat

 

 

[wanabigaplane]

601xl kit

 

Water got in, so I had to unwrap everything and get rid of the brown paper. This took ages! I built my workbench out of the packing case. The wood was pretty rough, so the top surface had to be from new material. I was most impressed by the completeness and workmanship of the kit. Jack. :):)

 

 

[BigPete]

Well, you must have been excited because you forgot to take photos (wanamorepictures). Happy days. :big_grin:

 

regards

 

 

[ianrat]

No! just canot get out of the brothers camera.

 

Will post asap

 

Ianrat

 

 

[Thruster87]

[Water got in, so I had to unwrap everything and get rid of the brown paper.] Any idea if this occurred during transit on the high seas or at OZ container terminal.I'm waiting to get my kit soon but the garage is not ready yet, so will leave it in the packing box if it appears DRY Cheers T87

 

 

[ianrat]

When we went to pick up one of our kits it had been sitting in the yard uncovered for at least two days. The inside of the box was lined with black plastic. It would stop a fair bit of water. The second kit was picked up on the day that it arrived from Sydney by truck. The box was still in fair shape, no real damage only a couple of chips out of the ply.

 

Hope your kit arrives safely.

 

Ianrat

 

 

[wanabigaplane]

You wanamorepictures

 

The box was plastic lined, but the way the plastic was folded allowed the water to get in.

 

I was away on survey when it arrived at my workplace, so it was left a few days out the back.

 

Jack :):)

 

 

 

 

 

[ianrat]

601XL

 

Finally got them.

 

Here are the photos of the first crate that contains the two 601XL kits. We picked them up from the Brisbane depot. the box survived the trip fairly well. :thumb_up: The third kit was picked up the next day. The crate looked exactly the same as the one in the photos.

 

I did not get any photos when we opened the crate, but inside looked just like Wanabigaplane's crate except there was two planes in it. Most of the parts were wrapped up together. Both of the canopies did not take up any more space that in Wanabigaplane's crate. The four fuel tanks and two under carriages took up some room.

 

I will put more photos up as they come.

 

Ianrat

 

 

 

 

 

[Captain]

Hey Jack. I hope that Sapphire isn't going to feel and be all unloved stuck away under the verandah. And are you going to change your forum name, or do you still want a bigger one than the XL?

 

 

 

Congrats & isn't it great fun opening those boxes full of kit bits. Geoff

 

 

[ianrat]

The plane is being built by myself and my two brothers. I will be making the tail, rear elevator and wings while the brothers work on the fuselage. This way we can both work on the plane every spare minute that we get. (not waiting for the others to come over to help) We then get together a couple of times a week to check each other and help.

 

The kit being pre drilled has made the rudder very easy to complete. it has only taken me about four hours of work to have it ready to rivet.

 

The brothers have been working on the fire wall.

 

The bench is from my place.

 

Ianrat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[vk3auu]

Don't make the mistake of lying the rudder flat on the bench to rivet it or you might get a twist in it, even though it is pre-drilled.

 

 

[ianrat]

No i have got some nice lengths of 50x50 aluimium post (the ones you use for pool fencing) they are nice and light and do not mark the sheeting. Liifted rear bottom the 20mm.

 

The pictures above just had the frame sitting on some of the papers before drilling the skin. :thumb_up:

 

Ianrat

 

 

[Thruster87]

Hi Ianrat, How much did the freight end up costing. Cheers T87

 

 

[ianrat]

Shipping Cost

 

To get all three kits from the US to Brisbane was $4711.02 Inc Gst. (this was for two crates). We then insured the whole thing for $63000.00 at cost of $303.00.

 

The GST on the kits were payed for by Sport Air. We used C&H freight in Melbourne.

 

By sharing the cost we each only payed $1671.31 Inc Gst.

 

Ianrat

 

 

[wanabigaplane]

Name change ?

 

Hi Captain,

 

at the rate I am building, the username 'Wanabigaplane' will be valid for years to come.......unless I change it to 'wanamillenium'. Jack :):)

 

 

[Thruster87]

Which corrosion prevention coating system are you going to use? and on what parts? I'm looking at the following :Aluprep,Alodine and Akzo 2-part epoxy primer for interior parts [self etching primers should not be used on alodine treated surfaces as it removes the coating]Powder coating engine mount ? Exterior alodine,primer ,Acrylic ? Cheers T87

 

 

[ianrat]

Corrosion Protection

 

We are using the Cortec VCI 373 as recommended and sold by Zenith. It is water based and very easy to use and clean up after. It dries to a clear finish. All that is required is to give the parts a clean down (I use a special souring pad that was recommended to me by CANZAC) and thinners and then just clean with thinners wait to dry and then on with the Cortec.

 

We are using it for the interior mating surfaces at this stage not sure what to use on the outside.

 

Ianrat

 

 

[Guest disperse]

I built my workbench out of the packing case.

 

Smart man !! Henry Ford used the engine crate as the floor for the model A

 

 

[Thruster87]

Cortec VCI 373 to my understanding is NOT a corrosion prevention coating such as alodine is, but a surface adhesion coating so that other primers/coatings bond to it. Cheers T87

 

 

[ianrat]

I have just down loaded the following page from the Cortec web site.

 

The natural properties of 6061-T6 aluminum is very corrosion resistant. Combined with Cortec the risk of corrosion is very remote.

 

http://www.cortecvci.com/Products/Productcharts/Graph02.html

 

Ianrat

 

 

[Thruster87]

VpCI™-373Description: VpCI™-373 is a water-based wash primer. VpCI™-373 is used for bonding other primers and coatings such as VpCI™-386 to a variety of metal substrates.

 

I'll go with the Alodine then a primer. The 386 primer is a very good product and worth considering. Cheers T87

 

 

[ianrat]

NO NATFLY

 

Did not get to go to Natfly 2008, so i used the time to keep building.

 

[ATTACH]5323.vB[/ATTACH]

 

Picture of the finished rudder

 

Managed to complete the rear Stabilizer and got the Rear Elevator ready to be debured and then riveted (Along with the wife stuff EG: mow the lawn do the gardening take her shopping.) will never get the plane finished!

 

She did help me with the leveling of the rear stabilizer. (So she deserves some consideration i guess). I used a laser level to get the frame perfectly level. (An over kill i guess but i want a perfect job when finished).

 

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The rear elevator only took me about 6 hours to complete due to the kit being pre drilled. Saves a lot of time.

 

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While over at the other work shop the brothers have been hard at it working on the Fuselage. they have managed to complete the firewall and the base and side of the rear fuselage.

 

All in all a very successful Easter break.

 

Ianrat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ianrat]

Not a lot happened last week. Had to install the new kitchen for my wife. (So I can go to Oshkosh in July. Bribery goes a long way.)

 

Also we had to help the third member of our group unpack his kit (He was away in England when it arrived).

 

Did manage to get the flaps completed ready to debur and prime. With the pre drilled skins this was only took six hours for the both flaps. The longest time was taken up in the setting up and drilling the hinge. All I have to do tonight is pull them all apart and debur them and then rivet them together. (Another section finished) hope to have the ailerons completed by the week end.

 

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Over at the other work shop we have been working on the cabin floor. They have mounted the pedals. Also have completed more on the fuselage.

 

[ATTACH]5418.vB[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]5419.vB[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]5420.vB[/ATTACH]

 

Also have mounted the front nose folks to the nose gear.

 

[ATTACH]5421.vB[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]5422.vB[/ATTACH]

 

Ianrat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Flyer]

Hi all

 

Just wondering if there is anybody building one of these in Melbourne that would put up with an assistant / hanger on.....

 

Regards

 

Phil

 

 

[Towering Cu]

G'day Fellas,

 

Have been meaning to congratulate you all on the arrival (or for T87, imminent arrival) of your kits!

 

Look forward so much to reading of your build experience. This could be the kit I may one day decide upon after my move up to the Sunshine Coast. (Or if I can sell a kidney I may have to purchase one of Ian's Milleniums).

 

Congrats too on your own subsection.

 

Cheers,

 

Mike..