Threaded Stabilizer Bushings
I am waiting for new landing gear clamp plates to arrive from the laser cutters. The radius plates from Grove are 1 1/2″ in width, and my previous clamp plates were 1″, so I need new ones cut, Until then, I can’t install and test the gear with the new wheels, but that’s just as well since it is a lot of work. My revised forward wing attachments, however, have arrived, which is good. Instead of .080, I’ve opted for .100, and removed the lasercut bolt hole since I’ll need to leave room for adjustment when the wing is fitted.
Of the things left, the stabilizer brace tubes are the main things other than the forward wing attachments. I purchased a higher quality tap 1/4″ UNF 28 thread, so I decided to tackle them. What a difference proper tapping fluid makes. It went a lot easier than I thought. I cut and trimmed both bushings, and trimmed the stabilizer brace tubes back as well, but stopped short of trimmed to actual size, since I have no idea of the length of the AN161-32RS fork. I’ll get those next week, and do a final measure up before welding the bushings into the brace tubes, since the thread on the fork is not very long, so I’ll need to get it pretty accurate. As per the bulletin notes, the brace tube is not supposed to pull or push the leading edge of the elevator, rather just support it.
Lastly, while I was removing the bearings from the control stick for powdercoating, I managed to damage one of the KP4 bearings, and it was turning a bit rough. I ordered a replacement, and opened it up to check it out inside (see pic above). Not every day you look inside a Fafnir bearing, so what the hey 
Time expended: 3 hours. Total time: 455 hours.
