New Tony repair pics. Att. Doug and Brad

Just thought I`d post some pics. of the Tony repair project.

New mounts are 1/2 by 5/8. The old mounts were 1/2 by 1/2. The notch at the back of the mounts is for over lapping the old mounts that go back to the spars.

It also has a new nose ring which supports the front of the mounts. I have install the new flap horn which has two up rights with the ball links bolting between them.I doubt if this horn will fail.

I also glued the new mounts in with loctite Durabond E-60.It`s the strongest epoxy I`ve ever used or seen. Did a test with this stuff on some motor mount stock and over lapped about a 1.25 inches.The next day tried to break it loose but couldn`t do it. John Miller tried today and the only thing he did was break the mounts.The glue joint didn`t fail.

I still have to build a new cowl and then it`s ready for the paint touch up. Boy, I`m not looking forward to that.

Looking good, Gordy!
Did you make the new horn?
Also, curious: Why the reduction in Motor mounts behind the firewall?
Can't wait to see the refinish job.
Good Luck!
Bill <><

Thanks for the update. Like the overlap idea.

Bill,
Yes,I did make the flap horn.And the motor mounts was cut down to save weight.The way I cut them it saves the weight of 1 hole mount.Still not looking forward to do the paint work though.

Looks good.

I cant wait to hear how it holds up to the 82???

The paint work wont be fun for sure...

Gordon, I really like that fixture to hold the plane for painting. I'm gonna steal part of that idea as it looks better than the one I'm using. Much simpler! Ty M.

Ty,
I'm pretty sure that is a Byron Barker paint stand, or at least a real good copy. I'll let Gordy say which.
Bill <><

Gordy,

All stunt flyers are concerned with weight. Maybe you should have been more concerned with vibration. The front nose ring is going to help a lot, but the amount of wood you took off the engine bearers in the tank compartment seems excessive. Good luck

Al,
I have cut mounts like this for years and I`ve never had a problem.
But then I haven`t been running Four Strokes. I did how ever went with larger mounts and I think with the nose ring support there won`t be a problem.I know you`ve used a front support on yours.Great idea.Hope there not cut down too much.

Gordy

PS Thank you for the Videos. I hope you got them back ok. I sent them last week.

Got them. You should have kept them. They are wonderful at putting me to sleep on a restless night.

Mr. 1969 NATS
Bob Lampione

Hello Gordon,

I agree with Al Rabe, I think your trying to save weight in the worst place possible. You're leaving yourself open to "Vibration" and the same thing may happen again.
I think a lot of stunt flyers have problems with engine runs because they cheat in the nose/crutch area.
That's the last place that I cheat, although I myself am not noted for building the lightest airplanes, however I never have engine run problems. I also cut grooves in the part of the mount that goes up against the doubler by running the mount from front to back against my Dremel Jig Saw and let the blade make cuts about every 1/8 inch along the mount. This gives it alot of extra bite. It's something Gene Shaffer and I did for as long as I've been building stunters for competition and got all these neat power tools.

Regards,

Bob Lampione

It's something Gene
>Shaffer and I did for as long as I've been building stunters
>for competition

Was he awesome?

Bob,
I`ve been cutting my mounts like this for 30 years and have never had a problem.The problem I had on the Tony was the epoxy I used. My engines runs on all my planes have run great.The epoxy I used this time will not fail.Plus I used 5/8 by 1/2 this time, instead of the 1/2 by 1/2 that I used the first time.I think we tend to over build our planes anyway.After the crash the Tony was still in one piece with only minor damage.Which tell`s me it`s still over built.

Thanx
Gordy

PS.If I`m wrong I guess I`ll have too eat my words.

Where did you buy the epoxy Durabond E60

Greg,
Jim Rhoades found this epoxy at close out sale.It`s about fifteen dollars.He paid .49 cents and bought all they had.It`s for industrial use and is much stronger than our hobby epoxy glues. But I think anyone saleing locktite supplies would have it.The test I did was much stronger than anything I`ve tried. Hope this helps.

Gordy

PS. I think the reason people think I cut the mounts down to far,Don`t realize the Tony has two front ends on it. The inner one which the engine is mounted and the outer one for the shape.Plus the two tie in together which forms a triangle.Which I feel makes it much stronger than a little two inch wide fuse.