Restoration of ZS-UAD, Tipsy Nipper T66 mk 1

[Tipsy Flyer]

Yesterday, i turned the wing over and managed to remove all the old glue etc from the right side. I also removed the alloy tubes the previous owner fitted with the intention of fitting tip tanks. I have no idea where the previous owner throught he was going to find a set fo tip tanks in this neck of the woods!!
Here is a pic or two of an upside down Nipper wing.

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[Tipsy Flyer]

Right, today all the old fabric glue is now history, thank goodness!
If i get lucky, we will shut shop at 12:00 tomorrow and i then can complete sanding the fabric contact area's.

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[Tipsy Flyer]

All the sanding has been completed, wood surfaces are looking new and fresh again
Using paint stripper i attacked the metal brackets, control horns, etc and using fine steel wool, i removed all the old paint and was left with nice shiny metal. A little polishing on the wire wheel if nessecary and a good washing and wipe with clean thinners, i sprayed all the parts with red oxide primer. Have a small heap left to complete over the weekend. I did not touch anything today as my flatten thumb was aching after all the steel wooling etc.
Instead i got out my vintage car and went to visit a friend and his son who is out here from London to visit his folks.
Will post some pics on the weekend of the metal bits.

[Neil Spooner]

Hi Glen,

Red oxide is good, but if you can get hold of zinc chromate it is better....it is available in aerosol cans. For anything aluminium alloy be sure to use an etch primer, it doesn't have to be from an aircraft source, automotive paint suppliers should be able to get it. I personnally use it on steel parts also, if they have been brazed only etch primer will stick.

Neil

[Tipsy Flyer]

Hello Neil,
Yes, i will check tomorrow if i can get etch primer, have a paint shop over the road from work. Will fill a container with thinners and "soak" the red oxide off .
Are you on holiday or one of the fortunate souls that are working over this period
Hows the progress on your "baby", flying soon?
Regards
Glen

[Neil Spooner]

Hi Glen,

They way I remove paint from small items is to get a old ice cream container ( about 3 litre) and just put about 1\2 celulose thinner in the bottom, put all the bits in and put the lid on. After a day or two the paint just "pickles off". I find paint stripper a bind to use and also very nasty. I have also found that etch primer once mixed can be put in an air-tight container and it wont go off, and can be used by brush or air-brush.

Have you decided what to cover your Nipper with yet? If you go down the ceconite 102 or diatex route I have some tips that you may be interested in.

Progress on my Nipper is agonizingly slow at the moment. My employer works me quite hard, and I feel a responsibility to turn up to work rested rather than fatigued.

Are you going to keep the extra bits on your wing for the tip tank mod' or are you removing them?

Is the stall warning device required for you in SA?

Neil

[G-NIPR]

Morning All,
I, too, would be keen to know about the stall warner question.
It is my understanding, backed up by paperwork I got with my a/c that in the Uk at least it is a mandatory item.
I know we have spoken about this Neil.
Mine is fitted with one, and I like having it. I have wired a light into the circuit as well as the buzzer.
It is a good gadget to have when spinning, as soon as the light comes on feed in the rudder!
Anyone know any more?

Paul.
G-NIPR

[Tipsy Flyer]

Today i removed the red oxide and applied two coats of etch primer to the metal pieces with my Sata mini jet spray gun, very useful tool, i must say
I have prepared some more things to be sprayed tomorrow morning.
Neil, you are right about Paint Stripper been "nasty" stuff. My skin on my fingers now resemble something from Jurassic Park, a T rex behind comes to mind
Have not given the covering to much thought as of yet, all i can say, it's going to be a MAJOR expense, rotten conversion rate you know!
Besides the ali tube the previous owner installed, there is nothing esle to remove that i can see.
I have no idea if my Nipper even left the factory with a stall warning fitted, all the original Doc's and logs were lost, unfortunately.
I will have to ask if a stall warning is required here, somehow i think not, remember, Nipper here is classified as a homebuilt even though it is factory built.

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[Neil Spooner]

Hi Glen,

How is the exhange rate to the US dollar for your covering supplies. Surely there is a supplier in SA?

Neil

[Tipsy Flyer]

Hi All,
Firstly, a happy new year to all reading this, may 2008 be full of happiness and joy and if you have something to fly in, many safe hours.
Have not been completely lazy these few days off work, all the metal things that belong to the wings and the tail are now in etch primer.
Neil, the exchange rate here, once the order has ended up on my door step will be in the region of 12 to 1, in other words, i have to pay 12 Rands to one US dollar. All the covering that you have mentioned is availible here but with a large mark up (profit).I am interested in a local covering system that was developed for a locally built kit plane. I have see the finished results and must say, looks very good. I am including the URL to the site, please have a read of the covering section and see what you think?
http://www.saplanes.co.za/

Have giving up trying to post pic's, the site "unlogs" me while uploading, so bear with me until the nasty little grimlins leave town!!!

[Tipsy Flyer]

Guess what arrived in the workshop this morning.........more work
Will cut the ZS-UAD out neatly for Willem, as he collects reg's.

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[Tipsy Flyer]

One very nude Nipper

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[Tipsy Flyer]

Goodness, how time has flown!!

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[Tipsy Flyer]

This is where the old girl has been "hanging" for the last umteen years

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[Tipsy Flyer]

Have started the never ending task of removing the old paint from the fuse tubes. Would be nice if i had access to a incased glass bead blaster big enough to take the fuse!
Here's a pic of my etch primered things

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