When I decided to get started again, I tried to kocate and contact other builders in the area that I hadn't met before, in order to check out their projects and pick their brains for ideas. Steve Robbins was gracious enough to invite me to his workshop to check out his operation. Steve does a lot of process control for environmental control systems, and it shows in the way he works on his project. He was adamant about keeping it "simple, lightweight, and straight". He had straightedges and levels all over his shop.
Steve was also adamant about sticking to the plans as much as possible, but has made a few mods. He's upgraded the fuel valve and has made the upper part of the instrument panel solid fiberglass rather than a glass-foam sandwich. I may change out my valve as well - it seems a little flimsy to me. The change to the IP was to accomodate instruments better, based on his earlier experience building a Vari-EZ.
Both his cutting table and mixing station were laid out and organized with a place for everything and everything in its place. I was worried that my cutting table was way too big, but his was twice the size of mine! I relieved Steve of several of his jigs and molds - that will save me quite a bit of time, especially for Chapters 5 and 6. Thanks, Steve!
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