longjon wrote:The cardboard template works fine, IF the last person knew what the hell he was doing.( wanna put your licence/ life on the line??)
From personal experience there has been numerous times when I've noticed fuel/hyd/oxy lines with PK's(the worst) or not correct length screws installed which have chaffed into the line BIG TIME.
So now you re install these because that was the way they came out?
Longjon, obviously, and with all due respect, I do not do anything with the expectation that the person before me did it exactly right.
Most of the time, you can tell there is no threat to a fuel line or control cable or whatever in behind the panel you're installing. In that case, if the screws look right and come out of your template, they'll probably go back in just fine.
Alternatively, and operating on the basis that the world is going to hell in a hand basket, you could throw all the hardware in a '24 beer-flat'. Then, armed with an 8-32 & 10-32 thread-chaser, calipurs, a depth gauge and a magnifying glass, you could figure out what each screw is suposed to be. You could even finish by prying up one one corner of the panel before you put the last screw in and stick a borescope in there to confirm everythng is copasetic.
There's no limit to how carefull a person could be. You also have to use a little judgement and common sense. I personally like the template.
Its a good starting point anyhow.
PS - Annecdotal story: I once flew a 185, (put about 5 hours ferry time on it), and found later during '
post-purchase' inspection, that the main fuel line under the floor had been violated by a drill bit at some point in it's life. Dead center hole about 1/8" right through it. The repair: A piece of rad hose, split and filled with RTV & a hose clamp around it. Beautifull.
I am very leary of 'shooting blind' through any hole, be it with a drill bit, a PK or a machine screw, (or an appendage of my body
). It's something all of us should be more cognisant of.
