Quote from Hangar45 Admin on December 8, 2017, 2:48 pm

(Original thread started on 01-23-11 by Ron Rollo)

I would like to thank Kris for letting me start his build project thread and giving me the opportunity to work on yet another shell kit. So here we go!

 

L45-010 was born today, 01-23-11, along with it's sister ship, L45-011. It's Twins! I started construction on these two shells on January 1st 2011 and completed both of them in a little over three weeks. It has been a long three weeks but lots of fun being that I had my father, Ron Rollo Sr. helping out just about every day we were working on them.

 

Here are a few photos of L45-010 along with L45-011 in the Jacksonville workshop. The guy on the left is my father, Ron Rollo Sr. (Facility Manager)

 

 

Tomorrow we will be taking them apart and packing them up in their respective crates for shipping. We will be shipping L45-010 to Kris in a few weeks when he gets back on dry land. Keep an eye on this thread!

 

(Posted by Kris Stow on 01-23-11)

Man o Man!! That is just a work of art!!  You and your Father do exceptional work and I can't wait to finish it out. Let the fun begin when I get home on Feb 14th!! Happy Valentines day to my wife Erin!

 

Thanks for starting my build thread, and I hope I can create L45-010 (aka Speedy) to a level you and Shane have produced.

 

So far I have the base frame built and all drawings have been plotted. Tomorrow I will start building the interior furniture. I took Shane's advice and bought a spray kit from Lowe's (it was on sale $39.00) to do all the green on the shell and possibly the grey on the module pieces as well.

 

My goal is to have the shell completed and primed with interior inside before I leave to offshore in 4 weeks. Think it's possible? Remember I have 4 weeks of free time.

 

(Posted by Ron Rollo on 01-24-11)

L45-010 broken down and packed up in it's crate:

 

Kris, you will notice that the MIP and Glare Shield are wrapped up and on top.  All we need now is an address!

 

(Posted by Eric Tomlin on 02-16-11)

Yep, I'm wondering how this will all unfold because it's like Christmas for Kris- everything showing up at one time. I certainly believe you can get the shell put together but certainly not the metal/fiberglassing (if you plan to do that). The most complicated part outside of the fiberglass is all the precision shaving/sanding to get the proper curves. Thankfully, Ron was able to lend a huge hand for that living close.  Good luck Kris, it's going to be fun but tons of work.

 

(Posted by Shane Barnes on 02-16-11)

Hey Kris, I think the one part that will slow you down a little is the foam . . as Ron pointed out to me . . let it sit and cure out. You will love the spray gun . . will save you money in the long run by not having to buy a bunch of spray cans of paint. Also use the KILZ brand white primer over the bare MDF prior to painting the green. This will seal the MDF especially the areas you have cut/shaved and the green will go on much easier and quicker.

 

I did the same on the furniture. I cheated a little on the furniture as well. After applying the KILZ primer, I bought a quart of grey auto body primer and sprayed a couple of coats on. This allowed me to wet sand the outside of the furniture and get a really smooth finish.

 

4 weeks! Have a lot of fun and take a lot of pictures. It will be really fun for me watching another shell come together!

 

(Posted by Kris Stow on 12-16-11)

Here is what day 2 brought us! Spoke with the delivery people today and they say the shell has landed in League City will be put on a truck and dropped off tomorrow before 11am CST. Looks like tomorrow will be an awesome day!

 

Shane, I spoke with Ron today (A LOT) about the foam and yep, that is going to be the time killer however I have plenty to do while its drying, going to give it a week of cure time. I got paint on the interior and the TQ assembly for my awaiting time, which I'm hearing is going to take quite awhile. Def doing the Lowes paint match method for the furniture and also the KILZ primer.

 

UPDATE:  Phase 1 and 2 of the SAM completed next is the notching and final sanding! Let me just say all this fit perfect, you couldn't ask for a better kit. The craftsmanship is second to none, packaging was perfect, and not to mention ahead of schedule! All Holes routed and pieces separated into Port and Starboard. Port and Starboard side completed ready for bolts. All bolts installed; shell squared and interior place in for "temporary" enjoyment

 

UPDATE:  Well the dust settled, but I think I'm wearing most of it! Got the starboard side all finished up, it's sanded and ready for paint. Picked up some KILZ Primer and also some Apple Green in one gallons cans for the spray gun. Looks like tomorrow brings the port side. One a side note, the wife got the FDS knobs all sanded and primed!

 

UPDATE:  Okay, I'm glad Phase 3 is over! Now I see why Ron doesn't do this before shipping. The labor would cost as much as the shell kit price, or at least that is what I would charge!

 

Port and Starboard side completed, next will be cutting out the windscreen from .25" Masonite. I will mount, drill all my windscreen secure points and then breakdown the whole thing so I can primer and paint the shell. Reason for mounting my windscreen first is to have all the holes drilled so that paint can seal inside of the holes.

 

UPDATE:  Okay, got her all painted green and ready for the aluminum flashing which I already bought. Used the KILZ brand oil based white and had Lowe's mix me up some Green (B67-4) for the spray gun. Let me first say the setup for the spray gun is a pain but in the end well worth it. Yes, if your wondering, I am planning on doing 3 coats of fiberglass since it's the general consensus.

 

During my "Free Time" (paint drying time) I was able to get my TQ Kit built up. I'm still awaiting for "The Man" to locate the last remaining items to complete the spoiler and flaps levers but he said soon they will ship. I have complete faith in our source:

 

Yes got this question:

"Wow that's cool, but why are you building an airplane in your garage, and how are you going to get it to the airport"

 

UPDATE:  I'm trying to get the shell done quickly so I can have it in the house before I leave in two weeks, the "wife" wants her parking spot back!

 

Well speaking of the shell, I didn't get much done this weekend on it like I wanted to but slowly its coming along. The big news is Probotix is shipping my CNC machine this week! Also got a lot of cool toys coming from [url]http://www.precisebits.com/[/url] . Saw in one of the CNC posting that its recommended to get the coupler and nut from them also ordered a bunch of different type bits.

 

So got my CNC work area all setup and an old Dell computer setup as per Probotix. See the below link for more details on what I did: http://www.probotix.com/downloads/XP_Optimization.txt

 

Have Mach3 all installed and my profile made. Now just need the machine. I'm sure there will be a bunch of new questions in the CNC section. Should have some more updates on the shell build middle of this week. I'm having a blast!

 

Oh forgot to mention FDS knobs are done and ready. Did one coat of Krylon white satin, then did a black coat followed by two coats of Krylon Grey, the put stickers with a final thin clear coat. Its cool to see them lit up from underneath:

 

(Posted by Mark L. on 02-27-11)

Kris, if you were talking about the precision high speed balanced collet from Precise Bits, yes! A definite must in my book. There's a reason your router comes with a free one and this one costs more. For handheld woodworking, it's not really necessary, but putting this router on a CNC and expect precision with a factory collet, forget it.

 

You find out quickly you will want to just sit and watch it cut stuff up and think of more stuff to do with it.

 

(Posted by Kris Stoe on 03-10-11)

OK big update, the Fireball V90 arrived along with all my bits and collets from PreciseBits.com!! All built tested and will be tuning all motors in tomorrow and hopefully some chips will be flying!

 

Got all my panels drawn up and g-code made. Had to take a break from the shell, so sad to say I missed my deadline but not a problem as I am in no rush it will be here when I return from work. In the pictures below you can see all my backers are mounted and test fit in the shell perfectly and if you look closely you can see the AOA gauges mounted in the MIP:

 

 

A big thanks goes out to Ron for helping me get setup in CNC and also thanks to Mark for pointing me in the right direction for the Collet/Nut, and bits!

 

(Posted by Shaqne Barnes on 03-11-11)

Hey Kris, looking good and moving right along! You got a lot accomplished in the time you had. It is a good feeling when you start seeing everything come together. I've not had a chance to do any more with the AOA either. If I find any new info on the AOA I'll forward it. Just wait till you have it in fiberglass and painted. It will be that same feeling you got when you stepped back and looked at the shell frame after you got it together all over again.

 

(Posted by Kris Stow on 03-11-11)

Mark thanks for the advice. I have my machine currently running at 12-15 IPM. Still a little slow for my blood but I hear tweaking and getting the machine right with a slower speed is the way to go and once dialed in we can crank up the HP's!! Not to bad for my first cut ever. I'm pretty excited for what the future has to bring and a must is going to be a bigger shop vac, when the chips fly, they fly everywhere!!!!

 

(Posted by Hangar45 Admin Ron Rollo on 06-24-11)

Members and friends, I regret to inform you all that Kris Stow passed away on June 17th 2011. I spoke to his wife Erin and just heard of the news myself. Kris was hit by a drunk driver while he was riding his motorcycle. Please keep his wife and two children in our prayers as they go through these incredible hard times.

 

For more information:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=kristopher-stow&pid=152178131

 

      R.I.P. Kris Stow 1979-2011

 

"Even if I didn't know him in person I'm close to his family in this moment. He was such young and talented person with so many interests and skills that ten persons together could hardly be capable of."

Vince C.

 

"A very sad time for Erin, his family and the Hanger 45 community. No one is ever prepared for such tragic news."

Shane B.

 

"Very sad to learn that we have lost our good friend Kris. Although we never met, he has been a real inspiration and has helped me so much with RhinoCAD. My thoughts are with his family."

Dave A.

 

"I'm sitting here trying to figure out what to say. A tragic loss to his family and all that knew him. What's the odds for someone out to sea for weeks on end to have this happen. You always knew his next post would be another whirlwind of accomplishments and what he was going to do next. My thoughts are with his family as well."

Mark L.

 

"This is very shocking and sad. Something totally unexpected and something no one wants to see when entering this forum. This has always been a place to come and get advice and share ideas, not to hear about a fellow builder's tragic end. The few conversations I had with Kris via email were always helpful, and he seemed really excited about working on his project again. So very sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends."

Rand M.

 

"I'm crushed over this. I'm sitting here writing this with tears because some fool thought it'd be a good idea to go out and drive after drinking, and a friend is killed because of it. Like many others, I really don't know what else to say other than I've been praying for his family throughout the day, and each time it comes to mind it's hard to believe. Kris was an all-around good guy and from what I read on Facebook, incredibly loved and cherished by his family and friends. I know that this sort of thing happens daily, but it really hits home when it's someone you know and have spoken to on the phone and shared a passion with. Kris will be missed and let's all hold our family members just a little tighter as we remember that life can end in an instant. Kris was a very talented and enthusiastic person and he brought that enthusiasm to our Hangar 45 family over the past few years. I am also aware that he was involved in other sim building forums over the years and I've posted Ron's message at those places on his behalf because it's important that the community is aware of this tragic event, especially for those that knew him there but don't visit here. So long Kris, you will be missed."

Eric T.

 

It's so sad to hear about what has happened. I enjoyed Kris's posts on the forums. I used to ride a motorcycle a few years ago, and after a couple of really close calls, I decided to sell it. A good friend of my dads died in a motorcycle accident a couple of weeks ago. You are so right Eric, death could only be a matter of seconds away. My prayers" are with his family, and his daughter."

Jeff B.

 

"This is devastating news. So young, with so much potential. We all share a common dream. I feel as if a little piece of that dream has been taken. You have all honored him wonderfully with your words. I'm proud to be part of such a wonderful group of people here. Kris will be missed dearly. My thoughts are with him and his family."

Rick T.

 

"As Kris said, we were “Flight Sim Buds”. I never had the opportunity to meet Kris in person but I felt like I knew him like a brother. We spent many of hours on the phone discussing ideas and along the way, we became really good friends. You really get to know a guy, the same way we have all grown to know each other, whether over the phone, emails or these forums. I have a heavy heart for his family. I also have a 13 year old daughter and can painfully relate, although it's impossible to imagine what must be going through Cortnee's mind. Kris’ last Earthly act was that of a hero as he reached back and threw his daughter to safety. What a dad. We will surely miss Kris!

Ron R.

 

"Very sad. Just read this and a little hard to absorb. I rode a Harley for two years after I had my kids but gave it up for fear of getting killed by some idiot out there and leaving my kids fatherless. My thoughts and prayers go out to Kris's family and I pray his daughter fully recovers from her injuries. Kris was a good guy and I enjoyed the few conversations I had with him. He was one of my three inspirations (including Ron and Eric) when I first started building a Learjet years ago and was very inspiring. I also remember thinking what an awesome wife he had helping him build his original version of his sim as I looked at the photos on his site over and over while trying to figure out how to build mine or just how he hooked up the real Lear throttle when I started wiring mine. Such a sad loss.....RIP Kris"

Scott W.

 

"We shall all miss Kris, and we all wish his family well in the future. Kris was a great guy. I never met him, but when I worked at NASA in Houston I worked with people he knew. They always had something good to say about Kris. Let's do something GOOD to honor his memory. Rest in peace our friend. May you always have clear skies, following tailwinds, and cheap jet fuel!"

DonnyRay J.

 

"Oh Man, this is horrible news. To come home to after having such a nice weekend with my own family, I really don't know what to say. I didn't really get to know Kris very well, but have read many of his posts and it was obvious that he was a very talented young man, especially with his CAD drawing work. We can only hope his young daughter will make a fast and full recovery from her injuries as it can be a very long time to get over the emotional ties to her father and her loss of him. I know all to well what it is like to lose a child and also my younger sister. It took me many years to overcome this and get on with my own life and I can only hope the best in the future for Kris' wife and step daughter. My extreme condolences to Kris' family."

Tom G.

 

"Sad news indeed....A loss in this manner is hard to come to terms with for the whole family. Please pass along my heartfelt condolences to his wife and children, and best wishes for the recovery of his daughter."

Will S.

 

"While I was never fortunate enough to meet Kris in person, only knowing him through his posts and conversations on this site, I share the feeling of loss with the rest of the community. Like others I have seen the pictures on his website of Erin helping him with his sim, such a lovely family thing to take an interest in his hobby. As part of my work with the Fire and Rescue Service I deal with the results of drunk driving from the horror of the accident to the effects on the family. It never gets any easier no matter how many times you deal with it, especially when it is so unnecessary. The thoughts expressed here show how much of a community we are and the support and strength of feeling we have. Our thoughts and prayers are with Erin, her stepdaughter and all of the Stow family at this most difficult time."

Douglas D.

 

"I have no words. I have never met Kris, but I feel a tragic loss. All my best to his family, and all the members here. Rest in peace buddy."

Eric W.

 

"It is a very sad news. I am new at Hangar and have never contacted Kris directly but I feel his loss like of all his long time friends. My sincere condolences to his family at this moment."

Bichara

 

"This is very sad news indeed! Although I've never met him, it feels like a big loss. My thoughts are with his family, friends and the members of the community. May he rest in peace."

Ronald P.

 

"OMG! I am not a frequent forum user, so I just read this horrible news. There are not much words for me to say, I only had contact with him a couple times and found him to be a helpful , skilled and nice person. I wish his family and friends the strength and courage to get through this, and of course for his daughter all the strength for her recovery. My deepest condolences to you all! Rest in Peace Kris!"

Jaap B.

 

      R.I.P. Kris Stow 1979-2011