Feb 2009

1 Feb 08 6 Hours Total: 2661

Okay - the secret to fitting Van's canopy skirt is grinding - the inside of the skirt - not the outside. Forget about working on the outside of the skirt for awhile and, instead, work on the inside. There are multiple fiberglass lap joints in the skirt that are the result of the manufacturing process. You need to grind them down until the surface is flat. Don't be bashful about removing material. Then use a heat gun to shape the fiberglass to fit the way you need. Use pieces of lumber - any size (I used 2x2s) - and cut 1.5" - 2" slots in the end grain to slip over the edges of the fiberglass to apply pressure while heating the skirt. Take your time and gradually shape the skirts. Mine is beginning to fit.

2 Feb 09 8 Hours Total: 2669

We spent another hour or more using the heat gun to tweak the edges of the skirt until we thought we had reached a point of diminishing returns. So, we decided to lay fiberglass under the skirt to fill the remaining gap. Also I'd decided I wanted to make the skirt profile on my RV match that of Eric Hale's of Tulsa which fills in the "cutout" area at the lower aft portion. So, we added in some glass for that and also connected the two skirts back into one by putting glass across the split at the trailing edge.


It's easy to see the gap around the edge of the skirt. It seemed the best way to fill that gap was to fill it with fiberglass.	So, we cut 3 strips 6" x 36" for each side to fill the gap and extend the fiberglass skirt lower. We also added 3 layers of S glass across the split in the rear to reconnect the skirt sides.	Of course the fuselage was taped to prevent epoxy from sticking to it. We laid the glass on the inside of each skirt and then clecoed them to the canopy frame. Then we added some more to the outside and topped it with peal ply.

3 Feb 08 8 Hours Total: 2677

We popped off the skirt, trimmed it, and it still didn't fit as snug as I wanted. So, I decided to add some micro slurry under the edge of the skirt. I suspect there are two reasons the skirt didn't lay as flat as I wanted - the thickness of the tape used to protect the fuselage and the tendency for the original skirt to seek its normal position despite being taped down.

We smeared some mold release on the fuselage and added slurry under the edge of the skirt. Later I'll add some weatherstrip to help seal the bottom edge of the skirt. Also, added some slurry to fill low spots on the outside of the skirt.

We sanded the empennage fairing, the lower cowling, the hat shelf and the glare shield.


The skirt after adding the glass under the trailing edges. I drew a pencil line on the fuselage tape for the cut line and it transferred to the glass.	The skirt after trimming. Notice the skirt no longer has the typical Van's curve to wrap around the fuselage. I cut a V in the trailing edge for the empennage fairing and we'll make the fit nice later.	The gap along the lower aft edge was still too great, so we added micro slurry to fill the gap. I'll sand it as necessary and continue to add micro to the top surface until it is smooth.

9 Feb 09 6 Hours Total: 2683

More sanding today. The oil door is complete and the upper cowling is put away. The empennage fairing is almost finished. The canopy skirt is coming along..

We added some micro slurry to the skirt edges to make it fit better with the canopy. Tomorrow we'll sand it and reapply more micro and let it set.

10 Feb 09 8 Hours Total: 2691

Sanded the skirt to shape and we have to do one more round of filling and sanding before using Sikaflex and CS 4-4 rivets to secure the it to the canopy frame. We added the slurry tonight and we'll sand and prime tomorrow before gluing the skirt on.

We also worked on the polished intake fitting. It is difficult to get it to fit just the way I want, but I believe if I keep after it I can get it very close.

I'd like to get the canopy skirt glued on and the intake glued in tomorrow so we can fiberglass the windscreen on Sunday. Once the windscreen fiberglass is done, we can install the wings and begin attaching the fuel lines and running wiring for the lights.


	Upper left - you can clearly see where I added fiberglass and slurry to create a curve on the skirt instead of the normal Van's cutout. Above - slurry was added to fill the area around the slider and fiberglass across the top to close the gap. Upper right - overview of the work. Left - The first of many vinyl tape layers to do the windscreen fiberglass. Right- we moved the plane out in the sun to cure the resin more quickly.

Two year old Grandson, Chase, using Papa's tools to repair his motorcycle.	Got his hearing protection on - he's ready to work!

11 Feb 09 10 Hours Total: 2701

We resanded the skirt today - put on more fiberglass - sanded some more - filled pinholes - sanded some more - primed - filled pinholes - sanded - and then, finally, glued the skirt to the canopy.

We also used slurry to permanently mount the intake ring in the lower cowling. We test fit it and it fits perfect.

	Left - Chase is wearing Papa's gloves to help sand on the canopy skirt. Above - the resin slurry to lock in the intake ring. Right - We had to add some glass to the left side of the skirt to make both sides symmetrical.

We added lots of slurry to fill pinholes.	We put vinyl tape along the canopy and the skirt where the Sikaflex adhesive was to go. That way we could make a small fillet, remove the tape and have a clean job.	You can't tell in this photo, but the gluing is done and the tape removed. We'll see how well we did tomorrow. We're going to rivet the lower skirt to the frame.

15 Feb 09 8 Hours Total: 2710

Another red letter day. We got the fiberglass windscreen frame laid. I decided to do the frame layup and then remove it, do the finish work, and reinstall it. The main advantage to that approach is not having to worry about scratching the canopy while sanding the glass. Normally, the major disadvantage would be a potential loss of strength. In my case, loss of strength is not an issue since the windscreen is already secured with both Sikaflex and screws.

	Left - Clecos are holding the skirt in place and initial taping is started. Right - All CS4-4 rivets are holding the skirt in place. Three shots below - taping is complete for laying the windscreen fiberglass. I used vinyl electrical tape to define the fiberglass edges.


Above - clear packing tape was used to keep resin out of the openings Below - Nelson and I are applying peel ply.	Above - across the top of the canopy I used three layers of two inch wide fiberglass tape along with two layers of carbon fiber. I should have cut the carbon on the bias because it tends to unravel more than fiberglass cloth. Below - peel ply was applied over all the glass.	Above - I added some black pigment to the resin mixture because several guys said they wished they had done that so the ugly inside of the fiberglass doesn't show. The peel ply will make a nicer finish and soak up excess resin. Below - we'll let it sit overnight and pop it off tomorrow.

16 Feb 09 6 Hours Total: 2716

The windscreen frame came loose easily and I trimmed it. Then I sanded down the high spots and added micro slurry to fill pinholes and other low spots. We also did more pinhole filling and sanding on the lower cowling.

I forgot to take a photo before trimming the frame, but got one after trimming and adding the slurry.

17 Feb 09 8 Hours Total: 2724

We called the cowlings good enough - and declared them finished. The intake turned out nice and most of the pinholes are gone. Soon we'll install the Skybolt fasteners.

We sanded down the windscreen frame and put on more micro and then, late in the day, sanded it down again. We also sanded the canopy skirt.

19 Feb 09 10 Hours Total: 2734

Spent most of the day filling and sanding pinholes in the windscreen frame. It seemed like every time we filled some pinholes and sanded it flush, more pinholes appeared. We finally tackled all of them and late in the day we attached the frame to the windscreen.

We also filled and sanded the canopy skirt.

Tomorrow we'll sand the frame some more and add fiberglass to blend the frame into the fuselage.

	Left - Fitted the frame several times in between filling and sanding. We drilled #40 holes (later opened to #30) and used clecos to hold the frame tight. Right - We removed the frame and primed the plexiglass and the inside of the frame. The plan was to adhere the frame to the canopy with Sikaflex and to the fuselage with fiberglass resin slurry and later add fiberglass to feather into the fuselage. The clecos allowed us to accurately reposition the frame each time and later we'll fill the holes with CS 4-4 pop rivets and glass over.

The windscreen frame was glued on using Sikaflex and fiberglass resin. The clecos worked well to hold the frame and the clamps across the top ensure no movement until everything cures.	A side view and ...	a front view with the frame installed.

We applied resin from the curve in the frame down to the bottom and Sikaflex above that.	The clecos were dipped in mold release before inserting them. The resin under the frame is easily seen and the Sikaflex oozed out along the top edge.	We'll do lots of finishing to make the frame look good.

Along the top of the instrument panel I'm using 12 LEDs as flood lighting for the panel, but I discovered they would shine in my eyes, so I made a shield. But I didn't like how flimsy it was, so I added fiberglass to it. I trimmed it to match the original metal shape.

20 Feb 09 8 Hours Total: 2742

We've made good progress on the canopy this week. Today we removed the clecos from the windscreen frame and sanded it down on the leading edges of the frame to almost flush so we could add fiberglass to blend into the fuselage. We pulled off the slider and taped it off for exterior primer. Then there will be more filling of pinholes and sanding.

After sanding the windscreen frame we riveted the cleco alignment holes and added two layers of glass to ease the abrupt leading edge of the frame and two more thin layers to cover it all. Tomorrow we'll sand it smooth and flush and start the pinhole filling. Hopefully the canopy will be essentially done by this time next week.

	The windscreen frame after yesterday's glue and resin attachment. The fit is very good and the adhesive edges are okay. We slid the canopy forward and it fit very good. Here we've added the rivets and put some resin on the frame and fuselage to prepare for the final layers of glass.
	The first two layers of glass were on the fuselage and butted up to the forward edge of the frame. They are to ease the step down from frame to fuselage. The next two layers were light cloth and covered from above the rivets down onto the fuselage so we can blend the transition.

21 Feb 09 8 Hours Total: 2750

Sanded the windscreen frame and brought it flush with the fuselage skin. Then added micro slurry to fill holes and do some minor shaping. Will sand it again tomorrow.

More sanding and filling on the canopy skirt. It's finally coming together fairly well. We'll lean forward to get the canopy finished so we can get after the engine baffle. When that's done, we can run the engine.

22 Feb 09 2 Hours Total: 2752

Sanded the windscreen frame to get it flush and primed it. Pinhole filling and sanding tomorrow.

Left is the windscreen frame sanded and primed.

Right is a view of the cowling with ram air intake.

23 Feb 09 8 Hours Total: 2760

Filled pinholes on the windscreen frame and sanded and sanded. Another round of the same tomorrow.

Also, resumed work on the engine baffle that was put aside 2 years ago. We need to get the baffling done in order to do the engine run.

24 Feb 09 8 Hours Total: 2768

	Nelson got the windscreen frame and canopy skirt finished. The pinholes are filled, sanded and primed for the last time. He also trimmed the Sikaflex around the canopy and added some Proseal which made a very nice finished edge.
	We've resumed work on the baffling again and there are multiple issues to resolve. But, I've decided to use fiberglass to enclosed the top of the plenum so today I ordered some high temperature resin for use with the S glass to make sure the glass will withstand the engine heat without sagging.

I'm gradually cutting down the side baffles to get the top cowling to fit. I talked to Dick Martin about his plenum and he recommends the top of the plenum be as close to the top of the engine as possible, so that will be a goal. I do plan to have the aft end of the plenum a bit higher than the front to create a slightly higher pressure there. I'm also going to split the left and right sides with a divider at the center of the engine to stop crossflow between the sides and help reduce reverse air flow. Above it's easy to see the right intake ramp is shorter than the left and the left one also has the governor control passing through it. I'm debating whether to fair in the prop governor or just leave it in the breeze. Many of the baffle pieces are prototypes because I had to use scrap metal. I ordered new 2024 T3 .032 from ACS to make the final baffles.

28 Feb 09 8 Hours Total: 2776

Worked on making the baffles. We got the 2024 T3 .032 sheets from ACS and started remaking the baffle parts that were made from the soft 3003 sheet. We're getting the angle brackets made and attached. The baffling is a puzzle and all of the pieces are missing. I see why it's called baffling.

Nelson will do more work on them tomorrow and also paint the inside of the canopy skirt. We'll put the canopy on in a few days.

Next update 2 Mar 09