How do you finish the inside of your cowling?

[Mitch757]

I'm about to get started on installing the cowling on my RV-12 and was wondering how others have treated the raw fiberglas of the inside of the cowling to allow easy cleaning and to prevent oil impregnation of the surface.

Mitch
RV12 waiting on engine

[rv9aviator]

I thinned Epoxy with alcohol and painted the inside. Worked fine.

[flyingriki]

Originally Posted by Mitch757

I'm about to get started on installing the cowling on my RV-12 and was wondering how others have treated the raw fiberglas of the inside of the cowling to allow easy cleaning and to prevent oil impregnation of the surface.

Mitch
RV12 waiting on engine

Good article in Kitplanes this month.

[timandmeli]

Hi,
I also sealed the inside of the cowl with thinned epoxy. You can do like Dan Horton and use an old credit card as a squeegee to uniformly apply the epoxy. Home Depot or lowes sells a closed cell 4 inch paint roller that works great for getting an even coat. Finally I painted the inside with white two part epoxy to easily locate any leaks. Good Luck. Tim

[Loman]

I used epoxy (no thinner) with white epoxy pigment - West 501. This was following a suggestion by Bruce Hill.

I couldn't find any instructions for this pigment but you definitely need to work up from very tiny amounts (less than a small pea in a one-pump-stroke mix). The mix turns solid white with very little pigment and adding more will actually make the mix turn 'gloopy'. I added some cabosil to make sure it did not run on the sides of the cowl.

I put it on with a squeegee and then rolled it with a foam roller - like the pin hole filling method. 3 coats filled much of the weave and left a shiny surface with little 'goose bumps' from the roller. I will probably sand those out - at least where the adhesive foil is going.

The white epoxy does not give the same color coverage as paint. If you want totally uniform solid color, paint will be needed. However, you should probably seal with epoxy anyway so why not add the pigment.

[RFSchaller]

I didn't do anything on it except put on heat shield reflective tape. After two years no issues.

[N941WR]

Thined epoxy 50/50 with acetone and rolled on four coats with a 3" (roller), letting it sit 24 hours between coats.

When that hardened I covered it with reflective contact "paper" from Aircraft Spruce The trick was to use a wallpaper seam roller to push it down into the cowl.

One other thing, sand the inside of the cowl to knock down the high spots.

[MartySantic]

Why add any weight?? Follow the plans!

[Bill_H]

High temperature spray paint, SILVER, designed for BBQ grills, Home Depot Aviation. Looks great!

[Dave12]

I'm with you Marty, these airplanes gain weight with flight hours!
8DF started life at 720 lbs.. With pants, paint, numerous mods it's now 780.