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When does actual fiberglass work start on the cowl?

rmartingt

Well Known Member
I'm hopefully going to hang the engine and start fitting the cowl in the next few weeks, so I'm trying to figure out when I need to order epoxy and other composite supplies. Will I need any resin, cloth, etc. in order to get the cowl trimmed and fitted enough to do baffle work? Or can I put that off a bit?

I want to get the baffles fitted so I can start wiring up the engine and such. I'd like to wait on the composite finishing work till later, if possible, so I can do all the composite stuff at one time.
 
Epoxy supllies

I'm hopefully going to hang the engine and start fitting the cowl in the next few weeks, so I'm trying to figure out when I need to order epoxy and other composite supplies. Will I need any resin, cloth, etc. in order to get the cowl trimmed and fitted enough to do baffle work? Or can I put that off a bit?

I want to get the baffles fitted so I can start wiring up the engine and such. I'd like to wait on the composite finishing work till later, if possible, so I can do all the composite stuff at one time.

Not sure when as I am at the same point but I bought all the suplies months ago when I was working canopy and tips.
Dan wrote up a great thread. It's a Sticky under Fiberglass. I captured most of the highlights to my blog. With all that practice, I'm looking forward to it.
 
Required little to no resin work on either the 6 or 10 cowl. Just cutting, trimming, fitting, riveting, etc for the basic fit up. If you do the baffles first, you will likely need to pull them all off in order to do the cowl work. I would not want to fit up a cowl with the baffle in place and you will have no way to trim them down without a fitted cowl.

Larry
 
Prop/Spinner , gear,ect.

It is possible to make some fittment with just the engine hung, but the prop and spinner needs to be on also, or at least the spinner backplate and any extension, ect. It is important to have everything there to make sure gaps, trim-outs for gear legs,exhaust, ect. are in the correct spot and of appropriate size to be able to install/remove as though the plane is flight ready per say. On the -4 it required the gear leg fairings as well to ensure the cowling could be removed with the fairings in place..not sure about yours. The more you have on, the better, as weight/sag of engine will be correct. The baffles are typically trimmed/fit after the overall cowling is fit,rather than trying to fit baffles and cowl at same time . Don't try to rush getting the cowling fit before the mentioned items..you'll only have heartache when you realize things are gapped wrong or miss-aligned later.
 
Required little to no resin work on either the 6 or 10 cowl. Just cutting, trimming, fitting, riveting, etc for the basic fit up.

Thanks, exactly what I needed to know.

If you do the baffles first, you will likely need to pull them all off in order to do the cowl work. I would not want to fit up a cowl with the baffle in place and you will have no way to trim them down without a fitted cowl.

Larry

That's exactly why I want to get the cowl fitted now. I want to get the baffles trimmed and mounted (even if I don't have the seals on yet).

I have the prop in hand but I decided to use the instructions Van's published here (https://www.vansaircraft.com/simulating-propeller-for-fitting-the-cowl/) to simulate the prop; the backplate is mounted on extensions per that link (I pulled the prop out of the box and measured the distance required). Gear leg openings etc. can always be trimmed wider later on if necessary and the air intake can come later when I have all the fiberglass supplies.
 
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