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Fibreglass Work

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paul330

Well Known Member
If the fibreglass work on the -10 was at the beginning, this aircraft would never have been built! Somebody PLEASE tell me there is an end to it......

The canopy and doors are on and the windows in. However, since then there has been endless "fettling" to get everything flush and smooth. Fill, rub down, fill, rub down etc etc....

For a break, I started on the nose gear fairings. How on earth are you supposed to get the flox between the wheel fairing and the mount bracket? I tried a stirring stick with some balanced on the end and got about 50% of it somewhere near. Then it was a case of trying to force it into the gaps with two fingers on the stick whilst grovelling around on the floor. Then to cap it all, I thought it was dry enough and removed the screws to make sure they didn't stick but the whole thing sagged so it had to come off and has to be done again. Exit stage left for a glass of wine and some US Open tennis - go Laura Robson!

On the plus side, I bought a laser level I have been lusting after for some time - don't know how you would get the whole thing lined up accurately without it.

So, having had my rant, is there an easy way to get the flox on the inside of the wheel fairing?
 
Friends don't let friends...

Think of doing an entire airplane made of glass... I've a good friend who was a glass expert for Boeing, A/P IA who is building a Lancair ES and I would say for the 6 years I've known him has spent 90% of the build sanding, filling, sanding...repeat, repeat... etc ad infinitum. He has stated that when it's done he's going RV.

Maybe that's where that bumper sticker came from, "Friends don't let friends build plastic airplanes"

However, it will be a gorgeous airplane when he's finally done...and fast!!

.
 
Ditto on the Fiberglass, can't wait to be done with it. One more wingtip and I'm done on my 7 I used this thread

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=68674&highlight=wheel+pants+liquid+shim

to help with my wheelpants. I didn't build the jig for holding the wheelpants as he did but, it worked OK. Drilling holes and squirting the flox/epoxy as a liquid shim worked great!

- cut 2 1x8's maybe a foot tall with a vertical centerline for each wheelpant

-found center of rear wheelpant by measuring rear fin

-drilled slightly undersized hole at centerpoint for a nail

-found center of front wheelpant by hanging the assembled wheelpant by nail and a spoonful of water in the nose of front wheelpant

-drilled undersize hole for nail in nose of front wheelpant

-used nails in 1x8's through the center of the wheelpants and vertical centerline to hold wheelpants in position and shim/adjust
 
Im putting the fiberglass tips on the empennage parts now. I actually enjoy the fiberglass part. I helped build a Glassair II several years ago and that is TOO much glass work. I am making the rudder, HS, and VS, smooth so it is adding some work but nothing like laying up layers and bulkheads on the Glassair II. The biggest problem I find is having to do almost all of the sanding by hand for fear of removing the clad on the skins.

One tip I learned doing boats - a little spray adhesive helps hold the cloth in place so you can wet it out. Also, make sure you have a big fan going to blow all the dust out of the shop!
 
I concur..... I've spent a month working on the cosmetic aspects of the fiberglass. My wife is now an expert with micro, body icing, epoxy, and smooth prime. Getting all the craters and pinholes on the doors too quite awhile.

As far as the flock goes on the nose wheel, I made a huge mess attempting to get flox back to those aft holes. My nose wheel pant was pretty snug, so I just tried to get as much in there as I could. To top things off, I didn't get one of the screws waxed enough and epoxied it in. I had to drill it out.

I'm burning the midnight oil this week in prep of going to the painter next week. The only thing keeping me going is that once it goes to the painter, that means the fiberglass is done!!!:)
 
Paul,

You follow Mike's advice and you'll be fine. You will see my post in that thread. A laser level is unnecessary. I used a tape measure, plumb bob, string, marks on the floor, framing square, flashlight, some wood and various other things 1 1/2 yrs ago. If you want a show quality fg job you'll be awhile. I chose to get flying. My painter wanted fg left alone other than major filling/smoothing. My pants are still tight as can be.
 
Jerry Cochran said:
He has stated that when it's done he's going RV.
Click to expand...

Just make sure it's not a RV-10.

I'd kill for the glass work in any other RV. You couldn't pay me to go through the -10 cabin and doors ever again.

When I'm done, I'm done for good.
 
Thanks for the advice, everyone, and especially for your post Mike. I'll try the "hole in the side" method - seems to be the way to go.

Getting everything aligned was the easy bit with the laser. For the nose-wheel, at least, you don't need the level function - just lock it to give a line. Position the laser in the middle of the fuselage under the cabin and use the vertical line. Adjust all the angles till you get a straight line down the bottom of the fuselage and nose leg. Adjust the nosewheel to get the line down the middle of the tyre. Then when you put on the fairing, it's easy to line up the centre - you just need to block up to the correct height. I'll work out something similar for the main gear.

Today is another day and I'll be out to try again. Mind you, it'll have to be fitted in between the Grand Prix and Laura Robson at the Open!

Finally, I'm glad everybody else feels the same way about the fibreglass. I'm getting there but it has been a real drag........
 
Not sure

I'm not sure I recall the area you are talking about on the nose wheel, but I think it is where the screws attach to the bracket inside the wheel pant that then attaches to the wheel via the "posts" that your tug attaches to. I did two things there that were different. I powdercoated the bracket, then I glassed and filled over the screws. So I don't think I put that flox in that location. I saw no reason to ever have to remove those screws as it's easy to remove the aft half of the pant just by loosening the posts that hold them to the wheel. Works great so far.
 
douglassmt said:
I'm not sure I recall the area you are talking about on the nose wheel, but I think it is where the screws attach to the bracket inside the wheel pant that then attaches to the wheel via the "posts" that your tug attaches to. I did two things there that were different. I powdercoated the bracket, then I glassed and filled over the screws. So I don't think I put that flox in that location. I saw no reason to ever have to remove those screws as it's easy to remove the aft half of the pant just by loosening the posts that hold them to the wheel. Works great so far.
Click to expand...

Hah! - I see where you are coming from - undo the hex screws for the steering bar through the holes for the tow-bar and slide the whole thing rear. Must say, it was so difficult getting the fairing on over the brackets, I was wondering how to do it once painted without wrecking everything. Duh!! Having said that, I still think you need the extra support for the screws that the flox gives.

Anyway, a better day! I used a modified "mike" method by putting a 3/8" hole either side of the screw holes and then spread the flox in through them using some Starbucks coffee stirring sticks - honestly, I didn't steal them :rolleyes: Seems to have worked OK - I'll know for sure tomorrow after everything has set. Hoping that the release film and wax on the screws works OK.........

Did a couple of small wiring jobs to keep me sane - and I used to think I hated the wiring!
 
I agree that the fiberglass work on an RV-10 seems to never end; however, you can simplify it a lot by not putting those sissy pants on. What function do they really have? They conceal tire damage, collect mud and grass, and restrict visual inspection of the brakes. Oh yeah, they look like giant watermelons. Form follows function....
John
 
Polyester versus Epoxy fillers

A general observation; seems like polyester filler products are an order of magnitude easier to work with than epoxy filler products.

I'm sure there are reasons not to mix the 2 (please comment). But I found that using a high quality polyester filler like Evercoat Metalglaze for the final smoothing work greatly eased the work. Easier to mix, easier to spread on, sets up almost too quickly, and much, much easier to sand.

For example, on the windshield buildup, I used my own mixes of flox and/or microballons for various irregularities, then Superfil (premixed epoxy filler) to get the basic profile, then Metalglaze for final smoothing. Not sure that's a good approach or not but the Metalglaze at the end really speeded things up. Holding up so far.

I'm playing around with some fiberglass molding making at the moment and tried some Duratec polyester fill products. Unbelieveably easy to work with. Like an entirely different environment than the epoxy products. Not as durable or strong I guess, more stinky and toxic (styrene) for sure, but incredibly easier to apply and sand.

Bill "mold making attempt 2" Watson
 
Fiberglass class

I'm ready to start meddling with the tips on my tail and my friend is at the cowl stage of his 12. We would like to go to a weekend class somewhere in the U.S. since we have never done glass. I've looked on line but there seems to be alot of them for boats. Does anyone have a recommendation for a class that they have gone through that really helped get them jump started?
Don
 
donoltman said:
I'm ready to start meddling with the tips on my tail and my friend is at the cowl stage of his 12. We would like to go to a weekend class somewhere in the U.S. since we have never done glass. I've looked on line but there seems to be alot of them for boats. Does anyone have a recommendation for a class that they have gone through that really helped get them jump started?
Don
Click to expand...

EAA conducts classes around the country that will give you a good overview of the process and a little hands on practice. http://www.sportair.com/

Dave Saylor used to hold a rv-10 specific class, but I don't know if he is still conducting them. http://www.aircraftersllc.com/seminars.htm
 
The wheelpants are bulbous-looking for sure, but man, mine have soooo grown on me. No way would I take them off, even with all my moaning when they need to come off to inflate the tires. I bought Michelin airstops for that reason.

Best,
 
I like my pants alot too. I hardly use the brakes on landing with 5000' of runway. No need to prove how quick I can get stopped. I have Van's tubes and had to re-inflate once in nine months. I will know after Triple Tree this weekend how I like grass in my pants, but hopefully not mud.
 
We were at Triple Tree last year on a Saturday but man, the spray work keeps coming in, in bundles! Yes, the cash register keeps on ringing but I need a break from these ten hour ag-flying days and my -10 hasn't been cranked up in three weeks!

So, I'll do my best,
 
Too much fiberglass work

I think the epoxy is going to my head. This morning I am sitting in the dentist chair getting a filling replace, and at first I think... I wonder how good west epoxy would work on a tooth, and could I hold still long enough for it to cure. Then when they start using the cure light, I think boy that would be great to be able to cure my layups that quick.
 
Bit of thread drift - so getting back to the main point........

I finally got everything fitted, including the leg fairing. A struggle all round and I managed to crack the leg fairing in the process. However, it all fits, looks right and will just needs some extra lay-ups, filling and rubbing down - but doesn't all fibreglass work?

It's amazing what a little perseverance, red wine and support from the VAF community can achieve!

When I am back home later in the month, I'll post some pictures.
 
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