Tip: Wheelpant Seam

[DanH]

I hear you John. A lot of the composite guys strive for perfectly even 1/16" wide gaps (after paint) on cover plates, seams, canard junctions, etc. Looks nice. They are usually backed by a flange, just like our wheelpants.

You have a good point. It is unlikely that I'll leave .020" of primer on a male mold part, but I do think I will add a little gap to reduce the chance of edge chipping. Just put the nose cone back on the flat table and draw another trim line, perhaps the width of a new fineline Sharpie. I like Gil's suggestion too; use a few layers of tape when you do the fill step to get the gap you want.

The focus of this tip is how to straighten up the seam on the flanged half of the wheelpant. The no-flange half is easy to work.

[s10sakota]

Dan,

Thanks for the great post. This comes just in time because I'm just fitting a pair of Sam James wheel pants and there is quite an uneven gap along the front and back half seem.

I am ordering the epoxy, cab-o-sil, and "flocked cotton fiber" from A/C Spruce.

They don't have "microballoons" but they do have 3M glass bubbles. Is this the same thing?

Also, is the Flocked Cotton Fiber the same thing as flox?

Thanks!

[DanH]

Yes and yes, although microballoons also come in phenolic as well as glass. You want glass balloons.

If you're ordering from Spruce add a copy of "Moldless Composite Homebuilt Sandwich Aircraft Construction" to your order.

[s10sakota]

Thanks Dan! You know what? I think I actually have that book burried away somewhere. Might have to dig it out...