Tools to finish oil door opening

Vlad · #1 08-23-2009, 07:39 AM

After a clone of mine had finished with pinholes on the cowling, he left splashes of epoxy everywhere. I have some time today and would like to install oil door. What tool is the best to clean epoxy aroung the opening? Dremel digs, utility knife doesn't have right angle... Any suggestions?

Also the oil door comes pre-bent from Vans and that bend is more than cowling curve. What method do you guys use to unbend the door.

Shockwave · #2 08-23-2009, 09:49 AM

Vlad,
I think a finishing sander would work, maybe a 1/4 sheet sized one. This moves back and forth only, so you won't stand away the lip. Or you could hand a sanding block to your clone.

A sanding drum on your dremel would also work on the large globs.

You might be able to heat your door with a heat gun and press it flatter.

DanH · #3 08-23-2009, 10:47 AM

Get a flat stick (popsicle, tongue depressor, whatever). Glue 80 grit sandpaper to one face and 180 grit to the other; 3M spray contact cement is best. Dress the edges against your belt sander so they are straight and the sandpaper does not extend past the edge; you want it to cut with the flat, not with the edge.

Rough the epoxy off the flat with the 80 grit side. Turn the stick vertical and straighten the joggle. Now remove the 80 grit scratches with the 180 side.

EDIT: Got a few pictures for you this afternoon. As it happens, I was sanding out the epoxy skin yesterday and sprayed a primer check coat today.

If you fold a piece of 180 double, then fold it again, you can use it to finish off joggles with a nice concave radius:

Take the time to get it looking good. Ugly oil door fit is one of those things everybody notices.

ken westlund · #4 08-23-2009, 11:07 AM

to fit to the shape of the cowl. i used some aluminum strips like left over hinge ect. put the oil door in place and taped the hinges across the oil door. so that they pulled it to the level of the cowl. then i made some foam pieces and hot glued them to bottom of oil door and put a layer of fiberglass tape over the foam. stiffens the door up pretty good and will hold shape. if you want to see some pics email me.
good luck
-K-

Mike S · #5 08-23-2009, 11:12 AM

Dan's idea is great, will work just fine.

I have an assortment of extruded aluminum sanding blocks from my R/C addiction, these are wonderful for working on the RV also.

For any long straight edge-----Cowling joining line for example, you need a long and flat sanding block.

dpansier · #6 08-23-2009, 08:06 PM

I made up a sanding block from 3" square x 1/8" wall aluminum tube.
The tube is 23" long so I can glue on standard 3" x 24" sanding belts available at most hardware stores. I use 3M 77 contact cement to attach.
I have 60, 80, 120 and 180 grit located around the four sides.
This tool works great when fitting up the cowl and squaring up the canopy edges.

Vlad · #7 08-23-2009, 08:17 PM

Thank you all for good tips and pictures. I will take my time to do it right.

carguy614 · #8 08-24-2009, 05:24 AM

Vlad...
Consider whipping up an all metal oil door. If you have some thick enough sheet, maybe .040", you can easily form it over a metal or plastic pipe. In about an hour you will have a perfect fitting door that is easy to finish and rivet latches and hinges to. Permanent solution to the funky oil door fit issue. Got that idea from Robbie,"Hard Knox" down in Georgia. His plane has the nicest one I have ever seen.

HTH,
Chris

flion · #9 08-24-2009, 07:35 AM

If you can stand the embarrassment, go to the cosmetic section and pick up some foam emery boards. You can get them in rough and fine grit and you can trim the ends square to get the corners. These were my favorite sanding tools from my RC Sailplane days. (Be careful, though, you can meet some cute girls at these places which can be cut into your aviation time.

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