Scott Hersha
Well Known Member
Here's a question for the builders who may have longer term experience with using Skybolt or similar fasteners on their cowling. I am building an RV-8 and planning on using Skybolt fasteners on the firewall. The attachment metal is already riveted on and I have the hinges mounted along the cowl sides. My question deals with long term use of the camlocks and how it affects your paint job when you put the cowl on numerous times. I'm concerned, after putting the cowl on and taking it off at least 100 times (it's just clecoed at the firewall right now), that the protruding fasteners will mar up the finish on the forward fuselage boot cowl skin. I'm considering going with just #8 flush screws and washers going into platenuts on the top half and going back to hinges for the bottom cowl sides. There wouldn't be anything hanging down from the top cowl to scratch the paint and the only downside I can see right now is the time it takes to remove/install 14 screws (partially remedied by a small power screwdriver) during cowl removal. Any ideas? I already have the Skybolt kit. I've laid up glass and flox on the inside of the upper cowl lip to bring it flush with the boot skin and match the contour of the attachment piece, so I have plenty of depth to countersink for a flush screw and washer. What's the other downside??? Anybody done this?
Scott
Scott