A

avi8tor50

Well Known Member
Getting ready to mask off the windscreen and forward skin in preparation for sanding. Was wondering about a few dimensions. I realize that these will vary from plane to plane. Looking for ballpark figures.

1. How wide was the fairing?

2. How far from the most forward edge of the windscreen plexi to the point where you applied the electrical tape? In other words, how wide was the area that you sanded on the forward edge of the windscreen plexi?

3. How far from the most forward edge of the windscreen plexi did you apply the tape on the forward skin? In other words, how wide was the area that you sanded on the forward skin?

Hope these questions make sense!

All replies are appreciated.

Peter K
9A
 
I went off the instructions and it sounded as though 2" is the recommended width... although on the forward edge, feathering it into the skin expands it somewhat. So I went up on the canopy about an inch.

BTW, were I doing this again, I would have cut the front of the canopy closer to where it begins its vertical journey. That would eliminate a spot where I had to deal with a little "ski jump."
 
Following up on the windscreen question, one more:

The instructions say to remove the first layer of tape, sand the fairing level with the tape, then brush on heavy layer of epoxy.

Then it says to sand with 100 or 150 grit.

A paragraph or two later, it says the point is to have two or three layers of epoxy on the edge. So is it best to put a layer of epoxy on... sand level with the tape, then another, and sand (and then perhaps another)? Or is the advice to push on three layers and then sand them down to even with the tape?
 
Fairing width

I also went 2 inches wide. Remove the electrical tape from the forward skin after you glass over the intersection. You use the forward skin tape as a visual reference only and you'll blend the fairing to the aluminum with subsequent applications of resin/hardener, filler, spot putty, etc.

Notes:
It's 2-3 man job applying the glass. Use the "strips of aluminum foil" method detailed elsewhere for ease of handling the narrow 'glass strips.
Butt the last and widest glass tape to the windshield elec tape.
Try not to get too much resin/hardener on top of the elec tape. It's a sumbitch to sand off. I might apply 3 layers of elec tape to the windshield if I do another one.
Buy the good stuff elec tape - 3M brand.
Buy a dozenl of 1/2" and 1" natural bristle brushes from Harbor Freight. They work great wetting the glass cloth and moving the cloth into position as you peel away the foil.

Steve
 
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