Am I crazy?

[dhmoose]

Simple but frustrating issue:

I was looking at Step 1 and Fig 2 on page FF2-20 tonight. That page deals with the clamping strip that backs the air seal material of the cowl inlets (lower cowl).

They ask you to make a clamping strip (CB-1002K) out of a 1/2" wide strip of 0.063 Aluminum sheet. 2 strips are provided in the kit. Then, in figure 2, they have you drill the 1/2" wide strip in the center leaving....uuuuuhhhhh....a 1/2" on either side?!?!?!? If you drill the 1/2" strip in the center, you'll have less then a 1/4" on either side of the hole...which also brings the hole way too close to the aft edge of the cowl inlet. Am I making sense?

Basically, I feel like we need a 1" wide clamping strip that can be drilled in the center leaving 1/2" forward and 1/2" aft. What am i missing?

Am I crazy? Here's a link to a picture of the manual (click "sign in as a guest", then ignore my cute helper! )

http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/share/p=308171361171775614/l=18230720008/g=36541246/cobrandOid=1000/campaignName=ShareeNewReg_30FreePrints_2010Feb/otsc=SYE/otsi=SANR

D

 

[gasman]

If you scale (roughly) section AA, the strip would be about 7/8" wide. And looking at the edge distance in figure three, they did not use a 1/2" wide strip and bolt it with the edges lined up.

You should have your answer before breakfast.

And about your main question...........

No, your not crazy.

 

[rleffler]

I'll leave it up to others to determine if you are crazy or not.

I would probably just center the 1/2" strip, which would leave the strip a 1/4" away from the edge of the cowl.

Good timing on your question. I'm planning on finishing my baffling this weekend and hadn't noticed that before.

Bob

 

[pierre smith]

The more distance that you can leave between the lower cowl opening and the aluminum floor of the baffle, the better. Mine is very close and it makes removing and installing the cowl difficult....especially trying to fish the rubber strip up from below the cowl.

Best,

 

[douglassmt]

Lower cowl slot

I extended the lower cowl slot about 5 inches, then built a cover like Strasnuts did, it makes removing and installing the lower cowl a one-man operation. The air inlet flaps are a bit of a chore as Pierre says, but I just tape them up and out of the way with some electricians tape, and it all goes on easy peasy. It does help to have the gap about 3/4" or maybe a little more. The flaps easily cover that large a gap, maybe not much more.

 

[Ron B.]

I looked up that page on my plans. I did not see where it said there should be 1/2" on each side. It does say 1/2 typ., I take that to say 1/2 the width is typically where you drill, might be what Van's meant.

 

[dhmoose]

I looked up that page on my plans. I did not see where it said there should be 1/2" on each side. It does say 1/2 typ., I take that to say 1/2 the width is typically where you drill, might be what Van's meant.

Ron, Step 1 has you take a 1/2" wide strip of aluminum sheet...which is where the 1/2" reference come from. Fig 2 talks about "1/2 typ" but obvisouly, we can't center drill a 1/2" wide strip and leave a 1/2" from center to edge. Tough to explain...but...hopefully, I am making sense (then again, according to Bob, I might be crazy! )

The more distance that you can leave between the lower cowl opening and the aluminum floor of the baffle, the better. Mine is very close and it makes removing and installing the cowl difficult....especially trying to fish the rubber strip up from below the cowl.

Best,

Pierre, I realized this is also a bit misleading in the plans. The plans have you cut the forward air ramps flush with the aft edge of the cowl inlets...but as you said, this would make removing the cowl very difficult. I cut mine with 1/4" spacing, but may go back and make it 1/2 or even 3/4" as Bryan suggests.

I'll leave it up to others to determine if you are crazy or not.

I would probably just center the 1/2" strip, which would leave the strip a 1/4" away from the edge of the cowl.

Good timing on your question. I'm planning on finishing my baffling this weekend and hadn't noticed that before.

Bob

Bob, I might do as you say even though the plans say to clamp the strip flush to the aft edge of the cowl inlet. I am not sure if this, along with the 1/2-3/4" gap from air ramp to cowl inlet, would allow high pressure air to flow under the air seal fabric and forward into the cowl.
Btw, I heard people that talk to themselves aren't crazy as long as you don't answer yourself. Huh. I might be crazy!

If you scale (roughly) section AA, the strip would be about 7/8" wide. And looking at the edge distance in figure three, they did not use a 1/2" wide strip and bolt it with the edges lined up.

You should have your answer before breakfast.

And about your main question...........

No, your not crazy.

Thanks! After the 8 months of fiberglass work was completed, I thought I may have taken a trip to crazyland!

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[douglassmt]

Compound curve

I specifically remember the strips being a bit difficult. They have sort of a compound curve, which is hard for a thicker strip of aluminum. I might try a thinner strip if I were doing it again. Good news is that you really almost never have to remove these strips. I never have in my first year.