Finish Kit

Interior Covers ( 3 hrs )

More deburring of various Covers in Sect 42.  Added 6 nutplates to 2 completed prior.  Riveted Doubler to Aft Tunnel Cover - but changed to flush rivets for smoother appearance around Fuel Control Knob.  Adequate clearance was designed into pieces to clear the required dimpling.  Back to finishing the Canopy Fairing, I sprayed 2 coats of sandable primer - part # A4240 Primer from Cromax. Pleased with overall smoothness and contour...but I have more pinholes to fill.    A Dupont paint rep recommended since acrylic based for better compatibility with assumed exterior paint by local paint shop Byerly Aviation ( vs oil based Rustoleum primer I was considering).  I recently contacted Jerry Piatt at Byerly who recommended I contact Tom, his Dupont paint rep locally at National Coating & Supply).

deburred w/ nutplates installed...  but no
screws yet.  Will prime and finish paint soon.

switched to flush rivets for thin spacer surrounding fuel control

#A4240 primer.   Seems "thick", covers well.   More sanding....

Finish Kit

Seat Backs and Miscellanea ( 4 hrs )

Completed Seat Backs with remaining rivets along LH and RH sides, then Sect 39-06 & -07 for Hinge Pins.   Since I'll probably leave off Seat Back Braces due to using only rearmost position (they're not engaged), I didn't add the safety wire retentions for the Hinge Pins.  But they fit perfectly and work really well.   Also made the bottom Hinge Pins ~ 1/4" longer to allow long taper for easier insertion.  Overall, the Seat Backs fit and look great.  I started Sect 42, called "Miscellanea" - which are the removable interior covers.  Deburred Seat Ramp Cover, and LH & RH Control Column Covers.  Attached the few nutplates (buffed, cleaned and primed just at nutplates for now - so I could install.  Planning major prime and painting session later )

Seat backs fit perfectly between black UHMW
blocks on crossbar

in rearmost position, braces are not used...

alternate brace positions if seat moved to
middle and forward positions

tip forward to access baggage area

Finish Kit

Seat Back riveting ( 4 hrs )

Good progress and "fun" riveting today per Sect 38-03, -04, & -05.  Nearly done with Seat Back Assemblies.

Brace in foreground is done.

backside.  Used Main Squeeze, and rivet gun 

Finish Kit

Seat Backs ( 4 hrs )

Finish match drilling hinges, then buffed with Scotchbrite all parts.  Cleaned with acetone, and primed with Napa 7220 (as usual).  Rushed to do in outdoor "spray booth" since a nice sunny day - warmer than typical for late Nov. in central Illinois.

Finish Kit

Seat Backs ( 4 hrs )

Sanded feathered edge of Canopy Fairing along recently added micro/epoxy.  Waiting to discuss sandable primer selection with exterior painter at Byerly Aviation (to confirm compatibility).  Deburred more parts for Seat Backs per Sect 39-02 Steps 1-6 and 39-03 Steps 1-7.  Includes creating Hinge sections for Seat Back and Brace.  Also created Brace Stiffeners at Steps 8-9 with C'sinking for flush rivets.

Finish Kit

Seat Backs ( 3 hrs )

Prepared to prime Canopy Fairing by taping along Aft edge, and ahead of feathered area along Fwd edge.  Decided to mix another batch micro/epoxy to improve feathering in a couple areas (fingertips could detect slight transition between alum skin and Fairing).  Delayed 1st coat of Primer.   While curing I started Sect 39 - Seat Backs by deburring holes and edges.   Nice to be building again vs sanding.  Also cut seals to fit Hinge Covers per Steps 4-7 in Sect 38-36.

gathering most parts for Seat Backs

added foam seal to Hinge Covers

Finish Kit

Canopy Fairing ( 3 hrs )

Sanded over Aft edge of vinyl tape to reduce epoxy layer.  Difficult to determine if epoxy or vinyl as sanding, but eventually tape begins to shred if too far.   I found difficult to remove, but did result in good edge.  Also sanded Canopy Emergency Jettison Handle at revised weld.  I had a weld shop rotate handle 90 degrees ( will be vertical on panel, clearing a Garmin G5 left of center).   I used extra microballoon/resin mix over weld to gain a smooth blend.

Feathered Fwd edge, and now only 1 layer tape on Aft edge.

Nancy admiring sunset as we're putting Cesna back
in hangar today.

Finish Kit

Canopy Fairing ( 4 hrs )

After celebrating an early Thanksgiving with family -- back to Canopy Fairing sanding.  Applied microballoon & epoxy resin into pinholes and low area using squeegee to spread thin so minimal sanding.  While curing, built two extra Hinge Covers per 38-35 Steps 7- 15.  Added thicker slurry resin & microballoons to fill Hinge Seal voids per 38-36, Steps 1 - 3.  Installed ES00306 Micro Switch for Canopy Unlocked warning per 38-32, Step 1.  Installed Rear Seal along rear edge per Step 1 at Sect 38-33.

Additional Hinge Covers.  See Nov 3 posting
for build process of 1st pair

Finish Kit

Sanding Canopy Fairing  ( 1 hr )

Sanded top coat resin to identify remaining low area ( ie shiny since not sanded).   Including several pin holes.  Another round of filler needed before primer can be applied.

Finish Kit

Canopy Fairing ( 3 hrs )

Completed feathering leading edge, Step 9, Sect 38-31.  Then cleaned w/ alcohol, applied tape leading and trailing edges.  Applied smooth top coat epoxy (no filler), then removed tape prior curing.

Finish Kit

Sanding Canopy Fairing ( 5 hrs )

And more sanding !  Finally able to remove FWD vinyl tape  - and started feathering leading edge of Fairing.  Mixed epoxy and micro-balloons for "touch up" filling a few remaining low spots.   Looking good, but seems time consuming...and more sanding to go.

Forward edge vinyl tape removed.   Feathering leading edge.

added more filler.   

Finish Kit

Canopy Fairing ( 3 hrs )

More sanding !   Difficult to determine if a layer of resin over vinyl tape, or sanding of tape.   But steady progress.  Applied mix of epoxy & micro-balloons to fill low spots and some air bubbles (ref Sect 38-31 Step 6 and Vans video 38-04).   I first applied a fresh layer of masking tape along Fwd and Aft edges,  so I would NOT have another layer of thin epoxy on the tape to sand off -  then removed when epoxy started to cure.

 

filling low areas with epoxy w/ micro-balloons

Finish Kit

Sanding Canopy Fairing ( 4 hrs )

Started rough sanding Canopy Fairing per Sect 38-31, Steps 1-4 (also Van's video 38-04).   Created 6" sanding block in Step 1 with the 4" radius matching template.   Using 40 and 60 grit.   High areas and general shaping went quickly, but takes a lot of sanding to carefully remove excess epoxy over forward tape and along aft tape edge along Canopy.  Difficult to determine if sanding epoxy or black vinyl tape underneath - so frequently inspections are necessary.

Peel ply removed. 

rough sawn from laminated 2x4's

belt sander quickly finishes.  

After initial rough sanding.   Matching template

another hour and slow progress 

Finish Kit

Canopy Fairing Fiberglass  ( 5 hrs )

Whew !   Big day doing Sect 38-29 & -30 Steps 10-22 and 1-13.  Needed greater than 4 hrs essentially non-stop doing the fiberglass for the Canopy Fairing (Van's video #3 is super helpful).  The black dye in first resin batch provides opaque layer from inside Canopy just above glareshield.  These were "sandwiched" between layers of static cling to aid final trimming to size,  and especially to hold their shape as transferred from table to Canopy  - worked very well !   Used almost all of the pre-cut strips (various widths) to match the  4" radius template.  Final step was adding the Peel Ply (green nylon material), which will be removed once cured.

used template to insure Ply A's were shaped correctly

infused black dyed resin, then added top layer of static cling

ready to use rotary cutter around templates

top layer peeled off, ready to place on Canopy

adding Ply B, and small filler piece in corner
(per video instructions, this area typically needs some extra)
Ready to add resin.

Play Bs and first narrow strip...ready for resin

Ply C added to B & A...progressively smaller.  
Ready to add resin

shows layers of narrow and wider strips to create 4" radius

Peel Play  ( green nylon material)

Finish Kit

More cutting fiberglass strips ( 2 hrs )

Finished rotary cutting fiberglass using templates for Ply A, B, C, & D, plus Peel Plys for A & D.  Original blade dulled quickly, so went to Wallyworld for replacement - got a Fiskars blade pack and new handle.   Works better, and seems to be lasting longer.

ready to fiberglass next

Using a cutting board helped cutting,
and reduced blade dulling.

Finish Kit

Cutting Fiberglass ( 2 hrs )

Revised forward vinyl tape to accommodate fiberglass template Ply A using xacto knife and great caution !  Then cut 6 pieces of fiberglass at various widths and lengths per list in Step 1, Sect 38-29.  Rotary cutter works really well.

shiny area shows revised line to accommodate Ply A template

other side matching additional area (shiny zone)

after sanding.  Now matches Vans video,
but not clear why original template used
Oct 24 didn't create this exactly

several strips cut to length and width.