Finish Kit

Wheel Fairings ( 4 hrs )

Cont'd working on Wheel Fairings.  Riveted 8 nutplates to 4 Brackets per Sect 46A-04 & -05.  Then mounted to Main Gear Legs.  Started trimming Wheel Fairings per 46A-02, Steps 1-5.  Created a ton of fiberglass dust following Van's instructions "remove material that prevents the halves from matching smoothly" and "take time to precision fit wheel fairing halves". 

Mach C'sunk then riveted on nutplates

Lots of grinding to improve overlap fit. 
And trim to scribed lines

Only 1 of 2 "done", but progress

Finish Kit

Wheel Fairings  ( 3 hrs )

Started Sect 46A Tri-Gear Leg and Wheel Fairings.  Deburred, primed, and finish painted 4 Wheel Fairing Brackets.  Drilled the 3/8" holes in Standoffs, and started to trim excess material, but need fresh band saw blade.

Spacer U1024 drilling of 3/8" hole.  Sharp bit !

Posing with Nancy

My cousin's son, Brett visited while working in area.

Avionics

Replaced original hose assemblies for MAP (manifold air pressure) sensor for PMAG ignition.  Aircraft Specialty agreed they needed revised length to avoid rubbing on Oil Cooler Air Duct.  The short hose is same length, but changed fitting material, and the longer hose is now about 1" longer.  Now they clear by approx 1/2".  Good to go.  Thanks Steve at Aircraft Specialty. [Reference prior build logs:  Jan 26, 2018  original installation of hoses for MAP for PMAG, and April 27, 2018 installation of Oil Cooler Air Duct with MAP hoses rubbing.]  Today rec'd email from Stein Air that the instrument panel build is "complete" and will ship soon.  YAY !

 

Stein Air build of panel is done...shipping soon.

Firewall Forward Kit

Completed Inlet Baffles ( 4 hrs )

Match drilled 8 holes in Inlet Baffles to finish installation per Sect 47-29, Steps 1-4.   Test fit onto Fuse/Engine Baffle system -- very satisfying to see great fit.  Contoured the outboard corners of Top Cowl epoxy/flox mix creating smooth transitions while matching Bottom Cowl.  Several iterations - grind off some, check alignment Top to Bottom at corners...repeat.  Relieved turned out well --  Whew ! ...and Yay!

LH side...

RH side...

RH side test fit.  Baffles lay down nicely !

LH side.  Baffles also lay down nicely.  Yay !

RH side Top & Bottom now matched again
with new contour

LH side...also re-matched.

Overall.  Cowl nearly 100% done.

Engine view of RH inlet area with re-matched contours

another engine side view.  Lot of work, but nearly
done   ...w/ Cowls

Firewall Forward Kit

Inlet Baffles ( 3 hrs )

Completed sanding Bottom Cowl inlets after test fit to Fuselage and Baffles (and another iteration for final tweaks).  Assembled Top to Bottom per Step 3 at Sect 47-27 to compare offsets.  Applied epoxy/cotton flox mix to Top Cowl outboard Inlets per Steps 4-9 ( 6mm & 10mm offsets).  Drilled & Mach C'sunk 8 holes in Bottom Cowl to mount Inlet Baffles per Steps 4-6 at 47-28.

LH Bottom Cowl Inlet shaping

RH Bottom Cowl Inlet shaping

Bottom contoured, now Top needs to be re-shaped

10mm offset on RH Side

6mm offset on LH Side

Top Cowl epoxy/cotton flox mix added

Needed to improvise to Mach C'sink inner and outer locations.

ready to mount Inlet Baffles

Firewall Forward Kit

Bottom Cowl Inlet Molding ( 2 hrs )

Removed Inlet Clamp "molds", began shaping per Sect 47-26,  Steps 4-7 and Step 1 at 47-27.  Trial fit around engine and baffles shows good alignment and correct gaps.  Yay !   Lots of sanding, but coming together (and making sense!)

 RH Inlet Clamp "mold" removed.  Tah dah !

LH Inlet Clamp removed.

 

Sanded flush to edges.   (prior to contouring)

checking gap and contouring strategy

rough marking prior to contouring

consistent gap, with 2.4mm for rubber seal layer

first pass contouring inboard (near spinner)

inside view of contouring...
Hard to see rounding underway to ease airflow

Firewall Forward Kit

Bottom Cowl Inlet shaping ( 5 hrs )

Finished Baffle Seal riveting, so moved to Sect 46-25, Steps 1-9 to measure, then bend Clamping Strips creating molds for inside Bottom Cowl Inlets.  Added epoxy/cotton flox mix to fill gaps (eventually leading to attach inlet seals).  Also finished 47-24 Cooling Tube routing to LH Magneto.  [ note:  RH is PMAG, pending final jumper wire installation...so delay Cooling Tube routing until that is done]

Baffle seals installed

LH: measuring gaps inboard to outboard 

RH side...

Inlet Clamping Strips bent and clamped into place

gaps matching measured widths 

RH side filled with epoxy/cotton flox mix...thick!

LH side - removed tape on backside to insure mix filled "mold"

overview....curing

silicone tape over engine mount prior to nylon tie
 used to position cooling blast tube for LH Magneto

Finish Kit and Firewall Forward Kit

Heat Shields for Bottom Cowl and Baffle Seals ( 4 hrs )

Completed Sect 45-26 Bottom Cowl Heat Shield Steps 1-8.  RH side cylinders are ahead of LH side, hench heat shields are not symmetrical.   For the Finish Kit, this leaves only Sect 41: Wing Attachment, and Sect 46A: Tri-Gear Leg & Wheels Fairings.   So...back to Firewall Forward Kit to Sect 47: Cowl Baffles ( re-start at pp 23-30).  About 1/2 done riveting on rubber baffle seals (pop rivets with large washers).

1st section done.  

All 3 sections "squeeged".  Edges sealed with epoxy resin.

seal sections are not labeled.  So...need to check orientation
 carefully...some are nearly identical but slightly different.