Started installation of Oil Door. Filled four #40 holes Vans provided for their simple hinge with flush rivets ground/sanded smooth. Drilled & cleco'd hinge onto Top Cowl. Positioned Door, then drilled for 4 rivets. Machine C'sunk fiberglass on Top Cowl, and alum Door. Positioned latch and drilled 4 mounting holes. Final 0.87" dia hole for 'push button' clearance pending. Single latch seems sufficient. Sure like how well this operates. Final fitted Cowl Pin Covers. Protected ends of hinges from invasion of epoxy. Applied 4 layers of medium fiberglass -- prepping these 4 on a table covered with wax paper was easy, instead of applying a layer at a time. Received pics of Stein Air panel build progress. Expecting delivery in late June.
 |
| Positioned. Pending final large hole for push button. |
 |
| Finally, after months of considering Van's version vs this alternative hinge and latch...pleased I did. Costs more of course. |
 |
| Cover inside prior to applyiing epoxy and fiberglass |
 |
| Some epoxy seeped around perimeter... will readily sand off |
 |
| Removed tape sealing off hinge & pin prior to full cure. White surrounding Cover is epoxy-micro balloons filling transition |
 |
| ... progress ! |
 |
| Stein to remove 3 "spare" CBs, replace with plastic plugs...per the plan. |
