Aug 10, 2019     Top cowling alignment - (1 hour) Category: Cowling

Fit top cowling and drilled pilot holes for fasteners on the starboard side. Cleco'd in place.

  Aug 04, 2019     Paint top cowling - (0.8 hour)       Category: Cowling

Cleaned the interior of the top fiberglass cowling with acetone. Used two coats of white latex paint on the inside to seal fiberglass cloth weave.

  Jul 20, 2019     Paint interior lower cowling - (1.2 hours)       Category: Cowling

Sealing the fiberglass cloth interior surface of the cowling was suggested by Bob Mika during the Sonexflight firewall forward seminar. The inside of the lower cowling was cleaned with mineral spirits to remove dirt and oil. Two coats of white latex paint were brushed on inside of cowling to seal fiberglass cloth. Required a little less that half a quart of paint.

  Jun 20, 2019     Fit cowling - (1.3 hours)       Category: Cowling

Removed fairing material from open end of cowling inlets to fit upper and lower cowling halves. Test fitting indicates an little more fiberglass needs trimmed to allow a tighter fit.

  Jun 08, 2019     Additional inlet fairing - (1.2 hours) Category: Cowling

Mixed West System epoxy and white pigment to fill and reenforce cooling outlets with cloth. Tried wetting 1" wide fiberglass cloth to the inlet edges, but the cloth was too thick and wouldn't lay down.
Added 404 gap filler to thicken the mixture and used it to fill old rivet holes in cowling.
Added 407 fairing filler for additional fairing behind the cowling inlets.

  Jun 02, 2019     Remove FAILED JB Weld Epoxy - (0.5 hour) Category: Cowling

The JB Weld used previously to attach fiberglass cowl inlet delaminated, separating the scoop from the cowling. Removed rivets and sanded cowling and inlet scoop surfaces to prep for West system epoxy and filler.

  Jun 02, 2019     Epoxy cowl vents to cowling (again) - (0.8 hour) Category: Cowling

Mixed West System epoxy with 406 colloidal silica filler, bonding the inlet scoop to the previous cowling cut-out. Used previous rivet holes to align and secure scoop to cowling.

As mixure thickened, the Clecos were replaced and cleaned in acetone.

  May 31, 2019     Fair Fiberglass Cowling Inlets - (1.5 hours) Category: Cowling

Lightly sanded fiberglass cowling. Mixed West System slow cure epoxy with plenty of 410 Microlight fairing filler to fair the area behind the cowling inlets, as suggested during the Sonexflight FWF Seminar by Jeff Shultz.
As the compound hardend, material was removed near the locations where the bottom cowl flange would fit. Testing indicates the 410 fairing filler will be easy to sand.

  Mar 10, 2019     Trim Upper Cowling - (0.8 hour) Category: Cowling

Trimmed intake lips on upper cowling with Dremel oscillating saw.

  Mar 10, 2019     Locate cowling fasteners - (0.8 hour) Category: Cowling

Layout and drill fastener locations on port side top/bottom cowling.

  Apr 15, 2018     Sand Cowling Vent Shape - (0.3 hour) Category: Cowling

Removed and cleaned Clecos from cowling vent scoops. Sanded edges to remove high spots and to provide a smooth transition.

  Apr 14, 2018     Attach Cowling Vents (1st time) - (1 hour) Category: Cowling

Smoothed and finished vent cutouts. Moved the attachment points 1/8" forward, redrilled for Cleco attachment.
Used JB Weld epoxy on scuffed fiberglass vent to attach to interior of cowling. Clamped in place with Clecos. Cleaned excess epoxy with acetone.

  Apr 08, 2018     Sand and Attach Vent Scoop - (0.5 hour)       Category: Cowling

Sanded starboard cutout straight and smooth with oscillating tool.
Fit side vent scoops to cowling with 1/8" holes and Clecos.

  Apr 08, 2018     Fit port side scoops - (0.5 hour)       Category: Cowling

Sanded port side cutout and fit scoop to hole.

  Apr 08, 2018     Change Vent Location Cutout, XNB-P13 - (0.6 hour)       Category: Cowling

Had a difficult time understanding where the reference datum was located until noticing a half cutout for cowling intake in an alternate view on plan sheet XNB-P13, detail P. Determined the drawing reference line uses the top of the vent to the bottom of the cowling lip distance to be 6-1/2". Rear edge of vent located 2" from the cowling/fuselage seam.
Drilled an 1-1/4" hole for the foreward top vent and 1/8" for all others. Used an oscillating tool with wood saw to cut fiberglass.

  Apr 07, 2018     Initial Vent Layout, XNB-13 - (0.1 hour) Category: Cowling

Initial layout of cowling vent centered in lower cowling. Doesn't quite look to be in the correct location. Need additional research to determine correct position.

  Apr 07, 2018     Prep for Cowling Vent Opening - (0.8 hour) Category: Cowling

Trimed template to fit cowling vent opening. Aligned opposite vent on outside of cowling, 6-1/2" from bottom of fuselage to FG vent bottom and 2" from cowling seam to FG vent edge. Fit template into vent. Removed FG vent and traced template onto cowling.

  Apr 06, 2018     Cowlng Vent Layout - (1 hour)       Category: Cowling

Copied and scaled up vent detail P in drawing XNB-P11. Mounted the paper copy to a foam board for a cutout template. Clamped a straight end parallel to the fuselage as a guide.It was difficult to location the break in the cowling in drawing XNB-P11.
When set against fiberglass vent, bottom angle didn't fit correctly. Trimmed foam board template to better match fiberglass vent opening.

  Mar 25, 2018     Bottom Cowling Attach Hinge Rework, XNB-P13 - (1.5 hours) Category: Cowling

Rework of prior cowling hinge placement.
Fit and marked hinge half on cowl side with cowling anchored to prop hub fixture. Marked approximately 1/8" from center of hinge knuckle and 1/8" closer to knuckle edge. Drilled with #40, Cleco'd and removed cowling assembly for updrilling with #40, deburred. Used alternating soft solid rivets for 1/2 the hinge holes and pulled CPP-44 rivets for the other half of the hinge attchement holes.
Cowling fit is much improved over previous effort.

  Mar 18, 2018     Removed bottom hinge - (2.5 hours) Category: Cowling

Drilled out rivets to remove lower hinge, cowling side. Due to not securing the lower cowl to the prop hub fixture while laying out the hinge, the lower cowl was shifted 1/8 to 1/4" binding the hinge and moving the prop hub center.
Drilling out rivets in fiberglass can be difficult, with heat building quickly from the drill, loosening the rivet fit and spinning the head. Used a Dremel cutoff wheel to cut the backs of the rivets. Held the rivets with pliers while drilling out the heads. Several ways to remove rivets.

  Mar 04, 2018     Bottom Attachment Hinge II - (2.5 hours) Category: Cowling

Aligned and drilled foreward hinge half for rivets. Riveted hinge. When installing cowling, aligned and installed left and right vertical hinge pins then the bottomm Alignment very tight along the length. Fit resulted in a 1/8" movement at prop hub.
Will remove one side of the bottom hinge rivets, re-align and rivet with cowl held by hub alignment block.

  Mar 03, 2018     Bottom Attachment Hinge - (2.3 hours)       Category: Cowling

Light trimming of gear leg openinig to remove interference for level bottom edge. Pilot drill #40 on hinge halves. Mark 3/16" from firewall bottom edge. Removed bottom rivet from vertical stiffener to clear interference with hinge. Drilled (#40) and Cleco'd firewall side hinge. Updrilled (#30) and deburred hinge and interior firewall burrs. Rivet (CPP-42) hinge to firewall.

  Feb 25, 2018     Cowling Installation, XNB-P12 - (4.3 hours) Category: Cowling

Continued trimming fiberglass cowling to accomodate landing gear. With a new bottom cowl, it may have created a closer fit had the initial holes been drilled an inich or so inboard,
Riveted port and starboard vertical hinges. Fiberglass trimmed around air inlet, Mismatch of 3/8" on cowl front.

  Feb 24, 2018     Trim Cowling - (1.3 hours)       Category: Cowling

Fit alignment spacer to prop hub. Initial trim using 1-1/4" dia holes within a diameter of the aft edge for landing gear clearance were not large or deep enough to accomodate engine mount. A 2" hole partially overlapping the first holes was a deep enough cut to accommodate landing gear legs, but required additional trim to the inboard side with an angle grinder with a flap disc.

  Feb 24, 2018     Trim and Trial fit of Top Cowling, XNB-P11 - (0.5 hour) Category: Cowling

With bottom cowling held by hinge attach points, rough trim of top cowling. Set top cowling in place to determine additional trimming to get a close fit between halves.

  Feb 24, 2018     Cleco Hinges to Cowling - (1.8 hours)       Category: Cowling

Used drilled aluminum ruler to drill #40 holes in hinge. Aligned with firewall hinge with forward end of cowling pined to the prop space with partial depth drywall scews. Easy to chip clearcoat with too much pressure from drywall screws. Marked inside of cowling at hinge rivet locations. Drilled and Cleco'd vertical hinges to cowling. Trimmed air and prop openings in top and bottom cowling pieces. Fit to firewall hinge.

  Feb 23, 2018     Alignment, XNB-P11 - (3 hours)       Category: Cowling

Fit MDF alignment spacer to prop hub. Cut and trimmed cowling face to accommodate prop hub. Measured 1-1/2" clearance needed around gear legs.

  Feb 11, 2018     Test Fit Cowling Intake & Exhaust, XNB-P10 - (0.8 hour)       Category: Cowling

Test fit lower cowling in preparation for marking and trim for landing gear legs. Fit turbocharger waste gate actuator bracket, intake manifold, Aeroinjector, and turbo exhaust manifold. All parts are loosely assembled without gaskets.

  Aug 08, 2016     Initial Purchase Category: Cowling

Initial purchase of cowling.