Mar 06, 2024     Windshield fairing - interior RTV, part 2 - (0.7 hour)       Category: Windshield

1. Added a second bead of black RTV to the inside of the windshield fairing. Smoothed it out all over.
2. Removed all the protective tape from the rollover bar and the edges of the cockpit area.

  Mar 05, 2024     Windshield fairing - interior RTV - (1.6 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Removed all masking tape and plastic drop cloths from the cockpit.
2. Cleaned and prepped the work area.
3. Masked off the rollover bar with electrical tape.
4. Applied a bead of black RTV in the seam between the windshield and the fairing, then smoothed it with my finger. Pulled off the electrical tape. I will let this layer set tonight, and tomorrow I'll add a second layer to get it up to the height I want. It looks really good so far.

  Mar 05, 2024     Windshield fairing interior radius painting - (3.5 hours)       Category: Windshield

I wasn't really happy with the results of the hand-brushed paint from yesterday. It had a mottled look. In a final effort to get the interior fairing radius looking acceptable, I decided that this area had to be spray painted rather than hand-painted. This would hopefully get the smooth flow-out I wanted.

1. Removed all the previous tape and overspray plastic, because there were areas of it I didn't trust for spray painting.
2. Cleaned up the entire cockpit sill area and fairing.
3. Masked and applied plastic sheeting to the entire cockpit again.
4. Sprayed the fairing radius with two coats of satin-gloss black enamel.

This time, everything came out pretty well. I'm happy enough with it for now. I can always re-address it after paint, if I need to.

5. Closed the canopy and took photos of the entire forward fuselage to send to Bruce's Custom Covers, who are making a canopy cover for me.

  Mar 03, 2024     Windshield interior radius painting - (1 hour)       Category: Windshield

After the previous coat took over three days to dry, I was leery of adding the second coat. I grabbed the cans of paint and hardener to read them and make sure I was using the correct ratio. That's when I discovered that I had used acrylic hardener in epoxy paint. To be fair, the cans had identical graphics, were part of the same line of paint, were sold right next to each other, and there was no other hardener types on the shelf when I bought them. Still, I felt like an idiot, and fortunate that the paint had actually set--eventually.

I scuffed the first coat, mixed up another batch of paint (with the proper hardener this time), and carefully hand-brushed a second coat onto the surface with a smooth art brush. I'm hoping this is all I'll have to do on this project. We'll know tomorrow.

  Feb 29, 2024     Windshield fairing inside radius painting - (0.9 hour)       Category: Windshield

Prepped and painted the inside radius of the windshield fairing with low-gloss black paint. For ease of maintenance, I used a common tractor paint and hardener. I suspect I will do a second coat tomorrow.

My plan is to eventually put a smooth bead of black RTV in the seam between the windshield and the rollbar.

  Feb 28, 2024     Windshield fairing inside radius - (1.2 hours)       Category: Windshield

Sanded the filler from yesterday and prepped the area for paint. (I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out. I got it smooth to the touch in just one session of filling and sanding.)

  Feb 27, 2024     Windshield fairing -- profile correction and inside radius filler - (2.6 hours)       Category: Windshield

Windshield fairing:
1. After my final inspection of the windshield fairing, I decided the right aft side needed a slight profile correction. (It had a slightly depressed area that was noticeable if I did the "flashlight test.") I sanded the area, mixed up some SuperFil filler, and applied it to the area.
2. This evening, after it had cured, I block-sanded it down to a nice profile, then began feathering the edges.
3, Finally, I applied some filler to several locations where some divots remained.

Inside radius sanding and filling:
1. Sanded yesterday's filler application into a nice smooth curved surface.
2. Prepped the surface and applied some spot filler to areas that needed it.

  Feb 26, 2024     Windshield fairing radius sanding & filling - (0.9 hour)       Category: Windshield

1. Sanded yesterday's filler on the inside radius of the upper windshield fairing. Although this worked a bit, I decided to try a different filler for the next step.
2. Mixed up some SuperFil filler and spread it along the radius.

  Feb 26, 2024     Windshield top fairing -- inside surfacing - (0.5 hour)       Category: Windshield

The inside lip of the upper windshield fairing has been sanded a couple of times, but it still had some irregularities I want to take care of.

Mixed up a fairly thin micro/cabosil mixture and brushed it on the inside radius of the fairing. Went back 10 minutes later and smoothed it with a fine, clean brush. I'm hoping that tomorrow the surface will be easily sandable into a nice smooth radius--or at least it will be a good start on the project.

  Feb 18, 2024     Windshield fairing - (0.75 hour)       Category: Windshield

Made my daily inspection of the windshield fairing, followed by a bit more sanding and filling.

  Feb 16, 2024     Fairing sanding and filling - (1.1 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Sanded yesterday's filler, primed the fairing, and found some more spots that needed filling.
2. Added spots of filler here and there. (I have a feeling I'm going to be doing this routine for the next couple of weeks until the plane actually goes into the paint booth...)

  Feb 15, 2024     Windshield fairing -- edge sanding and details - (2.5 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. After thinking about the risks in feathering the "glass" edge of the fairing right onto the plexiglass canopy, I decided I was happy with it being about 0.25mm thick. So I taped up the edge again, sanded all the tinted filler to the level of the electrical tape, and called it good.
2. Applied filler to two very small areas on the edge that weren't quite right. They will be sanded tomorrow.
3. Block-sanded a few areas of the fairing again, after noticing some slight remaining irregularities.
4. Feathered the remaining areas where the fairing meets the top fuselage skin.
5. Primed the fairing.

  Feb 14, 2024     Windshield fairing -- feather fill - (1.5 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. In an effort to create a perfect edge against the glass on the windshield fairing, I mixed up some SuperFil, then dyed it black. I applied this with a small metal spatula in the thin gap between the fairing and the electrical tape. In addition to being a good feathering edge, this filler should take care of the four or five areas where the edge of the carbon fiber layer was chipped because of the sanding I've been doing.
2. I waited about 50 minutes for the filler to begin setting, then pulled off the electrical tape. The resulting edge looks really nice. Tomorrow we'll see how well it can be sanded to a perfect feathered edge.

  Feb 13, 2024     Fairing ramp improvement; Windshield fairing taper sanding - (0.9 hour)       Category: Windshield

1. Block-sanded one area of the right-side fairing ramp to improve its profile, then primed it. There will be a few more iterations of this in the next day or so.
2. Finished detail-sanding the "glass" edge of the windshield fairing. The edge is now the thickness of one layer of electrical tape, which is as far as I can get it at this stage. Next will be filling this edge with black-tinted SuperFil filler, and sanding it again.

  Feb 11, 2024     Windshield fairing -- feathering - (1.5 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Taped a line about 3//32" out onto the windshield glass, using one layer of electrical tape.
2. Began feathering the edge of the fairing, using an 80-grit hard block. It seems like this technique should work fairly well. I intentionally allowed the windshield surface to be scuffed, because we will be painting up onto the glass there.
3. As a test, I also removed some of the protective plastic on the turtledeck skin and sanded along the paint edge to do some feathering there, too.

  Feb 10, 2024     Windshield fairing -- pulled tape - (1.2 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Sanded yesterday's minor filler, then shot primer on it.
2. Pulled off the electrical tape from the perimeter of the windshield. Noted several areas where the bottom layer of tape ended up slightly under the edge of the adjoining fiberglass layer. I managed to get it all out, but the slightly ragged edge it left in spots reinforced my plan to re-tape the edge about 1/8" up from the existing edge, then feather the fiberglaass right onto the windshield.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with the fairing, and I think it will look nice after paint.

  Feb 07, 2024     Windshield fairing sanding and filling - (0.8 hour)       Category: Windshield

1. Sanded last weekend's application of filler.
2. Went over every inch of the fairing with a critical eye and decided there were two small areas that needed some more filler. Cleaned and prepped the areas and added some SuperFil filler.

If these areas come out the way I want, I will spray a light coat of sanding filler on it, and call it complete.

  Feb 02, 2024     Windshield fairing prime - (0.2 hour)       Category: Windshield

Cleaned and primed the windshield fairing. This gave me a chance to see the results of the sanding I did several weeks ago. This thing is really getting close to completion! I just see a few very minor areas I want to remedy.

  Jan 18, 2024     Top fairing - (0.6 hour)       Category: Windshield

Partially sanded and feathered yesterday's filler on sides of the top windshield fairing.

  Jan 17, 2024     Top and bottom fairings - (2.85 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. I finally got over the last 5% hump with the bottom fairing, and was able to feather the bottom edge of the bottom fairing so it cannot be felt with the fingertips at all. This pretty much completes my work on the bottom windshield fairing.
2. Sanded the top fairing and made some nice progress with it.
3. Spot-filled a couple more small areas that needed improvement.
4. Sanded and cleaned the inside radius of the top fairing.

  Jan 15, 2024     Top fairing - (1.7 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Sanded the entire top fairing.
2. Filled some remaining troublesome spots on the fairing.

  Jan 14, 2024     Top fairing - (2.8 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Cleaned up the top fairing and applied a brushed-on layer of UV SmoothPrime. Let it dry for a couple of hours.
2. Sanded the fairing and got it as smooth as I could. Cleaned it again.
3. Shot a coat of sanding primer. (This primer suggests that I have a bit more filling and sanding to do! It's always amazing how good things look until you shoot a surface with primer.)

  Jan 13, 2024     Top fairing - (1.4 hours)       Category: Windshield

Sanded the filler on the lower portion of the top fairing.

  Jan 12, 2024     Top fairing - (2.6 hours)       Category: Windshield

More sanding and filling on the top windshield fairing. Tomorrow, I plan to do another sanding, then give the fairings a coat of UV Smoothprime filler, then another sanding.

  Jan 11, 2024     Top and bottom fairings - (6.4 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Sanded out yesterday's microballoon filler. (I'm pretty sure I'm done using micro as a filler on these fairings, because it's too hard when it cures--and therefore tough to sand.)
2. Next, I did a lot of fine, detail sanding, including at least three hours of sanding along the electrical tape lines against the windshield glass. I tested my edge sanding technique by pulling back a bit of the black electrical tape at the lower radius (first photo). I was pleased to see a consistent radius and very thin edge along the glass. I think I MIGHT be able to sand some more of the already tiny lip with a tiny piece of fine sandpaper, used very carefully. My ideal dream would be to somehow sand this lip to be nearly unnoticeable after it's painted.
3. Sanded the blend line at the bottom of the bottom fairing. I think I now have this area very close to perfect. There's still a small lip there, which can be felt with my fingertips. I'll see how I can best address that.
4. Filled all low spots and imperfections on the top fairing with body filler.

  Jan 10, 2024     Top and bottom fairings - (5.5 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Spent all day refining and sanding the shapes of the windshield fairings.
2. At the end of the day, I primed the fairings with light gray filler primer, which seems to be better for finding irregularities than the dark gray primer I used before.
3. Finally, I mixed up a very thin micro/cabosil solution and painted it on most of the entire upper fairing. This should get rid of most of the pinholes, divots and fabric weave -- once I sand it tomorrow.

  Jan 09, 2024     Top and bottom fairings - (7.1 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Peeled off last night's peel-ply. The layups looked good, but obviously a lot of sanding would be needed.
2. Sanded nearly every part of the top fairing, from the fine, forward edge to larger, more coarse re-profiling of the overall shape. I moved around a lot, trying not to get focused too much on one spot, just to keep the project interesting. It can get tedious. Several times, I shot a coat of filler primer just to see how things were going.
3. Sanded a bit more clearance space under the left and right "skirt pockets."
4. Sanded the inside radius of the top fairing. I'm still not sure what final treatment this area is going to get.
5. Mixed up some medium-thickness micro / cabosil and applied it over any area that either had a divot, low spot, irregularity, visible fiber weave, or wasn't otherwise perfect. (This will probably be the first of several times I'll have to do this, but it was a good start.) I also applied what I hope will be the final bit of it at the tape line separating the top fairing from the windshield. More careful sanding tomorrow!
6. Built up a small radius at the bottom edge of the "ramp" to fair it into the fuselage skin.

  Jan 08, 2024     Top and bottom windshield fairing work - (6.8 hours)       Category: Windshield

Continued working on the windshield fairings:

1. Sanded the left "ramp" fairing and got it into a good basic shape. It still needs a lot of filling and sanding.
2. Spent a lot of time sanding the top fairing, trying to take the forward edge down to near-plexiglass level, without going too far. I used the 60-grit sanding block again, going right onto the electrical tape, it this seems to be working well to establish a basic shape. Then I switched to 180-grit, then 320 grit.
3. When I laid up the top fairing a few days ago, there were several places on the right side where the "ramp" I'd made for the skirt pocket was perhaps a bit tall. This let the fiberglass layup droop over the edge a bit. Today, I began correcting this by doing a bunch of thin layups along the aft edge of the fairing. I also did some 16" layups along the right side of the top fairing.
4. I also did some fiberglass layups at the forward edge of the right "pocket" to improve the shape where it meets the fuselage. Covered all the layups with peel ply.
5. Mixed up some slurry micro with a bit of cabosil and spread it on the left ramp fairing to fill some of the larger inconsistencies there.
6. Worked some more on feathering the forward edge of the bottom fairing to the top fuselage skin.
7. Used some spot putty filler to fill the leading edge of the upper fairing where it meets the windshield.

  Jan 07, 2024     Bottom and top windshield fairings - (8.1 hours)       Category: Windshield

Lots of sanding today. My arms are tired.

1. Sanded and feathered the lower edge of the bottom windshield fairing to the top fuselage skin. I have it 99% of the way there. Next I need to use some 400-grit on a small block to finish off the fine detail work.
2. Continued sanding the top fairing where it meets the top of the windshield. After a couple of hours using 60-grit on a small sanding block, I decided to take a chance and use my 1/4" handheld belt sander, which actually worked pretty well. It probably saved me a couple of hours' work, although you have to be EXTREMELY careful and pay attention to detail when you use a power tool in this location.
3. Used a medium-grit sanding block to smooth out the slight waviness on the upper portion of the top fairing. I also used a tubular block to smooth out the inside edge of the fairing. This area will require more more work, because it's kind of a tricky spot.
4. I felt like I was reaching the limit of what I could sand off the top fairing / windshield interface without compromising the base fiberglass layer (the one against the glass), so I filled the somewhat jagged notch there with a black-dyed micro/cabosil resin mixture, painting it into the void and smoothing it out with a small paintbrush. Once this cures, I think it will make it much easier to sand a nice clean edge here.
5. Filled some of the low spots on the top fairing with some of the remaining micro mix.
6. In an effort to start reshaping the ramps the canopy skirt slides under, I prepped the left side of the fuselage and existing surfaces for some fiberglass, then did a bunch of layups of various sized strips. I just sort of eyeballed this as I went along, using pieces ranging in size from 1"x1" to 1/2"x7" to get the area to taper smoothly. Lots of sanding ahead! I'll also do the same on the right side of the fuselage, once I verify this technique will work well. (A secondary purpose for building this area up is so I can sand from the underside to give the canopy skirt a slightly looser fit in the "pocket." It fits almost too tightly right now, which would probably lead to rubbing the paint.)

  Jan 06, 2024     Top windshield fairing - (6.8 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. My friend Jim came over and helped me separate the canopy from the newly-installed windshield fairing. This was a job I'd heard could be troublesome, but we got the canopy open in less than 15 minutes (if you don't count me forgetting to open the canopy latch before we tried to open it!) We mostly used plastic hotel room keys and a small plastic spatula to work the canopy loose.
2. Began sanding the edge of the fairing where it meets the windshield. I can tell this will be a longer process than it was at the bottom of the windshield, thanks to the six layers of fiberglass/carbon fiber I have to bevel. But I made some pretty good progress before my arms started getting tired.
3. For a break, I decided to cut off the excess lip at the aft edge. I made an edge marking tool out of two small strips of aluminum, a couple of cleco clamps, and a Sharpie, marking a line exactly 1" aft of the edge of the windshield. I figured this would give me a plenty of extra material so I could block-sand it to the proper location later. I used a Dremel with a metal-cutting disc to make the cut. (I also learned that the metal-cutting disc is much, much better at cutting carbon-fiber layups than a plastic-cutting disc).
4. Marked the final desired trim line with masking tape, using the forward canopy support bar as a reference. (I wanted the lip to just barely cover the canopy rivets.)
5. Block-sanded the cut to the desired shape using a 50/120 grit PermaGrit block.
6. Worked on getting the sides of the canopy skirt to reliably fit under the lower sides of the fairing (the "pocket"). I finally got it working pretty well, but I think there's still room for improvement, especially on the right side.

  Jan 05, 2024     Top windshield fairing - (3.8 hours)       Category: Windshield

WIth the help of my friend Jim, we applied the top windshield fairing today:

1. Mixed up 300 g of clear resin and poured it on the previously-stacked layers of alternating fiberglass and carbon fiber pieces. I put the top sheet of plastic on it and began spreading the resin across the layup. As I suspected, the resin took a while (and some encouragement) to make it all the way through all five layers. I used pressure from a plastic spreader and, most notably, the side of a spray can pressed and rolled across the layup. I even had to add some resin.
2. Eventually, the layup was completely saturated, so I squeegeed out the extra resin, placed the cutting template on top of the plastic sheet, and used a rotary cutter to trace the pattern. I had to press quite a lot, but I was able to cleanly cut all five layers, plus the two sheets of plastic, in one pass.
3. We left the layup on the table for a few minutes and used some of the remaining resin to wet the previous layer of fiberglass on the airplane.
4. Finally, we flipped the 5-layer layup, removed the (now) top layer of plastic, and carried it to the airplane, where we laid it in place. We made some adjustments to get it in generally the right location, then peeled off the remaining layer of plastic.
5. I spent about ten minutes stippling and gently pushing it into position, with the forward edge of the layup about 1/16" aft of the edge of the previous base layer. This should leave me with a slightly easier filling & sanding job on that edge after it cures (although there will still be a lot!)
6. Applied peel ply to the entire layup.

  Jan 04, 2024     Top windshield fairing - (4.3 hours)       Category: Windshield

Began building the top windshield fairing:

1. Using my previously-cut paper template, I cut the final fiberglass and carbon fiber pieces. I made them about 3/4" oversize on each edge so I can precisely trim them later.
2. Like I did with the bottom windshield fairing, I also cut another piece of fiberglass that I am going to lay down first, to act as a neat, precise edge along the windshield glass.
3. Made a 5-layer sandwich of alternating fiberglass and carbon fiber pieces, stacking them as carefully as I could. I put these aside for later.
4. Sanded and cleaned up the "ramps" in front of the canopy skirt.
5. Cleaned the bonding areas of the windshield and fuselage with 99% isopropyl alcohol.
6. Laid down packing tape everywhere I didn't want resin to get.
7. Laid down Teflon tape where the fairing will go over top of the canopy. (I later removed this and used aluminum tape, because I didn't entirely like the Teflon stuff.) I tried to make the tape fill the gap between the windshield and the canopy.
8. Applied a thick coat of mold-release wax over the aluminum tape. Used a fine brush to get it up to the forward edge of the tape, but not on the windshield.
9. Mixed resin and black dye. Between two layers of plastic, I laid up a one-layer pre-preg sandwich of fiberglass and resin, trimmed it to its final size using the template, then applied this piece to the windshield, over top of the canopy. It fit very nicely, and after some gentle pushing with a gloved finger and some stippling with a small chip brush, I think it ended up looking pretty good.
10. Added some small, curved pieces of fiberglass at the bottom aft edge of the windshield to make the radius there, then stippled them into place with more black-dyed resin.
11. Applied peel-ply over everything, and stippled it down.

Tomorrow, I will add the 5-layer main layup on top of this first one.

  Dec 31, 2023     Fairing sanding; Template and prep for upper fairing - (3.75 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Sanded the final bits of filler on the bottom windshield fairing from yesterday.
2. Did some more preparatory sanding on the skirt pocket "ramps" so they better match the curve of the skirt on each side.
3. After my success with using a template to cut the lower windshield fairing pieces, I decided to do the same thing with the top windshield fairing -- and I'm glad I did. Even though the area that goes over the top of the windshield appears to be relatively straight, it's more like a globe--and that means a straight strip of paper (or fiberglass) will not lay on it without being distorted. I took some measurements and made a few test templates, then ditched them and just taped some masking paper on the airplane, then traced the area I wanted to cover. Then I cut out the template, and put it aside for my next work session, when I'll cut the final fiberglass and carbon fiber pieces.

  Dec 30, 2023     Windshield bottom fairing - (3.3 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Did more sanding and shaping of the windshield bottom fairing. I especially spent a lot of time with the fine transition between the fairing and the windshield glass. We're getting pretty close to the ideal shape.
2. Masked off the areas on the windshield rollbar, cockpit, and fuselage sides that will be affected by the layups of the top fiberglass fairing.
3. Sanded the area that will be future site of the "pocket" where the canopy will slide. It's the area where the side fuselage skin, aft edge of the windshield, and "layup ramp" meet. I want this area to be smooth and aesthetically pleasing, so I sanded it and decided to add some filler.
4. Added tiny amounts of filler to some areas along the top edge of the bottom fairing that aren't quite perfect.

  Dec 29, 2023     Windhshield fairing - shaping and sanding - (4.5 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Continued sanding and shaping the fairing. This required almost continuous back-and-forth between making a few strokes with the curved sanding block, then crouching down to sight along the curve, then running my palm and fingers over the area, then back to sanding another stroke or two. After a few hours, I had made pretty good progress. I'd say the curve of the fairing is 80% of the way toward being perfect.

2. I shot a coat of filler primer on the fairing to check my progress, and added a small amount of filler in several locations.

2. I also worked on the upper edge of the fairing where it lies against the windshield. I sanded it level with the top layer of black electrical tape, noticing as I did so that the weave of the fiberglass was a bit irregular along this edge. I decided to mix up a bit of black-tinted micro/cabosil mixture and brush on a thin strip of it along this edge, slightly over the tape. After it had set for about 45 minutes, I peeled off the top layer of electrical tape. Everything looks pretty good. The next step will be to sand this filler down to the layer of the yellow tape, which is as close as I can get to a final edge. I used the remaining filler on the bottom edge of the fairing, although this edge is not nearly as critical. (I figured it might save me some sanding later, anyway.)

  Dec 28, 2023     Windhshield fairing - shaping and sanding - (2.6 hours)       Category: Windshield

I continued shaping the windshield fairing, using a variety of sanding tools and techniques. I began not really knowing the best way to accomplish the curve I want to achieve, but as time went on, I think I began to get the hang of it. I used a 3" radius section of PVC pipe with sandpaper glued to it, then switched to a 2.5" radius pipe, then a 1" sanding block for small areas. I made some good progress in the limited time available, but there's still a lot more to go. I ended the evening adding some spot filler in at least a dozen low spots on the fairing, and tomorrow I'll blend these in.

  Dec 24, 2023     Windshield bottom fairing sanding - (1.9 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Pulled off the peel ply from last night and assessed the results. The fairing looks pretty good, with a decent radius and relatively good edges.
2. I spent the session sanding the fairing with a variety of sanding tools, to get an idea of what will work best. I used my radius gauge often! I spent quite a bit of my time sanding the top edge to get it flush with the level of the electrical tape. I found that I could sand right onto the tape with no problem, as long as I was careful.

  Dec 23, 2023     Carbon fiber and fiberglass prep for top fairing - (1.1 hours)       Category: Windshield

I cut out strips of material for the fairing that will go over the top of the windshield. This fairing will consist of 5 alternating layers: Fiberglass - Carbon Fiber - Fiberglass - Carbon Fiber - Fiberglass. I will be attempting to make a long pre-preg sandwich using plastic sheets, then applying this layer to the airplane all at once. It will be a bit of a challenge, since I don't have material that's wide enough to cut 60" pieces from it. So I'll be staggering the materials inside the "sandwich."

  Dec 23, 2023     Bottom windshield fairing layups - (8.1 hours)       Category: Windshield

Today I started on the fiberglass layups that will fair and attach the windshield. My good friend Jim helped with a second set of hands, which made things go well.

1. I taped three 18' x 34" strips of Saran Wrap onto the work table, laid the first pieces of fiberglass onto them, and laid three identical cover pieces of plastic wrap and the paper templates nearby. My plan was to prepare and apply each piece individually, and this plan seemed to work well.

2. Mixed up a batch of Aeropoxy resin, then mixed black pigment into it. Spread the resin onto the fiberglass, then carefully spread the resin around with a brush. I have never used thin plastic wrap to do this, so I was a little worried about ripping the plastic, but it seemed to be pretty tough.

3. After the fiberglass piece was saturated to the edge, I laid the "cover" piece of plastic wrap on top and attempted to squeegee out as much resin as possible.

4. Next, I laid the paper template onto the top of the sandwich and used a roller cutter to follow the edge of the template. This is where the thin plastic wrap actually shined -- it's far easier to cut this stuff than the 3-4 mil plastic sheets I've used in previous projects. I pulled off the excess plastic and threw it away, then lifted off the top layer of plastic from the layup. I carried the layup to the airplane and applied it, pushing it gently into place along the top strip of masking tape with my fingers and some gentle pressure from a paintbrush.

5. Next, I stippled the piece down against the airplane to eliminate air bubbles, trying not to brush it too much.

6. I did the same with the other two pieces, only I had to trim an edge on each one to get it to butt up against the previous one. All three of the bottom pieces seemed to go into position pretty well, with a few small glitches along the top edge. I tried to rectify these as soon as possible with a small brush or with my finger. The upper edge is the truly critical one, because it's arguably the most visible fiberglass edge on the airplane and it's right up against the windshield glass, so it's tough to sand. I spent some extra time stippling out any bubbles or slight imperfections in the layups.

7. Once the base layups were in place, I waited for about an hour until the layups were tacky. The reason for waiting is that I didn't want the dry fiberglass layers that were going to be added next to wick away any of the tinted resin from the base layer. I also want the base layers to set up a bit so I wouldn't disturb them in any way as I applied the next layups.

8. Next, I began applying varying sizes of fiberglass, both bias-cut and straight-cut, using clear resin. After each layup I checked the layup radius with my homemade 3" radius tool, then decided what size and length layup to do next, and where it would be applied. I did at least 20 total layups, building up the fairing bit by bit until it was just slightly oversized. This will allow me to sand down to the final 3" radius profile in the coming days.

9. To finalize the day's work, I did a final wet resin coat, pulled off the top layer of green masking tape and laid down some peel-ply. Tomorrow, we'll see how things came out!

  Dec 22, 2023     Cut and prepped windshield fairing strips; Created radius template - (4 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Sanded and cleaned up yesterday's filler.
2. Cleaned and prepped a large work table for cutting fiberglass cloth.
3. Cut strips of BID cloth across the weave in width increments of 1/4" from 1/2" to 2". I also organized a previous set of the same strips cut on a 45-degree bias, just in case they are needed.
4. Created a set of three paper templates for the first layer of the bottom fairing (perhaps the most important layer to get right.
5. Laid the templates on the cloth and cut out a slightly oversize set of each, and also one that was cut right on the edge of the templates. (The second, smaller size one could be used as a "feathering edge layer" if needed.)
6. I decided I was going to make a 3" radius metal template in addition to the 4" cardboard one I already made. I think a 3" radius fairing could work just fine, so I'm ready to do that if it's needed.
7. Added a second, black layer of electrical tape over the first layer of yellow tape. Added a layer of green masking tape on top of that, on the canopy edge only. The masking tape will be removed after the final, wet resin coat. The black layer will be the initial sanding limit for the fairing.
8. Cleaned up the entire fairing area with a tack cloth, followed by 99% isopropyl alcohol.

  Dec 21, 2023     Sanding the fairing substrate - (1.3 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Sanded the recent layer of micro until all the voids in the earlier flox fillet were filled.
2. Filled the remaining small imperfections with spots of automotive body filler.

After I sand the filler tomorrow, I think the fillet will be ready to accept the fiberglass layups. I'm hoping that all the sanding I've done on the fillet will pay off in an easier time getting the fairing smooth and consistent.

  Dec 19, 2023     Fiberglass prep; microballon coat; creating sanding tools - (2.85 hours)       Category: Windshield

I continued prepping for the process of creating the fiberglass windshield fairing:

1. Masked off the entire cockpit and forward skin.
2. Mixed up and applied a thin coat of micro to the fillet area below the windshield. I think having a smoother layer here will help adhesion and minimize the amount of sanding I'll have to do later.
3. Created some more various diameters of sanding tools to add to the ones I have already. I got a couple of steel exhaust connector pieces from the auto parts store, sanded their edges smooth and cleaned them, then used contact cement to wrap them in 150-grit sandpaper.

  Dec 18, 2023     Sanding and build-up of windshield fillets - (2.2 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Roughly sanded yesterday's flox fillet at the bottom of the windshield, just to give it a general shape that will be a good base for the fiberglass layups.
2. Once I had the canopy latch installed, and was able to close and lock the canopy, I made note of how the side fairing "ramps" will meet up with the canopy skirt. It became apparent that the left side needed to be built up slightly more to match the right side. I mixed up some more resin/flox/micro/cabosil/dye mix and applied it on the left side. Once this cures, I will sand it and get it ready for the fiberglass.

  Dec 17, 2023     Windshield bonding / fairing base - (3.2 hours)       Category: Windshield

Time to bond the bottom edge of the windshield to the top skin. Unlike most of the rest of the composite projects on this airplane, I am using Aeropoxy PR2032/PH3660 resin/hardener instead of the West Systems products, for two reasons: The Aeropoxy is slightly stronger, and it doesn't begin losing its strength in very hot conditions (conditions that might be found in, say, a windshield fairing sitting in the hot sun at a summer fly-in) as quickly as West Systems stuff. It also doesn't exotherm (get hot and begin curing early) as easily as West Systems, when mixed in large quantities.

1. I got all my supplies organized, made a cheat sheet for Aeropoxy mixing ratios, clamped the sides of the windshield to keep it motionless and tight, and wiped down all the bonding surfaces to makes sure they were clean.
2. First, I decided to mix 100 g of resin with 27 g of hardener, just to see how much quantity I'd need for the whole job. This turned out to be just the right amount.
3. I began mixing in flox, getting the mixture pretty thick, then I added micro and some cabosil to get it even thicker and give it the sandability and anti-sag properties I wanted. Then I mixed in a measured quantity of black dye, using a small measuring syringe. The overall mixture was like very thick peanut butter when I was done.
4. I spread the mixture along the bottom of the windshield, using a curved-end plastic mixing stick from West Systems to force it into the seam and also make a curved fillet. Here and there, I had to add a bit more of the mixture to ensure a good, even coverage. I scraped off the excess with my scraper and some paper towels.
5. On the left and right sides, I laid down some more flox and formed it into a ramp that will hopefully smooth the fiberglass transition over the canopy skirt.
6. Over the next couple of hours, as the resin began to set, I used my scraper (and later, a gloved finger) to put the final touches on the fillet shape and knock down the larger imperfections. I hope this will make the sanding job easier tomorrow.
7. While the fillet was curing, I decided to cut the fiberglass strips that will be bonded along the bottom of the windshield. Using a straight section of aluminum angle, I marked and cut seven 56" strips of BID cloth, with widths of 1/2", 3/4", 1", 1-1/4", 1-1/2", 1-3/4", and 2".

  Dec 13, 2023     Windshield bonding prep and riveting - (3.3 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Checked the surface-prepped skin from last night.
2. Taped the windshield perimeter with red electrical tape, then a layer of slightly overlapping yellow tape. The red will be the absolute limit of sanding/feathering, with the yellow being a "warning" layer -- the layer to which I'll take the edge before the final feathering.
3. Did additional masking on the windshield and the top skin.
4. Masked 1/8" up from the bottom on the inside forward edge of the windshield, just in case the flox bonding layer makes contact there.
4. Sanded the edges of the windshield for a final time.
5. Using 60-grit sandpaper, I roughed up the perimeters of the windshield where the fairings will be, then cleaned everything up.
6. Riveted the windshield to the roll bar. The windshield is now on permanently!
7. Prepped my balance-scale, mixing cups and sticks, black resin dye, and the other supplies I'll need to mix up the colored flox for the next step.

  Dec 12, 2023     Windshield attach prep - (3.25 hours)       Category: Windshield

Did the final preparations for attaching the windshield bay applying a surface bonding pre-treatment:

1. Cleaned off another 1/4" of the existing glareshield primer, just to make sure there will be a sufficient bonding surface for the bottom edge of the windshield.
2. Masked off the new primer line with electrical tape and then masking tape. Masked off a bunch of additional areas to protect the rest of the airplane.
3. Scuffed the top skin with a 180 grit sponge sander, which is what the product instructions call for.
4. Cleaned the sanded skin with 99% isopropyl alcohol.
5. Abraded the skin with 80-grit sandpaper, then cleaned the skin with acetone. Let it dry thoroughly.
6. Mixed together the two parts of 3M AC-130-2 sol-gel pre-treatment, then capped it and waited the mandatory 30 minutes for it to activate.
7. Using a very smooth bristle brush, I applied the solution as directed, with two continuously-applied coats and without allowing the area to dry before adding more. (This stuff is really bad for you, so you should wear a VOC-proof canister-type mask if you value your life. I got a whiff of it after I removed my mask, and it smelled like someone threw an old-school sulphur stink-bomb into the dumpster behind a Taco Bell on a hot summer day.)
8. I let the area dry for 60 minutes, then removed the inboard line of electrical tape. The stuff will cure overnight, and tomorrow we'll be on to the fun stuff!

  Dec 12, 2023     Windshield and top skin prep - (4 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Trimmed back the protective plastic on the windshield.
2. Cleaned the top skin.
3. Marked some lines 1-1/2" and 2" out from the base of the windshield.
4. Used red masking tape to lay out the boundaries of the windshield fillet.
5. Cut out a piece of stiff cardboard with a 4" radius. This will be used as a guide for checking whether I'm getting a consistent curve as I lay up the fiberglass fillet. This template also allowed me to check that the red tape lines were positioned correctly.
6. Removed the windshield. Drilled the atach holes in the rollbar to their final, #30 size. Deburred the holes.
7. Studied the instructions for the AC130-2 surface prep and phosphoric acid I'll be using on the top skin.

  Dec 10, 2023     Glareshield prep - (1.4 hours)       Category: Windshield

Prepped the glareshield for the installation of the windshield.

1. Removed the windshield.
2. Taped some white card stock on the skin. Marked a rough approximation of the edge of the windshield.
3. Used a Sharpie to mark the edge line inside the cockpit, under the glareshield. Removed the card and cut along this line.
5. Taped the card back down and re-clecoed the windshield in place.
6. Marked a line around the outside base of the windshield onto the card stock. (It's a lot easier to trace the outside edge than the inside!)
7. Removed the card and cut 3/16" inside the windshield line to allow for the width of the Plexiglas. This will be the template I use to eventually cut out the leather covering for the glareshield. This leather will be installed after the windshield is permanently in place.
8. Taped along the inboard edge of the windshield line on the skin, and used Acetone to remove the prior primer I'd applied there. This will be part of the area that will be scuffed and etched for the bonding of the bottom edge of the windshield, so it has to be perfectly clean.

  Dec 06, 2023     Drilled new windshield attach hole - (0.3 hour)       Category: Windshield

1. Clecoed the windshield back onto the roll bar.
2. Located and drilled a new attach hole about 3/4" below the hole where the tap broke off.
3. Removed the windshield and deburred the new hole.
4. Countersunk the outsides of all the windshield holes.
5. Used an edge-scraper to smooth the newly-trimmed bottom edges of the windshield.
6. Used a Dremel tool with a grinding disc to carefully grind down the last small bit of the broken tap in the rollbar.

  Dec 05, 2023     Windshield fitting and drilling - (4 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Finished trimming and sanding the edges of the windshield.
2. Clamped and taped the windshield in position on the airplane.
3. Masked off the cockpit to keep chips out.
4. Established a center point on the rollbar. Established where the lowest fasteners will be on the sides of the windshield. Divided the remaining space equally so that the screws will be no more than 3.5" apart. It worked out that the screws could be spaced exactly 3" apart, so I marked the Plexi at those points.
5. Drilled the attach holes through the Plexi and into the steel bar with a standard #40 bit. Clecoed each hole as I went.
6. Removed the windshield. Opened up the windshield holes to #30 with a Plexiglas bit, then deburred them.
7. Opened up the holes in the roll bar to #36, in preparation for tapping.
8. Began tapping the holes in the rollbar. On hole #2, the tap broke off. I was unable to retrieve the broken tap from the rollbar, so I masked off the area and ground it down flush. My plan is to drill another hole adjacent to this one and press on, since these fasteners will be under a fiberglass fairing and will never be seen.

  Dec 04, 2023     New windshield trimming and fitting - (4.75 hours)       Category: Windshield

Began the installation of the new (second) windshield, after deciding the first one had too big of a gap at the rear lower corners:

1. Set the old windshield on the airplane and noted the additional height that would be needed at the rear lower corners.
2. Clamped the old windshield on top of the new one and marked a cut line with a fine Sharpie marker. Added the desired additional amounts.
3. Cut the new windshield to a rough size using a Dremel tool, then smoothed the edges a bit with a handheld belt sander and some sanding blocks, just so I could handle the windshield without stressing it.
4. Place the new windshield in position and marked where it needed to be trimmed (mostly at the top edge) and beveled it.
5. Made a first pass of trimming and sanding, then checked the fit again. I think one more short session of trimming will get it perfect. The windshield already fits very nicely, and although I probably could have made the first one work OK, I'm happy I decided to do this particular project over.

  Oct 06, 2023     Windshield trimming - (0.75 hour)       Category: Windshield

1. Finished trimming the bottom edge of the windshield.
2. Scaped the edges smooth.

After looking at the gap I've inadvertently created at the bottom aft edge of the windshield, I'm not sure I want to try to fill it. Doing so would mean exposing a bunch of ugly adhesive and resin inside the cockpit -- and this would have to be hidden somehow, using either upholstery, or building a cover plate, or otherwise adding something to that location. It all means a lot more work.

So I think I will use the new, replacement windshield I ordered a while back.

  Oct 05, 2023     Windshield and canopy skirt - (2.3 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Marked the windshield for trimming. Removed it and used a hand-held 1/2" belt sander to shape the plexi to better match the curve of the top skin. Made several iterative trims, checking the fit each time. I also beveled the bottom edge of the plexi so the contact patch on the skin will be larger. After a while, I got the windshield to fit a lot better than it did before. There's still a 1/4" gap at the bottom of the aft corners, but I think this can be covered with a small piece of interior trim later, if needed.

2. My friend Jim helped me get a good fit of the canopy skirt so we could check the trims I made yesterday. I ended up making a few tape marks where I will make some final trims, and then the skirt should be ready for mounting later. [No photo.]

  Oct 02, 2023     Windshield assessment - (0.75 hour)       Category: Windshield

Laid the first windshield on the airplane and assessed what needed to be done to either make it fit better (especially at the bottom, aft edge), or use it as a template for the new one. I decided to try salvaging it by trimming the bottom edge to see if I can get it to fit. Even if I eventually don't like how it fits, I can still use it as a partial template for the new one.

  Dec 23, 2022     Sanding tools for windshield fairing - (0.8 hour)       Category: Windshield

Created some sanding tools for the windshield fairing. Attached 120 and 220-grit sandpaper to some lengths of 3" and 4" diameter PVC pipe, using contact cement.

  Dec 17, 2022     Windshield final trim and polish; Glareshield scuff & prime - (4.2 hours)       Category: Windshield

1. Trimmed back the protective plastic on the windshield and taped it down with clear packing tape to prevent it from getting scratched.

2. Repetitively fitted and sanded the lower edge of the windshield until it fit pretty well, then did the same to the aft, vertical edge to get a consistent gap from the canopy edge.

3. Sanded and polished the edges to remove all nicks. Scraped the edges with a plexiglass edge scraper to round off the edges. There's one area that isn't perfect, but it will be covered by a fairing, so it should be good to go.

4. Masked off the top skin where the leather glareshield cover will eventually go. Roughed up the entire area with 100-grit sandpaper, then cleaned it thoroughly. Primed it with self-etching primer.

  Dec 17, 2022     Windshield cutting and fitting - (5 hours)       Category: Windshield

Years ago, I decided to get a custom windshield made for my airplane. Airplane Plastics in Tipp City, Ohio made me a thicker, more-sloped windshield with the same UV protection my canopy has. I went with the thicker windshield to afford some additional birdstrike protection, having been the recipient of a hawk in my face while on a T-38 low-level in west Texas many years ago, a flock of 11 pigeons in an L-39 not long ago, and numerous near-strikes over the years.

My original windshield, which I cut from the canopy, fit the fuselage profile pretty nicely, and I'll keep it in storage in case I need it. But since I'm starting with a new windshield, I have to go through all the fitting and trimming again. Sigh...

1. Used the marks I previously traced using the old windshield to make my first cut about 1/4" from the aft, "canopy bow" line.
2. I then made a cut about 1/2" outside where the factory had made some trim marks for the fuselage interface line.
3. I laid the new windshield in place and checked its fit, making some further trim marks in the places I needed to trim further.
4. Trimmed and deburred the fuselage interface edges.
5. Put the windshield in place and duct-taped it to see where it needed to be trimmed along the roll bar.
6. Made the cut. Sanded and scraped the edges of the glass.
7. Taped the windshield in place again. It's laying down pretty well now.

  Dec 04, 2022     Prep for trimming windshield - (0.6 hour)       Category: Windshield

Years ago, I decided to not use the cut-off piece from my canopy as my front windshield. I decided to have Airplane Plastics make me a slightly thicker, more bird-resistant windshield. It also has a slightly different, flatter profile. I think it looks lightly racier and more aerodynamic than Van's stock canopy profile. As an added bonus, the windshield and canopy are also slightly tinted and more UV-resistant than the stock ones.

1. Today, I began prepping for the initial cuts to get the windshield to lay down in position on the airplane. It has quite a bit of extra material around the edges, just like the canopy did. I laid the original windshield on top of the new one and made a line approximately where the aft cut will be. I'll plan to cut outside this line by 1/4" first. I turned up the heat in the hangar so I can get the place up to about 75+ degrees for the cutting process.

2. I also removed all the tape residue and Sharpie marks from the top skin.