Cowling at 95% done

bruceh · Post by **bruceh** » Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:13 pm

Its been pretty quiet on here lately. Here's what I've been up to the last couple of months. Got the last of the cowling interior sealed up with epoxy, so I riveted on the hinges.

Just a few more things to do: fill some places on the inlets, add the nutplates to the inlets, fill around the oil door and side hinges with some micro. Sand (repeat ad nauseum), then seal and prime for paint on the cowling exterior.

Next up is the Filtered Air Box, engine control lines, fuel lines, engine wiring, alternator, starter, and a prop. After that it is instrument panel and interior before we go find a hangar at the airport. Hoping for the end of summer to be at the airport.

Post by **Spike** » Mon Jun 03, 2013 10:17 am

Is youre nose pink from cutting and sanding?

John

bruceh · Post by **bruceh** » Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:44 pm

I got rid of the pink, but now the dust is white (and everywhere).

I put a couple of coats of UV Smooth Prime on the cowling, then sanded it down fairly smooth. I rolled on a couple more coats and now I get to do it all over again. This filler/primer is easy to sand, but it creates lots and lots of dust. I'm probably at the 98% done point now.
I haven't decided on paint, so I'm not going to shoot any epoxy primer or paint on there just yet. I also have to get the reflective heat shielding added to the interior of the cowling.

In other progress news, the engine is almost completely wired up. Just a few more wires tonight should complete that work. I did the P-mags last night.

Firewall forward work left is down to installing the fuel hoses and getting a propellor.

Instrument panel is on deck!

Joe Parish · Post by **Joe Parish** » Fri Jul 12, 2013 4:51 pm

Very cool Bruce!

Keep up the great work.

Doakes · Post by **Doakes** » Sat Jul 13, 2013 6:55 pm

Bruce,
Your Cowling looks very good. Nice job. Sounds like your coming closer to the beginning.

Dave

bruceh · Post by **bruceh** » Sat Jul 20, 2013 10:32 pm

Done with the endless priming and sanding! Smooth as can be now.

Looks like it is ready for the propellor.

painless · Post by **painless** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:21 am

Looks great! You didn't mention any injuries from this process. What's with the crutches??!

bruceh · Post by **bruceh** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:39 am

My wife had a total knee replacement. She has moved to a cane to get around.

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 3:24 pm

Bruce, We hope your wife's progress is good and complete

Your cowl is really smooth

Progress on your project is great

I found that painting my airplane before final assembly has merits.l People who fly their airplanes nude(with out paint) usually end up flying for a year or more and then have three month or more period of down time for painting. I have to believe in the long run it is cheaper to paint before final assembly

You are supposed to use new wing bolts if you fly it first and that costs something. There are probably some other parts that you end up replacing in the process of dismantling for painting. I was really glad I got my paint before first flight. My wheel pants, gear leg fairings. and wing tips were all bare. It wasn't a bib deal to take those off and take them to a paint shop

BSwayze · Post by **BSwayze** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:37 am

Nice work, Bruce! I've been following your progress, and it all looks really great. Tell us again, what do you have in mind for a prop?

bruceh · Post by **bruceh** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:33 am

I've decided to get the Sensenich Ground Adjustable prop that just came out for the IO-320.

Another -9A owner here at Ramona just put one on his plane and is getting some good extra speed from it over the metal Sensenich which was limited to 2600 RPM.

I like having the ability to fine tune the pitch to meet your needs for speed or climb and to get the most RPM out of the engine.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 3:54 pm

Bruce,

Will you do my hinge pin covers too?

They look great!

CJ

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:29 pm

Another way to do the hinge pins for the cowl sides is to run the hinge pins in from the cockpit and fasten them in the cockpit. It doesn't work on the RV-4's but is great on side by sides.

bruceh · Post by **bruceh** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:31 pm

I thought about the interior pin concept, but after looking at it I couldn't see how to make it work without a lot of design and effort.

Making the hinge pin covers was not that hard. I put a bunch of photos of the process up on the web site. Hardest part was finding the right shape to use. I ended up using a guitar pick shape. I wanted some sort of triangular arrow, but having enough space to put some nutplates behind it dictated the overall size.

BSwayze: How is your cowling work progressing?

Post by **Spike** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 10:34 am

I have a good friend that did the internal hinge pin and after 7 years or ownership or so he has decided its a PITA.

Your cowling looks quite lovely

Spike

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 4:26 pm

Mikey did his pins from the inside.

Not sure how he likes it...

Besides, I have them already sticking out the front.

CJ

BSwayze · Post by **BSwayze** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:59 pm

bruceh wrote:BSwayze: How is your cowling work progressing?

Well, that's a good question, Bruce. Sad truth is, I haven't even started yet. I still don't have a prop flange or crush plate to use for alignment, and I want to get it right, so it may be a short while before I get going on it. I'm currently focusing on getting the fuselage wiring done. I'd like to get that final top aft skin riveted on so I can work on the rear window and get it installed while it's still summer and warm weather is here, for working on the final trimming and fitting of the plexi window.

Meanwhile, I have ordered my Vertical Power unit, and can't wait to get going on more wiring! It should be here in a few days.

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Sun Jul 28, 2013 9:36 am

Spike wrote:I have a good friend that did the internal hinge pin and after 7 years or ownership or so he has decided its a PITA.

Your cowling looks quite lovely

Spike

I did mine from the inside and don't mind it at all. It was an easy install and probably faster than having to make and cut-out the outside ones.

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Sun Jul 28, 2013 10:18 pm

Wicked Stick wrote:
Spike wrote:I have a good friend that did the internal hinge pin and after 7 years or ownership or so he has decided its a PITA.

Your cowling looks quite lovely

Spike
I did mine from the inside and don't mind it at all. It was an easy install and probably faster than having to make and cut-out the outside ones.

Hidden hinges are faster....looking anyway.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 1:24 pm

Bri,

That plane looks saweet!

...but I think you already knew that!

CJ