So back to the airplane, its been a while since I posted anything but unfortunately I don't have a lot of progress to show. I have been non stop in the garage whenever I have the time (which is a lot lately) and yet I don't have much for progress pictures.
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| In my last post I talked about starting work on the canopy skirt. Here it is after I trimmed it up a bit and started the process of adding more epoxy and then sanding it down. Still lots more work to go from this picture. |
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| I decided to take a picture of my engine data plate so I would have a record of it. |
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| During one of the sessions of waiting for the epoxy to dry I started work on these two strips of aluminum. They support the bottom of the canopy skirt from the inside. You will see more in an upcoming picture. |
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| Another iteration of epoxy and sanding complete..now I have two holes on each side to hold the skirt in place. |
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| I got tired of walking around or under the horizontal stab so I removed it. I wont need it back on until just before I take it to the airport. I have a little more work on the vertical stabilizer fairing to do. |
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| Ok, the last iteration of epoxy will happen after I rivet this thing to the canopy. The top row of holes are drilled into the canopy frame on both sides. |
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| The fairing support is drilled to the frame. Bottom holes that attach it to the skirt still need to be drilled in this picture but they are done as well. Now its just prime, paint and rivet it on. |
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| Today I needed something fun to do so I went ahead and mounted the prop extension and the flywheel on the engine. Had to put the number 1 cylinder at top dead center and then line the flywheel mark up with the center-line of the case. The extension is very well machined. It looks really nice and it has very close tolerances. |
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| The big theme of the day for Sunday was priming. I primed the top skin in preparation for painting the part that will be under the windshield. I primed the whole thing and I'm actually pretty impressed with how it came out. Now I have to wet sand it and then put some non glossy paint down on the part that will be under the windshield. Although I didn't take any pictures of it I also spent considerable time in the forward fuselage cleaning up wiring, cutting tie wraps off, and tightening down bolts getting ready to rivet the top skin on later this week I hope. |
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| I primed the skirt supports as well. These will get interior paint on the outside before I install them. |
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| What the heck is this? Well actually its the canopy skirt after I primed the inside. It needs a coat of interior paint as well but it also needs a bit more work before I put that coat of paint on. Too many pin holes and other blemishes that might be visible (probably not but why not do it now?) |
