Instant Cockpit

[dmartin@cougar.netutah.net (Dennis Martin)]

>Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1998 23:14:59 -0600
>To:bill.schweitzer@compaq.com
>From:dmartin@cougar.netutah.net (Dennis Martin)
>Subject:Instant Cockpit
>
>>I know there have been many attempts to improve the clamping of the upper
>>and lower fuselage during the joining layup.
>
>Almost instant cockpit, one hour "Aeropoxy Construction Adhesive" method.
>One hour after you join the halves, you can cut off the flanges and keep
>working.
>
>1. Put both halves together and line up side to side, front to back.
>
>2. Use a dremmel diamond wheel and cut a "V" through both flanges about
>the middle of pilot side.  Cut "V" flush with the exterior wall of the
>fuselage.
>
>3. Hold a straight edge in the V slot and line up top and bottom exterior
>walls until they are flush.  When both halves are flush, clamp flanges
>together securely.  Drill & cleco on both sides of the V.
>
>4. Go to co-pilot side and repeat the same.
>
>5. Continue cutting Vs about every 10 inches" (alternating side to side)
>joining halves with clecos until all flanges are securely held in place.
>
>6. Mix a cup of Aeropoxy's 1 hr. construction epoxy  EX 6279 Parts A & B.
>
>7. Get inside cockpit and have a friend cleco the halves together.  Wear
>your "gas mask" or vent cockpit with a fan through the front hatch.
>
>8. Apply epoxy all the way around the inside where halves join.  Use duct
>tape to force epoxy to stay inside the groove.
>
>9. In one hour (after epoxy cures), have friend cut you an exit hole in
>one of the doors.  Be sure to cut hole smaller than size of door.
>
>10. Cut off flanges with dremmel diamond wheel.  Now you can move on
>immediately to glassing the two halves together.  After building with Jim
>Agnew for a week, I started using Aeropoxy construction adhesive on all
>joints throughout my plane.  If you want extra strength, add a little
>micro glass.  This includes all bulkhead installations, adhering the main
>spar to the firewall and especially joining strakes to the fuselage.
>
>Dennis Martin
>Velocity 173 FGE
>
>