REFLECTOR: Put'n the top on

[Joe]

MessageAndy,
I believe I read this one in a reflector volume.  To help keep the top and bottom in alignment I used the following homemade clamps:

Cut 1 X 2 blocks 5 to 6 inches long.
In 1/2 of the blocks drill a 3/16 hole in the center.
Put a 2" sheet rock screw through the hole and start the screw into the undrilled block. 

Place these clamps between the top and bottom, tighten with a screw gun.  They tighten up and bring the upper and lower half into alignment.  I laid out where the fuselage would be cut away (door, canard, strake/baggage area) and concentrated the clamps in those places avoiding putting clamps where the glass needs to go to join the upper and lower.

I then dust taped the outside seam of the fuselage, filled the inside seam with micro balloon and covered with the 2 Fine BID.  After this cured I removed the tape and filled any voids on the outside with Micro Balloon and applied the outer lay-up.  The lay-ups were done by prewetting the glass on plastic then trimming to size and installing.  Peel ply was used as well.  This procedure worked pretty well for me.

I will wish you luck joining you upper and lower, if you wish me luck putting my first strake top on tomorrow morning.

Joe



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Andy Millin 
  To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list' 
  Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2004 2:12 PM
  Subject: REFLECTOR: Put'n the top on


  No stupid pilot tricks today, but...

  I'm prepping to put the top on my fuselage.  Does anyone have any tips that aren't in the manual that they would be willing to share?

  Thanks,

  Andy


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  _______________________________________________
  To change your email address, visit http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/listinfo/reflector

  Visit the gallery!  www.tvbf.org/gallery
  user:pw = tvbf:jamaicangoose
  Check new archives: www.tvbf.org/pipermail
  Check old archives: http://www.tvbf.org/archives/velocity/maillist.html
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/private/reflector/attachments/20040625/ff7b20c7/attachment-0001.html