Completion of Wing Covering and Cowling Update

Finally...all the fabric covering is done.  The lower left wing is painted along with the registration number on the bottom of the wing and wing walk compound painted on.  I still need to spray the lower right wing, but going to wait a month or so for warmer temps so I don't have to run the heat as much to get the hangar warm enough to spray.

Lower right wing ready for fabric

While I was spraying the lower left wing, I got the lower right one out to start covering.

Covering going on lower right wing

Lower left wing done, lower right ready for dope

Registration number on bottom of lower left wing

Wing walk compound

The registration number was hand brushed just like the upper right wing.

Here's the wing walk compound applied.  I use the Randolph stuff.  Instructions say to brush on with a stiff bristle brush.  I like to use a roller, straight out of the can with no thinning.  Gives uniform results and applied in a matter of minutes.  Takes longer to tape it off!

Then, it was back on the cowling...

All the mounting hardware

Louvers on side panels

The first thing I did was make all the mounting hardware for the cowling.  The top cowling is held with springs that attach to hooks (shown on the far right) and straps that help remove the springs (shown on the left).

The side panels are held on with hair-pin clips that go thru mounting studs.  These studs are shown in the middle of the picture.  The length of the pins are random.  I will wait and cut them to length after I cross-drill them once I determine exactly where the hair-pin clip needs to be.

All these parts were originally nickel-plated which is what I will have done to these.

With the hardware finished, I could focus on the remaining panels.

The side panels are the only parts left to fabricate.  These are louvered, so I decided to make the louver die first.

Louver die

There are several ways to make these.  Here's how I did it:

I made a template of the original louver, then made a female die out of some plywood.  The male die has the shape of the louver formed on the end.  It is hit with a hammer, forming the louver to its proper shape.

Sample louver being formed

Here you can see the actual forming process on a sample piece of aluminum.  The metal is clamped over the female die and the male die hammered into it.  You need to start in the middle, taking light hits and moving back and forth like you are planishing the metal.  It's a quick, easy way to make louvers, that costs virtually nothing.

 A couple other things...the metal has relief holes drilled at the ends of the slit.  To make the slit, you could use a cut-off wheel.  I prefer to use a sharp punch.  That way I don't widen the slit any by creating waste as a cut-off wheel would.

With the details of the louvers worked out, I can start making the actual panels.  So that's what's next.  Hopefully in the next post, I'll have the engine all cowled up and ready to start finishing work.  In the meantime, let's hope spring gets here soon!