randy(at)romeolima.com
Guest
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 Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:56 pm Post subject: Fiberglass canopy skirt from scratch |
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Guys, thought you might be interested in how my skirt turned out. After much
headscratching and pondering the alternatives I ended up using the
posterboard and packing tape method. Not as decorative as the Diet Coke
cartons suggested below by Kyle, but I made it work anyway. I slit the
posterboard in quite a few places to get the curves I needed using first
little strips of packing tape to secure the slits, then larger pieces to
cover it all up as a non-stick surface to lay up on. At first I thought I
might need to make the skirt in two pieces but ended up doing it in one
piece... worked great! If you're interested here's the story.
http://www.romeolima.com/RV3works/Airframe/airframe.htm#CanopySkirt
Of course I have a bit of filling and lots of sanding to do now. Thanks for
all the suggestions!
Randy Lervold
| Quote: |
You could try tapeing thin cardboard between the canopy and fuselage. My
cardboard of preference (from making the empennage fairing years ago)
comes
from Diet Coke 12-pack cartons...
Several pieces of cardboard, a little packing tape, and volia, female
mold...
Alternately, you could get yourself some Monokote or similar shrink film,
cut it to rough shape, tape the ends to the plexi and fuselage, and shrink
the stuff into the shape you want. Might even work. (Note- put a layer
of
packing tape between the monokote and your canopy, or risk color
transfer)...
KB
>
>
> Fiberglass gurus,
>
> After trying to get the metal skirt to fit on my RV-3 I'm giving up --
> I'm
> convinced God just didn't intend aluminum to be used for compound curves,
> fiberglass on the other hand is perfectly suited for that. No worries
> with
> laying it up and such (West Systems and 9 oz crowfoot e-glass), but what
> I'd
> appreciate some ideas on are how to craft a molding surface. I will pop
> rivet my tipover plexi bubble to the frame in every other hole, which I
> will
> later drill out, so there won't need to be an clecos and thus I can layup
> onto the plexi. But what do I use to create a form from the plexi down to
> the fuselage, or to bridge the gap along the sides? This is way too much
> area for the traditional modeling clay we use for intersection fairings.
>
> If I use any sort of tape it will create an uneven layup and require lots
> of
> sanding and filling, something I'd rather avoid. I was thinking of using
> expandable foam around the front and rear sections (won't work on the
> sides)
> and then sculpting it. Seems like I heard that the cans of foam you can
> buy
> at Home Depot aren't good because they contain formaldehyde, not sure why
> that's bad though.
> Spruce has Poly-Cell 100 Polyurethane Foam
> http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/polycel.php
> and Liquid "X30" Foam
> http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/x30foam.php
>
> Anyone had an experience with either of these? When using foam, do you
> lay
> up directly on it, or coat it with something first?
>
> And lastly, what would be a good way to create a surface on the sides?
> Here's a pic of what I'm dealing with...
> http://www.romeolima.com/RV3works/Gallery/DSC_0899.jpg
>
> Thanks!
> Randy Lervold
> www.rv-3.com
> www.rv-8.com
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