I got in some time on the P.A. today when I paused for a day or 2 on my other project. The other project is a camper shell for my pick up truck. I wanted to think something thru really well before I went down a path that I would regret with no way back. More on that later.
After I pulled the P.A. down I trimmed the glass on the cowl a bit. And then went to remount the engine I totally goofed when I epoxied the inside of the permanent cowl and fire wall. I forgot to plug the fire wall bolt holes for the motor mount. I t was not to bad, took about an hour to resolve.
Next I cut a new windshield / window piece, Cut it over sized, test fitted it an trimmed it down a bit, but still over sized a bit.
Thought that was a far as I would get today, but after dinner I went back out to work the plane some more. I really wanted to get the windshield / window glued on. I did. But it was a real struggle. Took 3 tries to finally get there. The glue is Formula 560 Canopy glue from Pacer. Fortunately water removes it just fine if you get at it right away. I used hot water and the failed attempts cleaned right off the plastic and the wood also. The wood is painted black so That has sealed the wood from a brief wash.
The danged plastic would slip on one side or other, or the top of the windshield below the wing section would bow away not making a good joint. I split pieces of wood to spread clamping pressure out front to back of the plastic. I used heavy T pins. They were really hard to get into the spruce framing and I mostly did not.
What I did do was run out of room for clamps. There really is no room for any more clamps, I got 'em, but had to force a top clamp to fit. I sure hope this works.
It now has to dry for 24 hours. Maybe I will give it 48.
The other project.
I had made a cover for the truck bed that was tri fold. It worked fine, but no vertical clearance for taller items.
Well we need to carry our mobility scooters , Need room for airplanes, and when we move to Kansas later this year we are going to need a shell. We will be able to carry a lot in a our travel trailer (27'), but still can't beat a shell.
So any way I started building the shell about two weeks ago. All of the framing is done and actually has been done for about a week now. Been working on the ply panels.
I bought a junked out shell 2 years ago for the windows for $50.
It won't be the lightest shell or even the prettiest. I made the sides straight up instead of angled the same as the upper half of the truck cab. That would have looked a heck of a lot better but would have been more challenge than I wanted to take on in the amount of time I have,
The shell will be glassed with 3.75 ounce fiber glass and West Systems 205 epoxy. I bought a gallon of resin, 3 pumps and 1/5 gallon of hardener. Also order 25 yards of glass 27" wide. Still waiting for the glass to come in.
The side windows and front windows are easy to cut out for. The darned back window is what I have to think about a day or 2 before I commit. The junk shell was for a compact older truck, so the window / lift gate is much smaller in width and height. If I framed in to fit the lift gate I would loose nearly a foot of vertical opening and 9" either side of opening. Not acceptable. What I think I may do is remove the glass from it's frame. This would be a one way operation, no way to undo it. But if I remove the glass then I can make a frame and recoup all of the lost opening that I would otherwise have, I can't think of anything else, but I want to think this over a couple of days.
My truck is a Ford f250 Super Duty diesel. The bed box inside is the same as a a F 150, but the the outside is wider, the cab is wider.
The front of the shell will be top of the cab height, and 6" more in the back.
Our flying field has been re opened, But until I get the shell on the truck I have no way to carry planes
Ken
The diagonal is temporary
It started to rain so I had to bring it into the garage