I want to build Cowl for my Pheaton II, since the one that Balsa USA sells for this model is horrible.

I have never done it before. I heard that a bottle of coke or any other bottle that fits would do. However, do I just make it fit and paint it? or do I have to reinforce it with something else?
Wouldn't the heat from the engine melt the plastic bottle?

I would apreciate any suggestions on this.

Thank you,

Paul

Hi pvelit, You might check out Stans fibertech, or fiberglass specialty's for a glass cowl for your plane. I am not familiar with your particular plane but both company's listed have a large selection to choose from.

Regards
Mark

Thank you for the tip mstroh3961

I will check those places,

Paul

I just called Stans fibertech and they dont make one for the 40 Pheaton II.

Take some old playing cards and build a cowl out of them till you get something you like then get some balsa and build the cowl. It's not that hard to do. If you use triangle stock in the corners you can sand it to a round shape if that's what you want. Probably best to have it fit on the outside so you can use screws ( ? ) to mount it. When done either paint it or cover it to match you plane. You might want to fuel proof the inside of the cowl.

As far as pop ( soda ) bottles or any other plastic containers, yes they can be used and some can be reformed with a heat gun and gloves to look pretty good. As long as they are away from the engine and muffler and you have GOOD airflow in and out they should work fine. Just remember that you need twice as much outlet as intake air space.
ENJOY !!! RED

You can also do the "Lost Foam" method. Get some blue or pink foam from Home Depot (usually available 2" x 24" x 8' lengths). Cut the foam into sections that are wide enough and high enough. Secure them together with carpet tape.

Now carve/sand the block of foam to the shape you want. (make the plug about 1/2" - 3/4" LONGER than what you want to allow for trimming) When you are done, cover it with some LOW TEMP film (Econokote,etc). I normally use left over scraps from other projects.

Now put 8 - 10 coats of paste wax on the film covering. Then spray a coat of 3M #77 over the plug. Use 2 oz - 4 oz fiberglass cut into strips about 2" wide. Lay these on the plug to SMOOTHLY cover the plug - overlap the edges about 1/2". When done with the 1st layer repeat for subsequent layers. The MAJORITY of 40 - 60 size planes will need 4 - 6 layers of fiberglass depending on the weight of the fiberglass cloth and size of the cowl.

Mix up some resin and dilute it 10% BY VOLUME with acetone or denatured alcohol - DO NOT USE ISOPHRENAL ALCOHOL as it contails water. The resin needs to be thinned in order to penetrate all the layers of fiberglass cloth. Use a plumber's flux brush and coat the fiberglass cloth with the resin. You need to make sure the resin penetrates ALL the layers (White spots are areas that the resin has not penetrated )..

Let this dry (usually 3 - 5 days because of the thinning of the resin). Now sand the cowl smooth. Any dips, pin holes, etc fill with spot putty (red stuff, comes in a tube in the auto section of Wal-Mart, etc.) amd sand smooth.

Once you are satisfied with the appearance of the cowl, take the cowl outside. In the back of the cowl make and X through the covering and peel it back. Now take a couple of ounces of gasoline and pour it on the foam. Go inside and have a cup of coffee. In about 20 minutes the foam will have disolved into a sludge. Remove the film and sludge and dispose of it properly.

Wash the cowl with soap and water. The cowl will be very soft and flexible at this point. Do any final shaping (to correct what you did while washing it) and set aside for 3 - 4 days. At this point the cowl will have hardened up and be quite stiff. Now you can make your cutouts and do the necessary trimming.

It sounds harder than it really is. It is a messy job, but you can make exactly what you want/need for a cowl.

I have done several scratch built planes of "unusual" types and had to make my cowls (FW-56 Stosser, Transavia PL-12 Airtruk, Miles M-28 Mercury, Miles M-38 Messenger ) since none were available or easily modified.

Hi
There is also the nylon stockings over foam method.

Make a foam mold by shaping a block of foam until it looks very close to the shape you need. Slightly smaller about a 1/16 all around as the actual cowl will be formed over this shape. Get a package of nylon stocking footies from the dollar store ( or raid your wifes stash) and mix up some 30 minute epoxy. Put a small plastic bag or saran wrap over the foam ...less wrinkle is better. Then pull a couple of the footies over the roam then rub epoxy generously over those pull another couple on reapply epoxy. 5 stockings should be plenty for small planes more if its a big bird. Small squares of fiber glass can be laid in where screws will go,and around edges on larger cowls, do this after the first two footies. Blot off excess 'poxy with a roll of toilet paper by rolling the roll over the cowl and rip off the top layers of the roll as they get full of 'poxy. Repeat until the thing looks about right... you know the old TLAR ( That Looks About Right)method or until very little epoxy come off. Dig the foam out and pull the saran wrap off after it cures well then trim the thing to suit. Use very fine sand paper after it cures WELL if you want to paint it.[8D]