kregan

Thank you Neil,
I hope to start covering in a couple of weeks.

Here is the first completed panel. I need to assemble the second one
and get it mounted.

Brent G

My Feedback: (5)

Kregan

Your work is absolutly amazing. As a airplane designer and a machinist I really appreciate the level of detail and the craftsmanship that you are putting into not one but two planes! Congradulations on a spectacular build!!!!!!

Brent

Brent Good Custom Airframes

kregan

Thanks Brent, nice words!

I have the second panel in place minus the screw head coloring.
The first canopy is now fitted and ready for glue. I don't have pilots
so I will have to hold off until they come in.

kregan

After a paralyzing snow storm that dropped .5" of snow across Maryland
everything is shut down! I was forced to stay home today and play Wii
golf with the kids and do some work on the Cardens.

I finished the second canopy fitting, trimmed out the front of the cowl
on the one plane that needed it and fit the fiberglass baffle in place on
one plane.

Wish us luck... we are low on toilet paper and of all things BACON !!!

Scoubidou

My Feedback: (17)

We begin to talk about snow storm when we have more than 10'' here in Canada
Nice built then.
Daniel

kregan

OK, lots of little stuff finished up today. I finished fitting the second
engine baffle, did some fine tunning on several items and drilled/installed
the landing gears.

Getting close now!

kregan

Landing gear cuffs fitted and some final cutting and fitting on
the cowl's. I enlarged the air exit on the bottom of the cowl's.

I need wheels before I can do the wheel pants so I plane on
working on hard points next.

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

Took my advise on the hardpoints I see . Looking good dude.

DD

Neilbo4

Kregan, I love how nicely you fitted those canopies on. I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to do it as nicely as you because that is the step that I am at with my Dalton 260 right now.

Neil

kregan

Neil,
This was actually the easiest canopy I have done. The way it is designed all of the cuts are straight
except the one around the rear of the canopy. What I did was use 1/8" fine line tape as a guide. I
applied the tape and then carefully followed it with a sharp exacto knife. I used a straight edge on
the long bottom straight cuts. For the curved area's I used the exacto first followed by scissors.

I used a sanding bar and large file to do the final fitting.

kregan

DD, I almost forgot! Tried to call to see if you could come over and show
me how to do it but you were out flying.... decided to just make it up and
hope it works out !!

Will be using 1-1/4" arms with a .3" offset from 90 degrees. I cut one pair of
shucks so I could lay the aileron on the mill table to keep it square. Used a 1/2"
mill to make nice tight holes for the 1/2" hard points.

I cut the hard points a little long, drilled the holes on the lath and then tapped them
to 8/32" then sanded them to fit for each hole.

DD, have you pushed the Spacewalker build to 2010 yet?

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

Actually, once the weather gets warmer in my shop I will finish it up hopefully before the June Fly-in. I will need to bring it over to paint though . I just put together the E-flite 260 like. Haven't been motivated. Too much going on with work and home. I have to finish the Spacewalker before May. Need to maiden it in May. That is my goal. And not May of 2010

kregan

Not wanting to loose the weekend I decided to move forward with
the canopy installation and deal with the pilot later.

I decided last night to go ahead and make front panels even though
they are not curved like the full scale plane.

I glued the canopy in place with Household Goop. The clamp idea came
from Walt's build thread. I used aluminum bar stock I had instead of
wood. Sand bags, and other various shims will hold the canopy in place
while it dries.

kregan

The first canopy turned out great! I cleaned it up and cut the fiberglass cloth
for the front hatch area.

I also finished the front panel on the second plane and glued that canopy in place.

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

Kelly- have you laid the fiberglass yet? Before you put that piece on shown in your pics you'll want to put another layer across the joint- maybe 2" wide.

as722

My Feedback: (1)

Dave is correct, If you don't you'll get a hair line crack right at the joint. On my 300 I used two strips 2" wide and overlaped them then glassed the whole hatch so there's actually three layers of glass over the joint and after 250 flights no crack.


Albert

kregan

No, I am waiting to glass both hatches at the same time but if you look
at the last picture that strip of glass cloth on the canopy is for the joint.

Should I use 2 strips?

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

Can't remember if I used 1 or 2 strips. Seeing as I was following Albert's recommendations at the time I probably did 2. Go with 2 to be safe.

kregan

I have been really busy at work so not a lot of progress in the
evenings lately.

Tonight I glassed both of the front hatch area on both the canopy's
I used two 1 to 1-1/2" " strips of glass cloth over the canopy joint
and then added the large piece on top.

Grotesquebass

My Feedback: (16)

awsome work how far is highland maryland from lexington park? maybe u can build me an edge

kregan

Thanks! Maybe when I retire and have more time and money then I know
what to do with!

On the canopy you have to establish a tape line were the paint will stop. This
takes a while because the transition area between the canopy bubble and the
painted area is slightly curved. You just have to keep at it until you get a nice
flowing curve with your tape.

I used 1/8" Fine Line tape. They make a few different kinds, the blue is real thin
and better for small tight curves. It is hard to get a long sweeping line without
wiggles since it curves so easy. The tan color fine line is thicker and is better for
broad curves.

After I had what looked like a nice outline I taped off the rest of the canopy, don't
use news print for covering, it can leave ink behind on your covered surface.

Now after I tape off the second canopy I will start to use filler and primer to blend
in the canopy and fiberglassed joint.

80stars

Kelly,

You really do nice work. It has been fun to use your and others methods and advice with great results on my project.

Thanks,

Doug

kregan

Thanks 80.

Is this a body shop or what! I hate this part.

mndbndr3d

My Feedback: (12)

What's the red stuff? Bondo filler?

mndbndr3d

My Feedback: (12)

Also, forgot to ask, is that a 3/4 oz. figerglass cloth you used?