Scratch Built Cowl
 

Hey everyone, I have a question about the cowling that I am trying to make. I have an Sukhoi-31 that was given to me with a pretty messed round cowl. I am attempting to scratch build the cowl and have made some good progress.

Right now the cowl is just round and long. I have seen many pictures of the final shape but I am having trouble in finding an easy way to make the cooling louvers on each side. I have some ideas but not sure of how to make them or of what material to make them out of.

I think that I will have to adhere the cooling louvers to the already formed cowl then, I plan on using either gel coat (expensive) or a light amount of bondo for the final finish and then painting the cowl. The aircraft I do believe is a .60 size (remember it was given to me with a cracked tail) and I am putting in a 91FX with a slimline muffler. I know that weight is always a factor and I do believe that so far the cowl is very light.

Suggestions?

Airdale CPO

Scratch Built Cowl
 

Could build it up with bog, you can get finer bog that is used to fill fibre glass, i use this and it sands really well.

alternative is, blue foam, you could hot cut the louvers with the use of a template. only thing is that you can only make one as i recon it'll break apart when you try taking it out.

good luck

Scratch Built Cowl
 

or, forgot this one, find some louvers that are close to what you want, flop a copy and attach to your mould.

Scratch Built Cowl
 

Airdale CPO,

Have you considered gluing up strips of 1/32 ply on edge and angled as per the full size. Glass in and then trim to height and length. Cut the vent holes as required after trimming.

Good luck,
R. C.
AMHC USN, RET

Scratch Built Cowl
 

read somewher to use little round louvers found in home depot,loves. The are for venting porch roofs.

Scratch Built Cowl
 

Airdale CPO...
I needed a cowl for a Nieuport bipe and decided to make one out of balsa. I got it rough shaped and when sanded it looked fair. With a little fill and more sanding it looked better. I set it aside to decide if I wanted continue on it. The next morning while eating my Cheerios I noticed the bowl I was using had the same contours as a Nieuport cowling! When I finished my cereal I measured the bowl and found it had the right measurements, so I dried the bowl and trimmed it. That night I proudly told my wife of my cowl discovery in our kitchen. She reminded me that I
was the one who brought that set of bowls home months ago, hoping I might be able to use one for a cowling. They do have a way of doing it to us don't they? Anyway, now I can start on my Nieuport, and we still have three bowls left! Ain't this hobby great or what?

Scratch Built Cowl
 

Grampaw.......I do love this hobby. I just wish the wif' would love it as much as I do. Believe me, she is supporting me, but she just wishes that everything would be less expensive. I keep telling her that its all good.

Grampaw, thanks for the input as well. I have been talking to others as well about this and trying to decide of what would be the less of the evils from the responses. I guess I am a lot like you when it comes looking at everything around to see of what i could use to help my hobby. I mean everything says hobby, and use me if you can.

Thanks again Grampaw and all others who have responded.

Brian