Wings Forum

stede52 · Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 209 Location: Carnation, WA

Just a couple more pics, I just finshed the dipstick access door in the cowl. I found some pretty cool hidden hinges which makes a nice clean installation, but a bit more hassle then a piano hinge. The rivet holes will be filled in so there is nothing showing but the Dzus fastener. The hinges can be found at: http://www.sierragiant.com/BBDH.html , they are the 1/3 Scale size.

Steve

scubarider2 · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 224 Location: Cleveland, GA

Wow...looks great! I have not put an access yet. Will not do it until I hit about the 40 hour mark. I was advised that it was best to remove the top cowling after each flight and leave it off for inspection before each flight. Once the 40 is past I will take a look at what you did and probably copy... :P THANKS!
Dennis

b1x4nqb · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 199 Location: Orwigsburg, PA

Steve,

Total pro job there. How did you flush mount the lid into the cowling? Did you glass in a new piece on the bottom? Whatever you did, it looks awesome! Wish I could do the same quality of work.

Paul, PA

Dave Krall CFII SEL SES · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Seattle WA

That's a cool job no doubt but there has GOT to be an easier way (Ihope)!

stede52 · Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 209 Location: Carnation, WA

Paul,
I used the area were the door would be cut out as a mold. I made two lay-ups of 5 layers of 6 oz cloth and used one as the door itself and one for the door shelf. Then cut out the door shape in the cowl, traced the shape of the opening to one of the lay ups to make the door and fit the door to the hole. the second lay-up is fastened to the inside of the cowl with polyester finishing resin (not epoxy resin) and then cut away leaving a 1/4" lip.

Steve

Wes · Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:55 pm Post subject: Oil Access Door

Steve,
What a nice piece of craftmanship on the door! You have set the bar pretty high on this one.
Did you consider a spring loaded open mechanism? Or is that a dangerous idea not worth the effort?

Wes

kit #95

alan · Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 116 Location: Baytown, TX

I delibrately did not do the oil door thing. I want to look at my engine in it's entirity before each day of flying just to be sure nothing is falling off. If I could check the oil without removing the cowling I might get lazy. I mean no offense to those who have a door, I just don't want to do it that way.

Alan

Gary H · Joined: 29 Sep 2006 Posts: 78 Location: Othello, WA

All GA aircraft have oil doors. At least all that I have flown. I think you get tired of that in a hurry. :lol:

stede52 · Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 209 Location: Carnation, WA

Wes,
I looked at a number of doors and latch types, I liked the hinge because you couldn't see it and the dzus fastner was simple and I had a number of different sizes in my shop :) . Many of the other latch mechanisms were either too difficult to install in fiberglass or bulky.

Steve

stede52 · Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 209 Location: Carnation, WA

For those of you wanting to build a oil door, I just found the hinge that would have made hinging my oil door much easier to make, check this site out:http://www.averytools.com/pc-954-112-oil-door-hidden-hinge.aspx, i

Steve

Dave Krall CFII SEL SES · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Seattle WA

stede52 wrote: For those of you wanting to build a oil door, I just found the hinge that would have made hinging my oil door much easier to make, check this site out:http://www.averytools.com/pc-954-112-oil-door-hidden-hinge.aspx, i

Steve

Steve,

I cut & pasted that link & some variations of it, and get all kinds of neat stuff except a hidden hinge oil door...

stede52 · Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 209 Location: Carnation, WA

Drop the ",i" that was a typo, use: http://www.averytools.com/pc-954-112-oil-door-hidden-hinge.aspx

Dave Krall CFII SEL SES · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Seattle WA

stede52 wrote: Drop the ",i" that was a typo, use: http://www.averytools.com/pc-954-112-oil-door-hidden-hinge.aspx

Many thanks. It worked and I ordered one. Now looking for one of those pushbutton popup latches...

stede52 · Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 209 Location: Carnation, WA

Dave,
the pushbutton latch that I bought from Wag Aero (PN: H-844-000) see attached pic, wouldn't work because the fiberglass of the cowl was too thick, they are built for thin metal cowls. You will also need to make such a huge hole to accommodate the latch that it just didn't work. Just my opinion.

Steve

Dave Krall CFII SEL SES · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Seattle WA

stede52 wrote: Dave,
the pushbutton latch that I bought from Wag Aero (PN: H-844-000) see attached pic, wouldn't work because the fiberglass of the cowl was too thick, they are built for thin metal cowls. You will also need to make such a huge hole to accommodate the latch that it just didn't work. Just my opinion.

Steve

There's the push botton flush, round ones about finger tip size typical of Cessnas that I'm thinking would work good.