(22) Cowl ( Mike )

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planecrazzzy
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(22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
OK, This is a Challenge.... This will make the "Look" of this Aircraft....

I'm picturing a sleek Tailwind look.... I've got a good Start...

I bought a Nose Cowl ...

He has raised the price of the Nose Bowl to a ridiculous amount...

Same with the Spinner...

..
. Now , I'm working on putting brackets in place.... Once they are secured in position...

I will split the Cowl.... Top half and Bottom half...

Then it's a matter of sheeting the Fuselage to the cowl...
.
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Gotta Fly...
Mike & "Jaz" the Flying Dog
.
.
In these pictures... First , I needed to secure a top "Lip" for the cowling.... ( I had to remove the engine and Firewall to do this )

Second... The cowling was cut a little crooked... I squared it and trimmed it...

Then , in order to see where I'm going to split it , I mounted it into it's position....

I drew a few lay-out lines on it , using some lines on the Firewall....

Now , the splice in the cowl should "line up" with the Cowling "Half's"
.
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
.


Working on Splitting the Nose Cowl...

Once I get all the hardware in place , Then I will make the cut...

These pieces seem to curve in every direction...

The tools used are : Shear , Roller , Beader , Shrinker , English Wheel , and Ball Peen Hammer...
.
.
. Gotta Fly...
.
...
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
I got the hardware in place and the cowl "split"
.
Gotta Fly...
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
I put the nose cowl "in place" ... and took some measurements...

There were too many angles and curves. So I used some paper to get a pattern...

Some places I added a little extra... I'll trim to fit after the bottom of the cowl

starts coming together...
.
.
Gotta Fly...
.
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
Getting the general shape...

I like how it's turning out...
Gotta Fly...
.
.
.
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
I've got the two top pieces shaped pretty good...

I'll need a lot more detail work on them...

Gotta Fly...
Mike & "Jaz" the Flying Dog
.
.
.
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,

Making the center "Hump" on the cowl... I tried using the rollers to shape it...

The 6061 was curling on the edges , but the middle needed a lot more...

So I shaped it on the English Wheel ( with the Rubber Wheel )

This should stiffen up the center of the cowl...

I'm going to end up with a aluminum edge on both sides of the cone shape/ hump

I'll put a slight taper to the lip.... and finish it with Bondo...
.
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Also , I'm going to overlap the nose cowl "hump".... This will give the cone a straight shot...

It should look good...
.
.
Gotta Fly...
Mike & "Jaz" in MN
..

.
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
First , I need to connect both upper half's of the cowling.... I used those tiny 3/32" rivets

and tapped them with a hammer...

The overlap was about an inch... my rivet patten was like a "W".... it's strong....it's one piece now.
.
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The rivets will be hidden by the center hump/cone shape...

I put the flush part of the rivet on the inside... that's where they will be seen.
.
.
Gotta Fly...
Mike & "Jaz" in MN
.
.
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
.
Next , I need to "fit" the cone area.

I'll get it close , and work with some Bondo later to blend the edges...

This piece really helps add strength to the aluminum in the middle area....

Instead of forming it "to" the nose cowl "hump"... I overlapped it.
.
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This will give me a cleaner "line"... and I think it's stronger.
.
.
I think the Cowl is a pretty important part of the "Look" of the plane...

Also , The "Top" half is the most important of that...

I like the way this is turning out... It's giving me that fast "Tailwind" look....
.

.
Gotta Fly...
.
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
I took some time to clean up the garage , and fixed a couple tools...

After looking at the lower cowl area several times... I put some paper on the lower area

to get a better idea of what to do. At first , It looked like crap !

But I made a few marks , took it down and trimmed it....

It's looking much better , something I can work with...

I need to take it down again and tape the area around the gear...

Once I get the pattern close , I'll trace it onto Aluminum...

These won't cover the whole bottom... The center section will be a flat piece....

These side pieces will have all the curves and bends in them....

I think it'll be easier to work with it this way....
.
Gotta Fly...
Mike & "Jaz" the Flying Dog
.
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
I tried the pattern on both sides... looks good.

I've made it bigger in places... The Cowling will be trimmed after it's in place.

This will give it good lines...

After "Lay-out" I curved it using the English Wheel... with an 8" rubber wheel in place of the Steel one...
.
Gotta Fly...
.
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Posts: 1154
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
These pieces shaped up fast... This is a ruff fit... But I like it...
.
.
Gotta Fly...
.
.
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
User avatar
planecrazzzy
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Posts: 1154
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:23 pm
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
A lot of cross checking.... and I've got a few Cleco's in place on the lower cowling...

Gotta Fly...
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
User avatar
planecrazzzy
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Posts: 1154
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
I got enough Cleco's in the lower cowl to take the top half "off"...

It worked like it's supposed to , I made a few marks and trimmed a few more places...

I put the top back on... it is SOLID...

There aren't any structural arms... But the shell is very sturdy.

I still need to put a few more mounting screws on the top Firewall area...

and the upper cowl will get a couple on the sides...
.
.
Gotta Fly...
Mike & "Jaz" the Flying Dog
.
.
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
User avatar
planecrazzzy
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Posts: 1154
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:23 pm
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Re: (22) Cowl ( Mike )

Post by planecrazzzy »

Hey Guys,
A few pix...

I made a channel to hold the side area , bowed out slightly....

It helps "Stiffen up" the flimsy side area...
Gotta Fly...
.
.
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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