912 Oil Dipstick access door

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stede52
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912 Oil Dipstick access door

Post by stede52 »

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
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scubarider2
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looks great

Post by scubarider2 »

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
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Post by b1x4nqb »

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
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Post by Dave Krall CFII SEL SES »

That's a cool job no doubt but there has GOT to be an easier way (Ihope)!
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stede52
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Post by stede52 »

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
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Wes
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Oil Access Door

Post by Wes »

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

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alan
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Post by alan »

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
If I had known I would live this long I would have taken better care of myself.
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Gary H
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oil door

Post by Gary H »

All GA aircraft have oil doors. At least all that I have flown. I think you get tired of that in a hurry.  :lol:
Will fly for food!!
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stede52
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Post by stede52 »

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
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stede52
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Post by stede52 »

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-oi ... hinge.aspx, i

Steve
Dave Krall CFII SEL SES
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Post by Dave Krall CFII SEL SES »

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-oi ... 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...
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stede52
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Post by stede52 »

Drop the ",i" that was a typo, use: http://www.averytools.com/pc-954-112-oi ... hinge.aspx
Dave Krall CFII SEL SES
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Post by Dave Krall CFII SEL SES »

stede52 wrote:Drop the ",i" that was a typo, use: http://www.averytools.com/pc-954-112-oi ... hinge.aspx
Many thanks. It worked and I ordered one. Now looking for one of those pushbutton popup latches...
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stede52
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Post by stede52 »

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.  
Image

Steve
Dave Krall CFII SEL SES
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Post by Dave Krall CFII SEL SES »

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.  
Image

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