Log Entries - January 2000

Date	Chapter	Description	Hours
Sat 1	4	Removed the peel ply and finished trimming the aft face of the IP. Sanded all edges smooth. I was concerned by some dry spots and bubbles under the UNI layer. I finally contacted an EAA technical counselor. Marvin Wahl of Denver came by to have a look. He felt there wasn't a problem. I'm still concerned a bit but the IP isn't load bearing. Prepared and glassed the front face of the IP. Applied slurry, two layers of BID and one layer of UNI (again, above the leg holes). Covered face with peel ply. Knife trimmed the holes and top edge after a bit of drying. Cut out the foam for the three pieces making up the landing gear bulkheads. Used print outs from a CAD file obtained from Zeitlin's web site.	7
Sun 2	4	Removed the peel ply from the IP and trimmed and sanded all the edges and cutouts. Next I cut all the stiffeners that go on the front face of the IP. I used 5-minute epoxy to attach the two horizontal stiffeners in place. I then applied the one layer of BID to the upper surface of each stiffener. Next I intended to make the landing gear bulkhead hardpoints. I cut all 22 pieces of BID at 8" x 12". I layed down a 8 x 12 pattern then placed a sheet of saran wrap over it. Next I layed down a sheet of peel ply. I then began laying out the layers of BID. As I worked I started to notice that the layers were shifting around. After seven layers I realized I had a big problem. Due to the shifting the seven layers didn't all completely cover the 8 x 12 area. I made the BIG mistake of not taping the saran wrap down. So even though I made sure each new layer covered the 8 x 12 area, the area was is a slightly different spot each time - oops. I attempted to salvage the situation by removing each layer and setting them aside. I then taped a new sheet of saran wrap down and attempted to relay the fiberglass. No way, no how. Isn't going to happen. The epoxy was getting thicker and I couldn't even get the first layer shaped right. #?!?$%?@$! I ended up scrapping the mess. It was too late to start over so I will tackle this again another night starting with cutting seven new rectangles.	5
Mon 3	4	Trimmed and sanded smooth the layup on the stiffeners. I then applied to double layer of BID on the bottom surface of the stiffener and formed the lip. Completed the 22 layer layup for the hardpoints. This took hours to do. I didn't finish until 2 in the morning! Both sides have peel ply and the whole thing was covered with saran wrap and weighted overnight.	6
Tue 4	4	Removed the peel ply from the hardpoint payup and cut it square. Discovered it is 5/16" thick instead of 1/4". Posted message to mail list and got about half saying OK to use and half say to do it over.	1
Thu 6	4	Trimmed the second layup on the horizontal IP stiffeners. Attached the foam for the two vertical stiffeners with 5-minute epoxy. Did the first layup on these stiffeners.	1
Sat 8	4	Trimmed and sanded the previous layup. Prepared and performed the second layup on the stiffeners. Cut all the glass to redo the landing gear bulkhead hardpoints.	2
Sun 9	4	Trimmed and sanded the final layup for the IP stiffeners. Redid the 22 layer layup for the hard points. I seemed to do a much better job this time. I made use of a hair dryer more. This seemed to help when ever the epoxy started to thicken a bit. I definitely used less epoxy than last time. I'll know for sure tomorrow how it turned out. Cut out the four 1"x1" aluminum engine mount inserts for the firewall. Cut the four corresponding holes in the plywood for the inserts.	7
Mon 10	4	Removed the peel ply from the hardpoint layup. Overall it was much better. The thickness was 0.28" instead of 0.32". I rubber cemented the patterns to the layup and cut out the four hardpoints. I then cut the landing gear bulkhead foam to take the hardpoints. Cleaned up the shop a bit.	2
Wed 12	4	Epoxied the hardpoints in place with the bulkhead foam. Sanded everything smooth. Sanded the bevels on the upper front landing gear bulkhead. Sanded both sides of the firewall pieces in preparation for glassing.	2
Thu 13	4	Did the layup on the forward face of the two forward landing gear bulkhead pieces. Each had 2 layers of BID and one layer of UNI. I know I am going to have issues with the peel ply as usual. I tried one builder's idea of putting plastic over the peel ply before squeegeeing it. It seemed worse. Eventually I will get it figured out.	3
Sat 15	4	Removed the peel ply from the previous layup and trimmed the glass to the foam edges. The masonite used to weight the lower bulkhead was stuck to the peel ply. It took an hour to get it removed. I used a chisel to thin the masonite enough to remove the peel ply!	2
Mon 17	4	Did the layup on the aft face of the forward landing gear bulkhead. Two layers of BID and one of UNI. Added peel ply.	3
Tue 18	4	Removed peel ply and trimmed all glass edges. Had some trouble with the tape. I should've removed it while the glass was still wet.	1
Fri 21	0	Attended my first EAA Local Chapter meeting. This was chapter 301 held at Centennial airport. I had another technical counselor take a look at a bulkhead. He was pleased with it. This made me happy since I was worried about the dry spots I was getting from the peel ply.	0
Sat 22	4	Did layup on front face of the aft landing gear bulkhead. Two plies BID and two plies UNI over whole face then 8 layers UNI over each ear. Glued in aluminum attach points in real firewall. Did single ply BID layup on the aft face of all the firewall pieces.	8
Tue 25	4	Removed all the peel ply from the landing gear bulkhead and all the firewall pieces. Trimmed and sanded flush the fiberglass. Marked and drilled the 3/16" holes for the blind screws in the firewall.	2
Sat 29	4	Countersunk all the holes for the blind screws in the firewall. Ground flats on all the screw heads and roughed up the screws so the epoxy has something to stick to. Floxed all the screws into place. Did the final layup on the aft landing gear bulkhead. This included two plies BID and two plied UNI overall plus three plies UNI on the ears. Peel plies the whole face. Glassed the aft face of the firewall with one ply BID. Peel plied the whole face.	5
Sun 30	4	Removed the peel ply from the landing gear bulkhead and trimmed and sanded the edges smooth. Removed the peel ply from the firewall pieces and trimmed and sanded all the edges smooth. Cleaned up the shop in preparation for chapter 5.	2
Mon 31	5	Layed out and nailed down jigs FJA, FJB, and FJC for making the longerons. Prepared and epoxied the 6 105" strips to make the longerons. Secured them in place against the jigs.	3
Monthly Total	62

Sat 1

4

Removed the peel ply and finished trimming the aft face of the IP. Sanded all edges smooth. I was concerned by some dry spots and bubbles under the UNI layer. I finally contacted an EAA technical counselor. Marvin Wahl of Denver came by to have a look. He felt there wasn't a problem. I'm still concerned a bit but the IP isn't load bearing. Prepared and glassed the front face of the IP. Applied slurry, two layers of BID and one layer of UNI (again, above the leg holes). Covered face with peel ply. Knife trimmed the holes and top edge after a bit of drying. Cut out the foam for the three pieces making up the landing gear bulkheads. Used print outs from a CAD file obtained from Zeitlin's web site.

7

Sun 2

4

Removed the peel ply from the IP and trimmed and sanded all the edges and cutouts. Next I cut all the stiffeners that go on the front face of the IP. I used 5-minute epoxy to attach the two horizontal stiffeners in place. I then applied the one layer of BID to the upper surface of each stiffener. Next I intended to make the landing gear bulkhead hardpoints. I cut all 22 pieces of BID at 8" x 12". I layed down a 8 x 12 pattern then placed a sheet of saran wrap over it. Next I layed down a sheet of peel ply. I then began laying out the layers of BID. As I worked I started to notice that the layers were shifting around. After seven layers I realized I had a big problem. Due to the shifting the seven layers didn't all completely cover the 8 x 12 area. I made the BIG mistake of not taping the saran wrap down. So even though I made sure each new layer covered the 8 x 12 area, the area was is a slightly different spot each time - oops. I attempted to salvage the situation by removing each layer and setting them aside. I then taped a new sheet of saran wrap down and attempted to relay the fiberglass. No way, no how. Isn't going to happen. The epoxy was getting thicker and I couldn't even get the first layer shaped right. #?!?$%?@$! I ended up scrapping the mess. It was too late to start over so I will tackle this again another night starting with cutting seven new rectangles.

5

Mon 3

4

Trimmed and sanded smooth the layup on the stiffeners. I then applied to double layer of BID on the bottom surface of the stiffener and formed the lip. Completed the 22 layer layup for the hardpoints. This took hours to do. I didn't finish until 2 in the morning! Both sides have peel ply and the whole thing was covered with saran wrap and weighted overnight.

6

Tue 4

4

Removed the peel ply from the hardpoint payup and cut it square. Discovered it is 5/16" thick instead of 1/4". Posted message to mail list and got about half saying OK to use and half say to do it over.

1

Thu 6

4

Trimmed the second layup on the horizontal IP stiffeners. Attached the foam for the two vertical stiffeners with 5-minute epoxy. Did the first layup on these stiffeners.

1

Sat 8

4

Trimmed and sanded the previous layup. Prepared and performed the second layup on the stiffeners. Cut all the glass to redo the landing gear bulkhead hardpoints.

2

Sun 9

4

Trimmed and sanded the final layup for the IP stiffeners. Redid the 22 layer layup for the hard points. I seemed to do a much better job this time. I made use of a hair dryer more. This seemed to help when ever the epoxy started to thicken a bit. I definitely used less epoxy than last time. I'll know for sure tomorrow how it turned out. Cut out the four 1"x1" aluminum engine mount inserts for the firewall. Cut the four corresponding holes in the plywood for the inserts.

7

Mon 10

4

Removed the peel ply from the hardpoint layup. Overall it was much better. The thickness was 0.28" instead of 0.32". I rubber cemented the patterns to the layup and cut out the four hardpoints. I then cut the landing gear bulkhead foam to take the hardpoints. Cleaned up the shop a bit.

2

Wed 12

4

Epoxied the hardpoints in place with the bulkhead foam. Sanded everything smooth. Sanded the bevels on the upper front landing gear bulkhead. Sanded both sides of the firewall pieces in preparation for glassing.

2

Thu 13

4

Did the layup on the forward face of the two forward landing gear bulkhead pieces. Each had 2 layers of BID and one layer of UNI. I know I am going to have issues with the peel ply as usual. I tried one builder's idea of putting plastic over the peel ply before squeegeeing it. It seemed worse. Eventually I will get it figured out.

3

Sat 15

4

Removed the peel ply from the previous layup and trimmed the glass to the foam edges. The masonite used to weight the lower bulkhead was stuck to the peel ply. It took an hour to get it removed. I used a chisel to thin the masonite enough to remove the peel ply!

2

Mon 17

4

Did the layup on the aft face of the forward landing gear bulkhead. Two layers of BID and one of UNI. Added peel ply.

3

Tue 18

4

Removed peel ply and trimmed all glass edges. Had some trouble with the tape. I should've removed it while the glass was still wet.

1

Fri 21

0

Attended my first EAA Local Chapter meeting. This was chapter 301 held at Centennial airport. I had another technical counselor take a look at a bulkhead. He was pleased with it. This made me happy since I was worried about the dry spots I was getting from the peel ply.

0

Sat 22

4

Did layup on front face of the aft landing gear bulkhead. Two plies BID and two plies UNI over whole face then 8 layers UNI over each ear. Glued in aluminum attach points in real firewall. Did single ply BID layup on the aft face of all the firewall pieces.

8

Tue 25

4

Removed all the peel ply from the landing gear bulkhead and all the firewall pieces. Trimmed and sanded flush the fiberglass. Marked and drilled the 3/16" holes for the blind screws in the firewall.

2

Sat 29

4

Countersunk all the holes for the blind screws in the firewall. Ground flats on all the screw heads and roughed up the screws so the epoxy has something to stick to. Floxed all the screws into place. Did the final layup on the aft landing gear bulkhead. This included two plies BID and two plied UNI overall plus three plies UNI on the ears. Peel plies the whole face. Glassed the aft face of the firewall with one ply BID. Peel plied the whole face.

5

Sun 30

4

Removed the peel ply from the landing gear bulkhead and trimmed and sanded the edges smooth. Removed the peel ply from the firewall pieces and trimmed and sanded all the edges smooth. Cleaned up the shop in preparation for chapter 5.

2

Mon 31

5

Layed out and nailed down jigs FJA, FJB, and FJC for making the longerons. Prepared and epoxied the 6 105" strips to make the longerons. Secured them in place against the jigs.

3