Scale Wendell Hostetler 30% Piper Cherokee Glass Fuselage Build.

I can't even imagine putting that much time into a dashboard.

Well I'm calling this one a prototype and trying again. I can do better.

Thinking about finishing the cabin area and decided that the previously installed rear cabin former had to go.



The 1/16" plywood former was replace with a 1/16" balsa laminated with 4 ounce cloth on one side and 1 1/2 ounce on the other




I wanted to fit the cabin front former before fitting the wings. This former is 1/8" contest balsa laminated with 4 ounce cloth on each side, looking for a little more strength here. It is not glued in yet , that time will come after the firewall is permanently installed.



Also have the cowl plug color sanded and polished, beginning to wax, may start the layup tomorrow.

TonyHallo said:

Well I'm calling this one a prototype and trying again. I can do better.

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That look’s perfect to me, are really going to build a second one you have incredible patience.

It was far from perfect. Have the new foam cut and bending the balsa, have to go slow, bending 3/16" balsa, bend a little, soak it down with ammonia wait and bend a little more.

Have the tooling coat and the first layer of 3/4 ounce cloth on the cowl plug, might get the 1 1/2 ounce layer on later today.



The dash wood is prebend, harderen the edge with thin CA so the it sands more controllable. On the first one the dash, the Naugahyde was glued on the outer surface then rolled around the front edge. The problem with that method is you can stretch the material but not shrink it so the wrinkles were formed around the bends in the top corners. I plan to glue the Naugahyde under the wood then stretch it over the outer surface. After the dash is in the vacuum bag will begin coping the wing roots,

OK I have the dash in the vacuum bag, I hope it works out. The Naugahyde was first glued to the underside as planned with contact cement, had to use a heat gun to get the Naugahyde flipped over the top of the dash. Once this happened it became apparent that contact cement could not be used so Gorilla glue was used instead, hopefully no wrinkles form while compressed under the vacuum. It looked nice before the glue was applied. Will see in a few hours.

Lots of great things going on here. I need to catch up.

The dash looks to be acceptable, I'm going with it.

Tell me about the air valves on the plug you installed.