I started off today checking my right strake bottom video camera mount where I floxed 2 platenut assemblies inside the outboard strake.  The cure was good and I removed the tape and remounted the mounting plate.  To reiterate, I used MGS 335 for the flox on this job.  Task complete.

I then checked the aft end of the right winglet intersection fairing where I had laid up a ply of BID using West epoxy and slow (206) hardener.  I looked at this layup as more of finishing layup vs structural, so West should have done fine.  But it didn’t.

I don’t know if it’s the very high humidity that we currently have, but the layup just didn’t cure at all (see end of post).  I also experienced not completely cured West epoxy on the underside right wing epoxy wipes, where it kept gumming up my sandpaper.  I stopped my sanding to reattack tomorrow with another full day of cure under my belt.

Ok, not related to the West issue, but not wanting to waste any epoxy I did use some of the MGS 335 flox from the right strake video camera mount platenut attach, mixed with some micro to cut it a little, to then fill the corner on the left side aft nose/avionics cover; where it mates with the corner of the canopy.

Over on the left wing, I marked the extended bottom flange for trimming (pic 1) to give it 1/8″ more to the flange to cover the gap caused by adding a thick washer at the wing bolts.

I then used my Fein saw to trim the added glass and micro before sanding it down smooth (pic 2).

I want to get as much glasswork and layups out of the way as possible on this build, and knew that I had a few more to do on each outboard strake storage compartment… one of the few big sub-projects left on this bird.

I grabbed my painters tape “map” diagram for the right strake that outlines where I need cut to get the storage hatch open.  I of course just needed to verify that it itself was in the correct location and orientation… note the very small diameter drill poking up from the aft inboard corner.

Once I nailed down the map’s “coordinates” I was cleared hot to start cutting out the right strake storage hatch door.

Here is the inside view of above, with the blade peeking through right at the front face of the CS spar (left top of pic).

It took a little bit to get the curved corners cut out since I couldn’t use the Fein saw there, but after drilling a line of small holes with the tiny drill bit, I then used my razor knife to cut the corner glass (pic 1).

I then set the hatch door back in place to check it’s fit (pic 2).

And removed the tape to get a general idea of how it will look once the install is complete.

And another shot looking straight aft from the front.

And a look at the storage compartment from inside with the hatch door off.

You may remember I mounted and then buried a spring loaded hinge —the same used for my cowling oil check door— which I then wired into the closed/down position as I floxed the top strake skin in place (pic 1).

I quickly discovered that by following my cutting diagram on the blue painters tape, that I hadn’t allowed for the thickness of the top strake skin, which is just under 0.5″.  The thickness of the top skin is blocking the hinge from fully opening (pic 2).

Moreover, after testing the hatch door in place on the hinge, I realized it would not have the hinge-side edge clearance to allow it to freely open or close.

Although not 100% on my plan going forward, I wanted to get a thinner hatch door “in the oven” and started.  I made a cardboard template of the original hatch door, and then added about 3/8″ on the hinge side when I cut out 3 plies of carbon fiber.

I set the original hatch door back into the strake cutout and taped it over with painters tape and clear packing tape.

I wet out peel ply first on the tape, then wet out the 3 plies of carbon fiber (pic 1).  I then finished the carbon fiber layup with peel ply (pic 2).  This got an alternate, correctly contoured hatch door curing overnight that I can use tomorrow in my figuring out this issue.

Back to my West epoxy failure for my initial right winglet intersection fairing aft face layup.  Below you can see the uncured and pliable BID that I ripped off.  In addition,  over 8 hours from this morning the micro was still rubbery and easily broken in parts as shown here.

For the carbon fiber layup I did above I used Pro-Set epoxy, and with some left over in the cup I mixed up some micro, applied it to the foam and inside edges (pic 1).  I then laid up a ply of BID and peel plied it (pic 2).

Hopefully this one will take!

I’ll continue to charge forward on this build tomorrow.