I started off today by cleaning up the aft side of the bottom cowling baffle mini-bulkhead and prepping the front side for the final layup.

I started with an inset ply of Lantor Soric to provide a little thickness and stiffness to the bulkhead, since this is also a stiffener for the bottom cowling.  I will be adding a short connected “wing” to each side, about 1/2″ high to finish off the bottom cowl stiffener on the aft side.

I then laid up the last single ply of carbon fiber, peel plied the edges that intersect the cowling and then along the top.

I cut the cardboard form and used the tape side against the top peel plied edge and clamped it into place with 2 larger clamps.  I then used clothesline pins to pinch the top seam together so that there was no resulting gap between the aft side and front side plies of CF.

With the left over epoxy I laid up a couple plies of CF on the aft left vertical side of the top cowl where there is a very slight depression (pic #1).  This should even it out straight so I’m not reliant on thicker micro to fill in the dip.

I also added a bit of flox to micro and filled in the errant first Static hole drilled on the right side nose (pic #2).  It may need a minor bit more when I finish micro-finishing the nose, but the major fill is complete.

I then spent a number of hours marking up and then using the band saw to cut out the baffle seals edge securing strips.  I also employed the Dremel tool a good bit to get these things shaped as well.

Here we have the right side and right front baffle seal edge securing strips set in place.

Another shot of the right side baffle seal edge securing strips set in place.

I was also able to complete the front side baffle seals edge securing strips.

And almost got the left side completed as well.  It was quite late at this point and those front side baffle seal edge securing strips are the most detailed of them all.  I kicked that can until tomorrow since there is a lot of cutting to do on this sucker.

With the front side layup on the bottom cowl baffle mini-bulkhead was about 80-90% cured, I pulled the edge peel ply before removing the clamps and cardboard form.

About an hour later I pulled the final piece of peel ply before razor trimming and sanding the edge.  Voila!  Bottom cowl baffle mini-bulkhead complete.

I then pulled the peel ply and cleaned up the layup on the aft left side of the top cowling as well.  Another minor yet important task off the to-do list!

Tomorrow I plan on knocking out the last topside (left) baffle seal edge securing strip before making up the ones for the lower baffle skirt.  At that point I’ll be ready to start installing the baffle seals, which I intend to get a fair amount, if not all of them, installed.