RV-12 cowling

Ok so I gave it my best shot on building the cowling. Everything fit great but when I finished the lay-up on the air duct to the radiator something shifted. Now after two months of work, the bottom cowling is skewed slightly and does not fit. Don't believe there is any fix for it. I went on and finished most everything else but I put off making the fiberglass for the canopy. I only have a garage to work in and it is attached to my house. Even though fiber glass work stinks up the whole house, my wife has been very patient with me. She is such a sweetheart, battling cancer and never complaining. I just can't start over, mixing resin around her. Does anyone know where I can have a bottom cowling made and the canopy completed? What is the name of the company that builds Van's RV-12s for them? I have been working on the plane for three years and my biological clock says it is time to get this project wound up and finished.

Hey Dale,

Check your private messages.

Hi Dale,

I understand real well. I went through the same thing. Anyway, Synergy Air, http://synergyair.com are the folks that build the RV-12 S-LSA for Van's.

Alex

fiber glass work stinks up the whole house

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What kind of resin are you using? The epoxy that I bought does not smell unless you get very close to it.

I had to redo mine. I thought I could remove the cowl and let Clecos hold the duct in place, but it managed to shift just enough to cause a problem and require re-glassing. Let the epoxy set up with the lower cowl in place.

I wish you lived closer, I have a complete new cowling you could have for free!

West System products do not stink the place up. I can't tolerate the other resins/hardeners either. The lower cowling on my #2 ship shifted a bit also. That's a great offer Don made.

Dave12 said:

West System products do not stink the place up. I can't tolerate the other resins/hardeners either. The lower cowling on my #2 ship shifted a bit also. That's a great offer Don made.

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Yes it is. Check on shipping cost. Don is a clever fellow - maybe he can crate it up for you.

Don't know if you can roll the fuselage outside but if it was me, I'd cut the cooling shroud and remove it and see if the cowling fit. If so make attachment tabs for the shroud and re-cleco and test fit. If all is ok, take it outside and reglass and be sure to fully connect and attach both cowls for cure. After it has setup and degassed for a few hours, move it back into your shop.

I use the West system epoxy inside my home frequently,and have yet to hear my wife complain, and believe me if she could smell it, she WOULD complain

Dave12 said:

West System products do not stink the place up. I can't tolerate the other resins/hardeners either. The lower cowling on my #2 ship shifted a bit also. That's a great offer Don made.

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Epoxy vs. Vinylester vs. Polyester Resins
Polyester resin is weaker and it stinks.

My first home built was a wood and glass WAR FW-190. I got the acquired epoxy allergy, and it sucked. I approached the canopy glassing with trepidation, but the polyester technology was light years beyond 1994 when I glassed the FW. Never had any allergy issues with polyester.