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Installation of Cowling insulation

Graham

Active Member
Hi Folks,

I am trying to install vans aluminium foil and fibrefrax insulation blankets to my lower cowl of my RV6. I have the following observations, and have a couple of questions so would appreciate feedback from people who have done this.

1. FIBERFRAX.

I am using 1/8" thick material as I found the 1/16" sheet a bit fragile.
This sheet has bonded well to my painted cowl inside surface using Pliobond, so far so good.

2. FOIL.
My foil came from Vans wrapped in a tubular shape but the packaging has created "ridges" in it about 5" apart, parallel to the cylindrical centreline. Working the surface with a rag and running over the ridges with a putty knife helps, but they seem to be impossible to eliminate completely.
Anybody had similar ridges, and been able to eliminate them?

The sticky "inner" surface of the foil doesn't stick to the fibrefrax very well, has anybody bonded these two surfaces together eg using pliobond??
The foil does overlap the insulation blanket by 2-3"as recommended by most sources.

Getting a smooth exposed surface on the foil is proving difficult, not helped by the ridges. I am working the material outwards from the centre, but still end up with ridges.
Anybody got any recommendations on techniques to improve the foil exposed surface?

Thanks
Graham
New Zealand

Wings attached.
 
The pliobond isn't necessary. Just capture the fiberfrax between the foil and the painted surface.
"Wipe" it firmly with a plastic squeegee.
 
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