Sunspot 36 LX (Leading Edge Landing Lights) - AEROLED’s (Part 2)

The install of the leading edge landing lights (taxi lights for my plane - see Part 1) was pretty straight forward and only took about 30 minutes for each side.  The parts below make up the two brackets that will hold the lights in place.  These parts were prepared about 2 - 3 years ago and were just hanging out in my toolbox….waiting for their moment to shine…..and the time has come.

Here is the back side of the light installed on the right wing.  I used 14AWG wire for power and ground.

This is a side view with the adel clamp installed on the side of the bracket to hold the wires in place.

Van’s has several grounding locations in the tips of the spars.  Here is one of the locations I used to ground the light.  I need to add some LPS 3 on the grounding location to help prevent corrosion….since I sanded off everything for the ground.

Here is a front view of the installed light on the right wing.

I completed all the same steps for the left wing light install.  Lastly, here is the final test to make sure the lights worked correctly in the electrical system with the appropriate switches on…..VICTORY!  The lights still have the microfiber towels on the lens in this picture.  My attempt to keep dust and debris off the lens and also help prevent any accidental scratches.

Install Complete

Finishing, Cowl Baffle (Part 10)

The work and picture in this post is from July 2, 2023.

Well, I waited long enough from the last work session to fabricate the two CB-00025 Outboard Tension Rods and the two CB-00026 Inboard Tension Rods.  All four of the Tension Rods were fabricated from SSP-120 Stainless Pin.  The Rods were cut to length, bent to the appropriate angles (different on each end) and had 6-32 threads cut on all eight ends.   The four finished pins are shown here being compared to the drawings in the plans.  I got really close.

The four Rods were then installed on the Baffling.

Finishing, Cowl Baffle (Part 9)

The work and pictures in this post are from October 12, 2021.

One of last aluminum pieces of the Baffling to be prepared and installed is the CB-00034 Right Air Ramp Cone.  Here it is clecoed into place on the Right FWD Assembly.

Now, this piece started out as a flat piece of aluminum.  If you look closely in the white circle, there is a bending template that was glued to the back of the part.  There was a total of 10 individual bend lines to get the finished shape of the Cone.  It wasn’t overly difficult, it just took a little finesse to get it to fit properly.

Here is what the Cone looks like after completing the bending.  I think it turned out pretty good.

Now, the Right Air Ramp Cone was removed and treated with alumiprep and alodine.  After that dried, I sprayed it with Akzo primer and the silver epoxy paint.  And it was ultimately riveted into place on the Baffling (guess what, I don’t have a picture).

Finishing, Cowl Baffle (Part 8)

The work, pictures and video in this post are from October 11, 2021.

This is the Left FWD Assembly installed on the engine.  Van’s did a great job designing the Baffling!  Look how nicely this piece fits around the prop governor.

This view shows the Left FWD Assembly a little further back than in the previous picture.  The big opening is where the K&N Air filter will go.

One more view of the Left FWD Assembly.

This is the Right FWD Assembly.  It fits just as nicely as the left side does.

Another view of the Right FWD Assembly.  In this angle, you can see the SCAT tube vent much better.

Lastly, this is just a head on view of the front of the engine with the Baffling installed.

Finishing, Cowl Baffle (Part 7)

The work and pictures in this post are from September 30, 2021.

Alright, AGAIN!…..I didn’t take any pictures of this before I riveted it together!  However, you will be able to see the assembly pretty well when I install it on the engine in the next post.

This is the “Right” FWD Assembly and is made up of the CB-00003 Cylinder #1 Baffle, CB-00005 Right FWD Baffle Mount, CB-00007 Right Air Ramp and the CB-00012 Right FWD Baffle.  Once it was all together, I applied high temp RTV using the same process as discussed in the previous post.

This is the “Left” FWD Assembly and is made up of the CB-00001 Cylinder #2 Baffle, CB-00008 Left FWD Baffle Mount, CB-00009 Left Air Ramp and the CB-00011 Left FWD Baffle.  High temp RTV was also applied to this Assembly.

Finishing, Cowl Baffle (Part 6)

The work and pictures in this post are from September 28, 2021.

Below is the completed CB-00007 Right Air Ramp.  I also forgot to take pictures of these parts prior to assembly.  There are three parts that make up this assembly…..the CB-00007 Right Air Ramp, 3”x 3” Vent Screen and the DL-03 SCAT Tube Flange.  This is the “front” of the assembly that fresh air will flow in through the screen.

Here is the “back” of the assembly.  I ended up trimming some of the loose ends of the screen with flush cutters to clean it up a little.

Finishing, Cowl Baffle (Part 5)

The work and pictures in this post are from September 27, 2021.

After all the RTV dried, I installed the Left and Right AFT Baffle Assemblies to the engine.  Here is a rear view of the Left AFT Assembly…..

…..and the front view.  From this view, you can also see the AFT Center Bracket attached to the Baffles (where the right and left overlap) with two AN3 bolts into the nutplates.

This is the rear view of the Right AFT Assembly…..

…..and the front view.

Here is an overall view of both sides.  (The picture is kinda blurry).

Finishing, Cowl Baffle (Part 4)

The work and pictures in this post are from September 25, 2021.

The CB-00004 FWD Center Bracket and the CB-00016 AFT Center Bracket are shown installed on the engine in the two pictures below.  These Brackets will eventually hold some of the Baffles in place when they are installed on the engine.

 The Left AFT Baffle Assembly is shown in the picture below.  As I mentioned in the previous post, I forgot to take pictures of the parts prior to riveting them together.  For the next few steps, I used high temperature RTV Sealant (in this case red) as instructed in the plans.  The RTV was put on the areas of the Baffling that will be making contact with the cylinders when installed on the engine.  To get the RTV locations correctly, I temporarily installed the Baffle Assembly to the engine and marked exactly where it would make contact with the cylinders.  Then, I used orange auto painters tape (the blue painters tape would also work) to mark off the areas where the RTV would need to be applied.  I applied the RTV directly to the Baffle, used a popsicle stick to “smooth” it out and removed the tape after the RTV started to get a little tacky (about 10-15 minutes, if I remember correctly).  The plans say to make the RTV thickness 1/32”.  When I was finished, I think mine was a little closer to 1/16” thick.

I followed the same procedure for the Right AFT Baffle Assembly.

I will let the two assemblies hand up and dry for a day or so and then install them on the engine.

Finishing, Cowl Baffle (Part 3)

The work, pictures and video in this post are from September 24, 2021.

This is the Right AFT Baffle Assembly and is made up of three separate parts.  The CB-00015 Right AFT Baffle, the CB-00010 Baffle Mount and the VA-187 4” Flanged Duct.  Each of the three pieces have been identified in the two pictures below.

There is also a CB-00017 Left AFT Baffle Assembly (with several associated parts and pieces) that I forgot to take pictures of before it was assembled.  So, I will show those parts and pieces in the next post when I install them on the engine itself.

Finishing, Cowl Baffle (Part 2)

The work, pictures and video in this post are from September 23, 2021.

All the parts and pieces in this section were treated with alumiprep, alodine and Akzo primer.  Additionally, I painted them with a silver epoxy paint (since they were going around the engine).  

 

Below is the CB-00003 Cylinder #1 Baffle and the CB-00002 Forward Doubler before they were riveted together.

This is the CB-00001 Cylinder #2 Baffle.  It has already been riveted to the CB-00002 Forward Doubler.

Here is the CB-00014 Cylinder #3 Baffle.  It has already been riveted to the CB-00002 Forward Doubler.

Lastly, here is the CB-00019 Cylinder #4 Baffle.  It also has the CB-00002 Forward Doubler riveted to it.

Below are three pieces…..the CB-00028 Cylinder #3 Bridge, CB-00029 Cylinder #3 Bridge Left and CB-00030 Cylinder #3 Bridge Right…..all riveted together.

Fuselage, Rollover Structure (Part 9)

The work and pictures in this post are from August 4, 2020.

The last step in closing out this section is installing the F-14125-R & -L Skin Stiffeners.  In the two pictures below, both Stiffeners have been prepared and riveted into place on the Aft Fuselage Top Side Skin using the AN426 rivets called out in the plans.  Here is the left (pilot) side…..

…..and the right (copilot) side.

Section Complete

Fuselage, Rollover Structure (Part 8)

The work and pictures in this post are from August 3, 2020.

After all those rivets were installed, I used my gray SEM to paint the rivets.  Here was the result…..

The seven AN470 rivets were installed here on the right (copilot) side attaching the Roll Bar Brace Brackets to the Top Skin and Bulkhead.

…..and the same seven AN470 rivets on the left (pilot) side.


Then, I also painted them with gray SEM.  Here is the right (copilot) side…..

…..and the left (pilot) side.

The last few rivets were the additional three AN470 rivets attaching the Roll Bar Brace to the Bulkhead.  Here are those rivets (which have also been painted).

The last four rivets in the Rollover Brace are LP4-3 that connect the Roll Bar Brace to the AFT Roll Bar Assembly.  Here is the left (pilot) side…..

…..and the right (copilot) side.

Fuselage, Rollover Structure (Part 7)

The work and pictures in this post are from August 3, 2020.

The C-01432 Bushing Doublers were riveted to the FWD Roll Bar Assembly using LP4-3 rivets (top) and LP4-5 rivets (bottom).  Additionally, the six LP4-3 were riveted in the lower part of the assembly.  This is on the right (copilot) side.

The Bushing was installed…..

…..and the C-01433 Bushing Covers were riveted into place using LP4-3 rivets (top) and LP4-5 rivets (bottom).

The process was repeated on the right (pilot) side.  Here is the Bushing Doubler riveted into place…..

…..the Bushing installed…..

…..and the Bushing Cover riveted into place.

Here is the opposite end of the Roll Bar Brace Assembly.  This shows the Assembly riveted to the FWD and AFT Roll Bar Assembly using six CR3212-4-3 and four CR3213-4-3 cherry rivets.

*****Note:  the tiny small holes (four of them in this picture) will eventually be used to attach the baggage compartment window.  It will be installed in Section 38*****