Wing Fairings

[MikeB]

I'm sure some of you on this site have made new fairings (between the wings and fuselage). I'm planning on making my own for my L16 project. I was thinking of .025 aluminum but I measured the panels from my Champ and some are .040 for whatever reason. The only one that looks somewhat difficult is the one (s) that fit around the windshield cutout. My metal working skills are somewhat suspect but thought I'd give it a try. Appreciate suggestions

Thanks,
Mike

[james gevay]

Mike, I think that making wing fairings would be easier than you think. If you can make a pattern, then you should be able to make the actual part.
Probable the pieces that are .040 was because that's what was on the bench at the time, and someone didn't want to spend the time or energy to get the correct material.

If you have a good part that fits like you want it to, then use it as a pattern. Lay it out flat on a table and trace it out on the material your going to use. If the part your going to replace doesn't fit correctly in the first place, then your going to have to make a pattern yourself. Use something like a manilla folder from the office supply store. There cheap and redily available, and they're about the right thickness. Cut your pattern slightly larger and see how it fits, use a scissors to shave it down to size a little at a time, patience and trial and error works here.

Once your pattern fits the way you want it to, trace it out on your material, use one of those magic marker type of pens. I don't know what you have for cutting out sheet aluminum, I only have hand tools myself. Cut as closely as you can to the curved line on the fairing. I would probably cut the edge that butts up to the wing rib first, and then the curved part that goes next to the windshield next. It doesn't have to be perfect, the gap will be filled with rubber weather stripping. You don't want the metal right up against the plastic windshield. I would leave the last two ends a little extra long until I was done, and then cut them to length.
Use a file to come as close to your line as possible and then a little sandpaper to remove all burrs and sharp corners on your parts.

I hope this helps, remember, if you don't like the way the part is turning out, you can always make another. The material is pretty inexpensive for the small parts.
Jim

[MikeB]

Thanks Jim,
Since I took the wings off my Champ I have the fairings to use for patterns. I laid them out on the L16 and looks like the fit is good so I might as well use them for patterns. I'll go with the .025 thickness and see how things look. I have a air shear and various hand shears for tools. I'm going to have to go to the local sheet metal shop for some of the sharper bends though.

Mike

[Nathan K. Hammond]

Sounds like you've got it figured out Mike.

When building root fairings from scratch, I take a 2" strip of masking tape and line it up with the root rib and pull it from top all the way around to the underneath side of the wing. Using a combination square and taking measurements in 1/4" interval's down the tape, I mark the distance from the rib center to the windshield. When done, transfer the measurements onto a piece of Aluminum and it should fit right up.

I shamelessly stole the idea from a SuperCubber. Although he measured the gap opening in 1/8" intervals and marked the tape accordingly.




nkh

[MikeB]

Amazing what one can pick up from various places . I may have to try that idea as the windshield cutout is slightly different from the Champ for whatever reason.

Mike