Wendell Folks RV-8 Project - Page 52.

May 12, 2007:  I took a few minutes to look at Wendell's carb heat door before my early morning departure for Florida.  He had a good fit with the clecoed FAB assembly.  It was a bit oversize, but I reminded him that the final fit would come after we get the hinge and door installed in the FAB.   He had also done a good job refitting the rear baffle to the number three cylinder.

May 14, 2007:  The Monday evening session was about adding fiberglass to the bowl of the filtered air box covering the relief cuts made previously.  This lines up the opening to the FAB with the air scoop in the front of the lower cowl.

Wendell had a visit from Rich Nadig and learned that the alignment of the alternator pulley with the pulley on the ring gear assembly has a slight misalignment.   The bracket attaching the alternator to the engine needed to be moved slightly after having round holes turned into short slots.

May 15, 2007:  It is finally time to start cutting the carb heat access port into the filtered air box plate.  The first cut allows the hinge to be clecoed in place.  The lines drawn on the top show how much the hole will be enlarged. 

May 16, 2007:  We had a short session this evening due to a quick run to the Collegedale Airport to buy AVGAS before the price went up.  The carb heat door was match drilled to the hinge when the FAB was clecoed together.  Here is the door assembly ready to be riveted together. 

May 19, 2007:  I showed Wendell how the foam blocks had to be shaped and glued into position at the carburetor air inlet with epoxy.  The next session will be about removing the amount of foam as needed to form the air inlet duct from nine-ounce fiberglass cloth and epoxy.  I brought over my balloons to inflate in the duct when it is curing. 

The other reason I came over to Wendell's place today was to inspect my airplane, pack it, and get it ready for tomorrow's flight to Florida and back.  I took off the upper cowl and checked on things inside and also used the fluting pliers on one part of the strap that secures the cowl to the firewall.

May 23, 2007:  The Wednesday evening session with Wendell was about opening up the foam blocks to form a duct path for later fiberglass installation.  I took this shot without the flash engaged in AUTO mode.  You can see that part of the foam blocks need to be filled in with some clay before the fiberglass air duct can be laid up for curing.  The carb heat door is behind that cleco you see inside.

The flash was turned on for this slightly different view.

This view shows the alignment of the lower side of the "duct" with the opening to the filtered air box.  This opening for the O-360 engine appears to be larger than the one I built for my O-320.  I really should do some comparative measurements with my cowl inlet.