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Lasar windshield stc


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1 hour ago, Browncbr1 said:

Today, I did a final fit of the windshield and drilled all pilot holes using a skinny step bit.  Step bit is definitely the way to go.  I definitely recommend clecos on the windshield as the fit isn’t perfect without some pressure in areas.  I’m told it will relax after some time in the hot sun.   Pulled windshield off and counter sunk ...  the front holes are not counter sunk as much as the holes that are on the cabin side in order to account for dimpled material.   I dimpled the new holes at the top of the cabin and after some deliberation decided to put nut plates along the entire front of the cowl deck where the windshield is held down.   I just thought later on down the road, I wouldn’t want to be fighting doing a two person job to the the tiny nuts on and off if the windshield ever needs replacing.    The extra work now will pay off later.  

I also fabricated a new bracket for the magnetic compass and painted is black, as well as the fiberglass glare shield.  

I hope to get the cowl deck fully riveted on and windshield installed tomorrow.  

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Really nice work!

When you rivet the skin in place are you going to put a thin layer of PRC between the skins?  It would make it truly weather tight.  Adding plate nuts is a great idea for future maintenance work, Piper used them on several models as well.

Clarence

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9 hours ago, M20Doc said:

Really nice work!

When you rivet the skin in place are you going to put a thin layer of PRC between the skins?  It would make it truly weather tight.  Adding plate nuts is a great idea for future maintenance work, Piper used them on several models as well.

Clarence

THanks!  Yea, prc is going everywhere.  Lasar supplied 3 tubes with the kit, but I also have some in my fridge from a recent tank patch. 

Its going between skins and between skins and glass as well.  

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Well, my bucking bar helper for putting in the deck had Dr appointments, so will get to that tomorrow.   

On a bitter note, the supplier never shipped my new blue AN fittings to make the hydraulic plumbing pretty.  Several calls and it turns out they are backordered.  Nice, take my money and never tell me they don’t have it.  So, I am going with  less than pretty hidden inside under the cowl deck and I’ll put the new stuff on forward of the firewall when it arrives. 

After looking at the new headliner plastic part, I decided it would be easier to modify my existing plastic that already has a nice leather wrap.   I cut back for the post and marked where I wanted to bend and used a soldering iron to heat a crease to bend.  After bending, I mounted to mark where to cut the excess plastic.  

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35 minutes ago, EricJ said:

Did you buck the nut-plate rivets or use a squeezer?    Looking really nice either way.

Some I had to buck and the ones that I could use the squeezer, I did.   The squeezer is preferred.   I countersunk all the tiny holes where nut plates went.   Everywhere that the deck attaches to the firewall and side skins, I was able to dimple with the squeezer, quick and easy.   All but a few on the fuselage were dimpled..  the ones I couldn’t reach I counter sunk so the top skin dimple would fit in it.  

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Today I got the deck  and windshield on.  

Generally, the little out of prc made riveting the deck a little bit challenging.  Cherrymax rivets are definitely the way to go on the sides.  

After getting the deck riveted on, I put the cowl on to verify fit.  It was VERY tight.   

I used an edge roller to get the 5 degree 1/4” bend at the edge of skin at the top of the windshield.    Do this BEFORE dumpling those screw holes.   I had to flatten, then re-dimple.  I mixed up prc and got the windshield put on.  I have two bits of advice for others looking to do this project.   1. Do nut plates on the cowl deck. Totally worth it.    2. When putting in the windshield after spreading prc,  go ahead and remove the inside protective coating so that none is able to hang down and get in the prc and smear it.   My helper accidentally let so excess plastic wrap coating smear prc on the black painted deck near the front left.  Luckily, it will be covered by the fiberglass insert, but it just bothers me knowing the job was a little sloppy.   

Anyway, I got all screws threaded all the way around, then when center to outside tightening all snug.  I should have used more PRC, as I can see areas that didn’t quite seal up, so I went along with more sealant around edges afterward.  All the leading edge also got a popsicle stick fillet of sealant. 

I got the interior panels reinstalled.  I’ll need to do a little more work on the overhead leather panel, or maybe see what can be done with the supplied molded part.   

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Looks great. 

Has it taken you as long as you had expected ?

What has been unexpected or unforeseen task in the project? 

Curious how much instrument panel access do you have ?

Does top off easily enough access panel from inside?

What about the firewall i.e. alternator voltage regulator bolts  or any other items mounted on the fire wall,  can you  remove top of the instrument panel to get access  to bolts/nuts on the fire wall or does this now become a 2 person job ?

James '67C

 

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The job has taken. Little longer than I thought, but I attribute that to my lack of experience doing this job.  I think the 40-50 hours that lasar quotes is for the fastest workers who have experience doing many of these before.  I’m not sure how 40 hours is even possible.    

7 hours ago, jamesm said:

Looks great. 

Has it taken you as long as you had expected ?

What has been unexpected or unforeseen task in the project? 

Curious how much instrument panel access do you have ?

Does top off easily enough access panel from inside?

What about the firewall i.e. alternator voltage regulator bolts  or any other items mounted on the fire wall,  can you  remove top of the instrument panel to get access  to bolts/nuts on the fire wall or does this now become a 2 person job ?

James '67C

 

 

I spent time relocating certain things to make access easier in the future.   If you compare my pictures with the install instructions, you can see more sub panel and cowl deck material was cut away to help access.  

If my stall horn ever goes bad, I’ll either have to abandon it and install another somewhere, or pull the panel.  Other than that, most everything else is still accessible, some with a helper.  

My voltage regulator is forward firewall and held on by stand off bolts, so I can remove and replace without holding a bolt head inside the cabin.  

Edited by Browncbr1
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I got the retaining strip on and flew it today.  

First, I set and drilled, clecoed all holes. I counter sunk and de-burred all holes and drew trim lines to cut.   Pulled the strip off, trimmed areas and used the 5 degree edge finisher all the way around.   After that, I clecoed everything back to inspect fit after edge finishing.  Some areas needed more bending/shaping, so I marked areas, shaped, and refit trial and error 5 or 10 times.  Once fit was acceptable, I used mask tape to ensure no sloppy prc on the windshield.   I mixed up a tube of prc and applied liberally.  I used the entire tube on this little strip and then clecoed and cherrymaxed between.   I used a popsicle stick to fillet everywhere and pulled up tape immediately so it wouldn’t pull once it’s set up.   

While I let it set up, I cleaned up and pulled the plane out.   Flew it for about an hour down low.  It was hot and bumpy so I reserve all judgment except one.  Without a doubt, this mod results in more reflective glare on the inside from the glare shield.  I’m going to go find a black paint that is super flat specifically design for this application.   I used a satin that was on hand, but it’s no good.   I’lol have to do something about the leather dash pad too, as it glares now.  Never had a glare issue before except for when I was wearing a light colored shirt.   Maybe now, because of the angle, clothing glare won’t show up, so that would be nice.   

 

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Edited by Browncbr1
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Really enjoyed this thread and the documentation / photos you shared. I might have to take on this project next year (time permitting) but I noticed you like so many others including myself tend to put things on our wings, I use these moving blankets from Harbor Freight, they are cheap insurance for your paint and if folded in quarters do a fair job in taking the pain out of the J-Bar lock on the floor. Great info and a really nice job, waiting to see if and speed was gained and was the noise level reduced

40 in. x 72 in. Moving Blanket

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Got a chance to fly it around today after painting.  

I cant tell any difference in noise. 

I think TAS improved 3-4kts at my typical cruise setting.  

After painting the fiberglass glare shield insert again using flat black primer and flick style spraying it, all glare went away.  Visibility is good.  

Now I don’t have to worry about water frying my stuff. ;)

 

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On 8/10/2019 at 8:33 PM, RLCarter said:

Really enjoyed this thread and the documentation / photos you shared. I might have to take on this project next year (time permitting) but I noticed you like so many others including myself tend to put things on our wings, I use these moving blankets from Harbor Freight, they are cheap insurance for your paint and if folded in quarters do a fair job in taking the pain out of the J-Bar lock on the floor. Great info and a really nice job, waiting to see if and speed was gained and was the noise level reduced

40 in. x 72 in. Moving Blanket

I like to use these to lay tools on wings.  If you put them latex side down, they don't slide off the wings.

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1 hour ago, Browncbr1 said:

Got a chance to fly it around today after painting.  

I cant tell any difference in noise. 

I think TAS improved 3-4kts at my typical cruise setting.  

After painting the fiberglass glare shield insert again using flat black primer and flick style spraying it, all glare went away.  Visibility is good.  

Now I don’t have to worry about water frying my stuff. ;)

 

 

I really have enjoyed watching your work on this.  Thanks a bunch for sharing.   I'm gonna do that in a year or two, right be fore we get 'er painted.

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1 hour ago, Browncbr1 said:

Got a chance to fly it around today after painting.  

I cant tell any difference in noise. 

I think TAS improved 3-4kts at my typical cruise setting.  

After painting the fiberglass glare shield insert again using flat black primer and flick style spraying it, all glare went away.  Visibility is good.  

Now I don’t have to worry about water frying my stuff. ;)

Nicely done!   Is the cowl next?

 

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15 hours ago, EricJ said:

Nicely done!   Is the cowl next?

 

Thanks.  Yea, I’m waiting to see if David’s 2nd generation cowl gets off the ground.    Will do long side windows next year.  

Edited by Browncbr1
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17 hours ago, Browncbr1 said:

Got a chance to fly it around today after painting.  

I cant tell any difference in noise. 

I think TAS improved 3-4kts at my typical cruise setting.  

After painting the fiberglass glare shield insert again using flat black primer and flick style spraying it, all glare went away.  Visibility is good.  

Now I don’t have to worry about water frying my stuff. ;)

 

 

After painting the fiberglass glare shield insert again using flat black primer and flick style spraying it, all glare went away.  Visibility is good.  

I think TAS improved 3-4kts at my typical cruise setting.

 

_____________________________________________

Nice you are a about 6 months ahead of me on my mods.  So you got about 3-4 kts from painting the glare shield!  How much did you get from the new wind screen???? LOL just kidding and couldn't resist.

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2 hours ago, Browncbr1 said:

Thanks.  Yea, I’m waiting to see if David’s 2nd generation cowl gets off the ground.    Will do long side windows next year.  

It’s going to make it as I now have too much invested in it to not press forward. I think for those who want it before the STC is finished that we can work it via 337 field approval. Browncbr1, after seeing your work on the windshield, the cowling will be easy. 

Thanks,

David

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1 hour ago, Sabremech said:

It’s going to make it as I now have too much invested in it to not press forward. I think for those who want it before the STC is finished that we can work it via 337 field approval. Browncbr1, after seeing your work on the windshield, the cowling will be easy. 

Thanks,

David

I am wanting it on field approval.  Of course those of us that have been on the "list" would go the 337 route yesterday.

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