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35-18 & 19 Cowling Hinges

First of all you have to track down the correct hinge material … the manual suggests HINGE PIANO 1/8.

It’s the same, of course, as the hinge used for the cowling sides.

Then trimmed etc as per the manual.

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Once you’ve deburred the edges of the Fwd Top Fuselage Skin, it’s important to follow the manual workflow and remember to break the side edges prior to dimpling!

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As I clecoed on the top skin, I found that a few flanges on the Subpanel needed a little more fluting depth in a few places to improve hole alignment.

Then it’s the same workflow as for the side hinges … clecoing a reference hole, and then having clamped the hinge in position, match drilling.

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You keep the hinge in the correct position by keeping parallel to a reference line drawn on the hinge. But I found a little guide I had made when doing the side hinges, and used that as well.

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Small cleco clamps either side of the hole to be drilled kept everything nicely in place.

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Left side all done …

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… and the right side : )

Before taking it all apart there are a few holes to be final drilled.

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And then once the skin is removed, some hole deburring and a bit of dimpling.

I had to remove a bolt in the Canopy Hinge Ribs to get access for one of the holes that needed a dimple.

Because of the small flange depth I also used a reduced diameter female set.

Machine Countersinking

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This is how I jigged the curved hinges to enable the countersinking to be done using the drill press.

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The #30 holes in the top longeron also need to be countersunk … gulp!

Can’t afford to get these wrong!

So I took my time, and taped on a piece of material to match the depth of the side skin, enabling a relatively stable base for the countersink cage.

It all worked out, but I was pleased to get this job behind me!

Then the top skin can be dimpled.

Next job … back in to the spray booth to prime/paint the pieces.

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