Thumbs

	1.) Finish Sanding the foam for the forward deck.
	3.) Canopy to forward deck fit The canopy is actually lighter in shaded color than what actually shows in the pictures.
	4.) Rear Canopy Trim. I bought this attachment for my Dremel called a PermaGrit Wheel. It's made from Tungsten Steel, and cut through the canopy like a knife through hot butter.
	5.)Rear Canopy Trim 2. I used black electrical tape to mark the trim lines and covered the black tape with blue masking tape offset by .032. I made the cut just shy of the blue tape. Finish sanding the cut- only required a minimum of clean-up.
	7.) Laying out the turtledeck
	8.) String for the Turtledeck and rear canopy bulkhead
	9.) Fit of thecanopy to rear bulkhead template. Couldn't even get a .0025 feeler gage to slide between the template and the canopy
	10.) Transferring the template shape to the foam. The endtrim of the canopy was used to get the correct offset to OML.
	11.) Cutting the foam
	12.) Bulkhead to canopy fit- There is actually a 1" sealing lip under the canopy. Here you can also see the BL 0.0 string-line transferred to the foam for the turtledeck.
	13.) BL 0.0 for the turtledeck shape
	14.) Adding the turtledeck formers. Here you can see the tangent spline stings added.
	Duct tape Dam to show how to retain the Instafoam.
	My KR has the Mumps!
	Sanded the foam into shape. I wish I had gotten another picture, but the cured parts released from the foam form with absolutly no damage!. I could of done another part immediately if I had wanted to.
	My Wife gets the credit for this one. We used Frost King Window Film (available from Walmart), and shrunk the film over the foam. The results were fantastic. Pictures don't really do any justice, because the pictures pick up the striations of color in the surface of the foam.
	I layed Visqueen over the release film, marked the trim line with a Sharpie. Next I laid the Visqueen onto the build table, and trimed the visqueen on the trim lines. Next, I used blue masking tape centered on the trim line to hold the visqueen flat onthe table. (Ok, I admit I'm anal about this) I then laid the lightweight deck-cloth down, taped and trimed the cloth. Repeated the same process for the next 2 layers of BID. Here you can see me squeegie-ing the West System Epoxy into the layup. I was very impressed with the way the West System wetted out, very quickly and uniformly, you just can't beat the ease of use, and my wife didn't even complain about the smell, in fact said that it didn't smell bad at all.
	The next step was to take it back upstairs, flip it onto the foam tool, align it on the tool, squeegie out any air bubles, remove the plastic backing, then apply peel-ply onto the layup.
	Repeated the same process for the Turtledeck, except again my wife gets the credit for this also, while adding the peel-ply, as I stretched the over the form, my wife added these reliefs (slits) into the edge of the peel ply. As you can see, it fit perfectly over the compound curvature. The slits went right up to the trim edge, but never past.
	The next step is to carve the foam tool with Hat sections to stiffen the turtledeck "skin". I plan on doing the same for the forward deck and add foam aft of the instrument panel mock-up to create the glareshield and canopy frame.
	Modifying the Foam tool with a router.
	The results of the first set of passes.
	Changed to a tapered stone for the router.
	Results of second and third passes of the router. I fabricated Male and Female gages using the Xerox ink transfer method. From a Xerox photocopy, press a hot clothes iron (highest setting) over the paper. The heat transfers the thermoset ink onto the metal. I used the Female gage to set the height of the router tools. Here I'm using the Male tool to check the Hat Cavities.
	Final sanding of the Hat Cavities using a fabricated sanding block.
	3 hours later... Duct Tape applied into the Hat Cavities. Tried the Window Film in 2 different application techniques, both failed to produce acceptable results. So we used the back-up plan.
	Laying out the 3 inch BID Tape. Over the Tried and True Plastic Method.
	Here's a Rarity for any builder; My wife buttering the hat flange perimeters with Flox! As you can tell, she's thrilled about her picture being taken!
	Placed the prepped outer skin onto the foam tool and clamped it down over each hat location using bungee cords.
	90% completed! Still have to fabricate the Canopy "roll Hoop" and add plys for the piano hinge interface. What you can't tell is how stiff this part feels, the hat structure really stiffens the skin. Should have no trouble handling the negative air pressure loads. The turtle deck is sitting on my 8' pool-table to give you an idea of the scale.
	Here's the underside of the Turtledeck as removed from the tool showing the hat details. Still have to remove the excess flox and trim the ends of the hats. The hats are totally closed off at this point, trapping air inside, I'll trim the ends which opens the bottoms of the hats and allows the air not to be pressurized during flight, which could cause delaminations.
	The Tale of the Tape: 4 lbs, 10 oz. ! I guess-ti-mate that I may add another 3/4 to 1 1/4 pounds when complete with the roll hoop and hinge build-up plys.
	Right Side view of the Forward Canopy Deck- In-Process Photo
	View of the canopy sills, latch doublers and aft canopy hoop frame.
	View showing temporary canopy brace. I bondo'd this in to maintain Butt Line Position of the canopy frame.
	Canopy sills & aft frame bonded into canopy and outer frame.
	Glareshield fit check, canopy sills being bonded into the canopy frame. Forward view
	Floxing Tip: Mix up some flox as usual. Note the Blue mark in the corner of the ZipLok bag.
	Roll the top of the ZipLok down and spoon the flox into the bottom of the bag.
	Cut the corner of the ZipLok bag to the size of Flox bead needed.
	Squeeze the Flox where it is needed. Like icing a cake (according to my wife).
	Canopy sitting in place. Note the gap between the front edge of the canopy and the firewall? The header tank will occupy that location. And the canopy gooseneck hinges will attach (pivot) on the aft face of the header tank. More on the header tank construction later.
	"Blue Dream" is beginning to look like a real airplane now. Notice how the lines of the canopy blend nicely with the turtledeck?