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We decided to have the baffle backing plates stick up higher than the baffles. Adam has made paper patterns and has converted about half of them to metal.


I don't think we can quite catch Ryan unless he has another kid. It is funny how despite delays on both sides we have more or less kept on a similar schedule to first flight.

Bryan Cotton wrote:I don't think we can quite catch Ryan unless he has another kid. It is funny how despite delays on both sides we have more or less kept on a similar schedule to first flight.

Yea it seems like forever ago that I finished my baffles (because it was, about 3.5 years,) but it terms of build time it was only 230 more hours from there to completion. A decent bit of that was stuff like fairings, fiberglass work, polishing and paint (which you've already mostly done,) and dealing with Turbo SB, defunct ELT replacement, and quite a bit of troubleshooting with ignition, carb/throttle and instruments.

Some baffle progress.

Here Adam has finished the aft and side baffles including riveting.


We have one place where we need to glue a couple of rubber pieces together. We did a sample coupon using red RTV. Was impossible to pull apart.


Here is progress on my oil cooler baffle. I have it mostly riveted up.

You can also use waxed rib lacing cord to stich baffles together. This works well and doesn't tear thru the silicon like safety wire will.

Jeff

The baffles are slow going. My first oil cooler baffle was a bust. Working rev 2. I am going to need a couple of square to round adapters. I made a plug out of foam.


Next I made a female mold. I've done some more finishing since this picture.


A couple in progress baffle pics.

My wet layup is curing with a vacuum bag as I write this. I have it outside because the cheap HP pump mists oil.


Adam got this much of the front baffle riveted up.

My vacuum bagging was a success, except the wax job didn't prevent the layup from sticking to the mold. The part and mold are both destroyed. I guess this is validation for choosing a sheetmetal airplane.


So, now I am going back to nature's composite - aluminum and solid rivets.


The front left corner is a pain. I am dropping my standards, suspending my disbelief that it will work, and we will use this flashing patterns to make parts.

Bryan,

You are not "dropping" your standards; it's called a "revision," Standards V1.1 LOL...

Joe in SE Mich
Waiex 181 in progress

We are substantially done with the baffling. I'll have to get some pictures.

Here is my concept for the breather. I have glued in a short length of tube and will use silicone hose to route it out to the bottom. I am going to rivet on this baffle with solids. I am debating doing the Tony Bingelis thing with stainless steel scrubbers but am not sure about that. I will probably make another baffle that rivets on top of the box and keeps the oil from having a straight shot at the holes.


It has been very slow lately. We got distracted by a $200 Buick Century for my younger son.