Cotton Waiex 191 - N191YX

[Bryan Cotton]

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.

[Rynoth]

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.

[Bryan Cotton]

Some baffle progress.

[Bryan Cotton]

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.

[sonex1374]

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

[Bryan Cotton]

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.

[Bryan Cotton]

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.

[Bryan Cotton]

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.

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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.

[RCfly46]

Bryan,

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

Joe in SE Mich
Waiex 181 in progress

[Bryan Cotton]

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.