SonexBuilders.net

Any suggestions on making this part, order of work, techniques, etc. Mine are starting to generally look kind of OK but I'm getting some small dimples trying to make the curved center section. I've tried hand bending over pipe, an anvil horn, and bottles. There must be a liquor bottle out there the correct shape but the ones I've tried haven't worked out. By the time I get the bottle empty I lose interest or get too sloppy.

I did mine slightly differently and got good results...I raised both edges of the fairing off the table with some wood and used my thumb pressing into a large metal spoon to massage the fairing into a curved shape.

I successfully used an aluminum baseball bat - did it by hand where the barrel of the bat changed shape.

Robbie Culver
Sonex 1517

Have you annealed the aluminium sheet?
I found it a whole lot easier to make the tapered roll on a main u/c leg after doing so.
Cut the blank, put a few sharpie squiggles across the blank, grad a propane torch and heat it playing the flame over the entire surface until the squiggles disappear.
Allow to cool, your piece should be a whole lot softer.
It will work harden a little but it's non structural so don't be too concerned

Cheers
Tony

I did mine by hand with no annealing but cheated and used some 0.020" material which made life much easier. The result was good. I also fitted it using aluminium pop rivets instead of self-tapping screws. If you ever need to remove the fairings you can just drill out the rivets. I haven't needed to in 2 1/2 years.

Peter
Sonex #894

Hi Thad,
Here is what I did. I used the edge of my bench and some WD-40

https://www.flickr.com/photos/planeolbo ... 455697799/

Bob

Used 0.016" 6061-T6 on mine, worked mostly by hand. Easy. With the few small attach screws, this is not a stressed part.

David A