Jon Matcho

The Rough River fly-in made the news on AOPA Live this week.

I'll definitely be making a trip to the automotive store! Corners without the tape kinking up are the key.

I took a closer look at your pictures. Your inside shot is a touch blurry so that might be hiding some of what you're talking about, which I think is exactly what I am dealing with right now (see the pictures). I built-up a "tape dam" using several layers of painter's tape. The micro build-up is quite thick, and my plan now is to remove the thick "tape dam" and replace with just 1 layer of painters tape. I am going to put down a final treatment of micro (just for edge aesthetics), wait until the micro gels up a touch so it's not running, then pull the tape so I have a clean line. I'll put another layer of tape down after that, just for protecting the plexiglass so I can complete final sanding and whatnot.

You might be right! Diatomaceous earth, which is tiny broken-up bits of fossilized diatoms, is used as an organic gardening material to prevent bugs. I also just learned that it’s used as a stabilizer for dynamite. So there you have it, our planes are “Organic” AND “dyn-o-mite”!

That was my first reaction as well. I am now hesitant to show the quality of the joint I have come up with for the Glassair III door/window repair I've just done. Back to the shop... Andrew, consider that good and get some protective covering back on that canopy! Seriously, at most you could put some thin painter's tape on the window for a straight edge, then put on some West until it gels up, then pull the tape and let it cure.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you start sanding too early when the epoxy is in the "bubble gum" stage. This will end up making a mess of your sandpaper and you won't get much done. I just found this out after sanding on West's extra slow hardener (209) from a session last night (~9 hours ago -- my shop is getting cool these days so that didn't help). I haven't had much of a problem when sanding after fully cured, but then again it's never fun sanding drips away. In general I have been happy with the sandability of West 105 with glass micro-balloons. Otherwise this foray into finish-sanding could have been thoroughly discouraging.

Terry Schubert, the editor of the Central States Association Newsletter and host of the Rough River Fly-in, has asked me to share this here with everyone:

That was a fast and low trip, actually from SMQ (Bedminster, NJ) a short ride from my house. This past weekend I saw a canard go overhead but when I ran in to check Flightaware I could not find it. I love hearing that unique sound and getting confirmation when I see it above. The Piaggio Avanti 180 makes a similar sound and is just as beautiful.

I feel like I have a chance at dealing with the Finishing process when I get to it (which I've been told is 33% of the entire build). West is your friend and there are a lot of good guides out there, such as this one:

I'm actually using West 105 Resin with the 209 Extra Slow hardener. The properties for 209 are slightly lower than the 205 Fast hardener, but the window before cure is MUCH longer. I like going to bed sometimes. ? Ah, I just learned about the line of West Filler products. Cool, I'll have to get some and try them out! Thanks for the tips -- my next question coming in here today was going to be about when/how to transition from epoxy/filler to primer.

I'll go out on a limb and say that Keith and I both meant "just follow the plans." Where else would one "follow the layup schedule"? My point is not "exactly incorrect" and is not even "just" incorrect. If anyone were to follow the plans exactly ("follow the layup schedule") their planes would build and fly as intended by the designers. In the Cozy IV plans (not sure why we're discussing the Cozy in the Open-EZ topic, but OK) Section 14 Step 6 states (bolding and underlining is mine): Some deviation from theoretical is acceptable, if due to the tape being thinner or thicker than .025 after removing cross threads. It is acceptable to use one or two layers more, or one or two layers less, to fill up the trough. For the Long-EZ Section 14 Step 7 is also clear on how to do this: Measure the depth of the spar -- if the layup is over-size, sand (maximum of .04) to size. I have not checked the Canard Pushers, but in either case following the plans and incorporating all changes (Canard Pusher newsletters, or Cozy newsletters if we're talking about an Open-EZ 4!) will produce a good result. Perhaps there are developments in the Cozy community post-Nat Puffer, and I would certainly research these tips and recommendations (notably from Marc -- the human center of the Cozy universe -- and several others such as @Kent Ashton). I suspect Cameron does not have Long-EZ drawings so a methodology to link the Long-EZ plans in the plans-only TERF CD to the Open-EZ drawings (same measurements as Long-EZ drawings) is flawed from the onset. My point is that the same confusion would have been produced in 1984 by doing the same thing with Long-EZ Plans and Long-EZ drawings. Presently there are no Open-EZ plans per se; one needs to use Long-EZ plans. Cameron, how specifically did you get your Open-EZ measurements? If you are interpolating top/bottom trough sizes from the Open-EZ drawings, please do the same with actual Long-EZ drawings and I assure you that you will end up at the same place.

Seriously, where are we at with this? Are we good, or am I still confused?

I was working on sand-and-fill using the West 205 105 epoxy system, which is just a mix of micro-balloons ("micro") and epoxy. I can now confirm these statements: Sanding after the MGS epoxy system cures is like sanding a rock. Sanding after the West system cured is much easier. I still don't like finish-sanding.

I do believe you missed the side you wanted captured on that PDF -- it's blank.

Still putting the Cozy aside, no. ?