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Sid & Houston Mayeux Project
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Date: 6-15-2013
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Number of Hours: 3.00
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Manual Reference: Tail light
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Brief Description: Fabricating/mounting the tail light mounting brack
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Because I intend to rivet the rudder bottom cap permanently to the rudder, I must have a way to unscrew/remove the tail position/strobe light for maintenance as required. This means I must fabricate an attachment bracket to the rudder bottom cap which will accept the tail light's steel screws. I'll need to run the wire with sufficient excess service loop to pull it all out the back of the rudder cap hole, unplug the light as required, etc.
I needed a way to mount the light, so I fabricated a mounting plate mockup out of 0.035 aluminum. I first created it by drilling a 13/16 hole in the aluminum (the size of the tail light's center body that must fit into the mounting hole. With the light resting on the aluminum in the hole, I traced the outline of the light onto the aluminum, then cut out that outline. I then trimmed it to fit inside the back of the cap, then test fit it. When I liked the fit and the shape, I used that aluminum mock-up as a template for the real part which I cut from 0.125 steel.
I cut/grinded the piece and made sure it fit in the bottom cap. I then drilled the center hole (13/16") and the two screw holes, and tapped for 4/40. I test fit it in the cap, and made sure the tail light assembly would fit in it and the screw holes aligned. Finally, I permanently secured the bracket into the bottom cap with West Systems epoxy, 406 hardener, and microfiber. I used the light's mounting screws to hold the bracket in place and aligned. I used Turtle Wax to keep the epoxy from hardening on the screws.
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Drilling the center and screw holes
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Tapping the screw holes
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Bracket in place w/ epoxy and microfiber
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