Brief Description: Scalloped Cowling Braces/Drilled to Firewall
I used a file to get a straight edge on the edge of the top skin. The edge was cleaned up with the die grinder. The top skin was clecoed back in place.
The cowling braces for the top were forced into place against the firewall flange and the holes were marked with a Sharpie on the braces. Marks were also made for the tentative positions of the camlocs. The lowest holes in the top cowling braces will be positioned between two rivets. The next holes upward are three inches up. I then used four-inch separation for the holes across the top. I marked the cowling braces for the locations of the scallop cutouts. Using the Unibits, I drilled 3/4'' holes. I then marked angles from the tangent of each circle and cut each line with the hacksaw. The lines were filed evenly and then cleaned up with a mini-file and the die grinder. The cowling braces were then curved using a steel pipe.
The left brace was clamped in place and #40 holes were drilled thru the firewall flange and the brace. The right brace was drilled in the same manner. The braces had overlap in the middle, so each brace was trimmed. All of the holes were deburred.
The scallops are beginning to be cut out
The left cowling brace after the scallops were complete, along with the removed material
The left cowling brace clamped in place, drilling has begun
