Brief Description: Flox Aluminum Ears/Tabs to Plexiglass
We still had some time left and decided to flox the aluminum ears down to the plexiglass. This was my first experience with fiberglass. Basically flox is just cotton fibers mixed into an epoxy resin and is used as a structural filler. Matt uses Jeffco epoxy on his Lancair since this is what is recommended by his kit company. And it doesn't smell, is non-toxic, flows out nicely even in cooler temperatures, is strong and easy to work with.Jeffco epoxy is mixed 4 parts resin to 1 part hardener. We used a mechanical scale to do this. I have an electronic scale but it is crap since it turns off too quickly. I think the mechanical scales are much easier to work with. Once the epoxy was mixed, we stirred in a couple of small handfuls of cotton fibers or flox. The consistency was kind of like a paste and it was light pink in color.We had previously scratched up the aluminum tabs and the underlying plexiglass using 40 grit sandpaper and vacuumed everything. We can't use acetone anywhere near the plexiglass or it will cause cracks.The flox paste was pushed in between the tab and the plexiglass with popsicle sticks. Then we placed some plastic over the tabs and used cinder blocks and wood to squeeze the tabs against the plexiglass. There was a fair amount of flox that squeezed out that will need to be sanded when we get back from Oshkosh.
Right aluminum ear floxed to plexiglass and clamped with block and wood
Left aluminum ear floxed to plexiglass and clamped with block and wood
