Being satisfied with the poster board template I made last session, I decided to make a hard template out of some scrap aluminum.
I got the scrap and traced the posterboard template onto the aluminum. I cut the profile leaving just a very little extra to trim if needed. Placing the new template on the airplane and placing the top cowling on showed that more trimming was in order. So it was the military drill of put it on....take it off....put it on.......take it off over and over again. I got it to the place where I had a gap around the entire template.
Next order of operation wat to put the paper clips for getting the profile cut. I stacked the paper clips on the template and put the cowling on. This can be a little tricky as the paperclips can sometimes do some goofy things. After getting the paper clips set from the cowling being placed on I took the template off and measured the 3/8 gap to cut. I reset the paperclips and checked again....there was a very minute difference but I re-marked the template. I made a cut leaving the line for dressing the part.
Ater getting the template contoured I put it on once more with the paperclips and measured....the template needed just a touch of trimming and was done.
I decided now was a time to move on to the left inlet ramp to work on the snorkle. I measured and cut just under an inch off the left cowl inlet in prep for the snorkle. To be continued next session.
