My tank has not been fitted yet. I think I will fit it, carefully,
making sure it was fluorinated first. I may have it fluorinated again.
It seems to me that the bracketing according to the manual may be too
rigid around the tunnel, especially if the brackets get bonded to the
tank. I understand local swelling differences up to 5% or so should be
accommodated without inducing the tank to tear.
I am playing with the idea of applying wool felt to all bracket surfaces
restraining vertical and sideways movement, also avoiding bonding
between the other bracket surfaces with the tank.
The process would be something like:
1. lay up brackets (3 plies) on tank - one face felt, other face bare;
no bonding to tank; experiment to achieve good felt-bracket interface -
felt may need an impermeable layer of something first..
2. install tank by bonding brackets to cockpit (araldite 420)
3. scuff sand and finish brackets (2 x 3 plies, 1 x 1 ply)
I am also playing with the idea of having part of the weight born by the
fuselage shell (as Ron's foam does I believe). That could be fitted when
the cockpit is bonded to the canoe.
As mentioned the aileron drive protection could also be made somewhat
larger.
Comments?
Jan de Jong
#461
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