Finish, canopy surfacing progress

Final coat of pinhole-filling resin, partially sanded.

Final coat of pinhole-filling resin, sanded and masked for filler primer.

Final coat of pinhole-filling resin, sanded and masked for filler primer.

First coat of filler primer applied.

First coat of filler primer applied.

Aft edge masking paper and one layer of electrical removed. The fairing aft edge will be sanded to the width of a single layer of electrical tape.

Aft edge masking paper and one layer of electrical removed. The fairing aft edge will be sanded to the width of a single layer of electrical tape.

Aft edge now re-masked for additional filler primer.

Aft edge now re-masked for additional filler primer.

Several coats of filler primer later (sanding between each coat, of course), the final application is drying here.

Following the final sanding, all masking paper is removed.

The last layers of tape have been removed and the canopy fairing is done, at least so far as I’m concerned. This will be more than sufficient for Phase 1 testing.

The final work on the fairing will be down to Jonathan McCormick’s shop guys at Evoke Aviation.

The last layers of tape have been removed and the canopy fairing is done, at least so far as I’m concerned. This will be more than sufficient for Phase 1 testing.

The final work on the fairing will be down to Jonathan McCormick’s shop guys at Evoke Aviation.

Finish, canopy surfacing continued…

Micro-balloons sanded to shape and forward edge of fairing unmasked for feathering.

Micro-balloons sanded to shape and forward edge of fairing unmasked for feathering.

Forward edge of fairing feathered to the canopy skin.

Forward edge of fairing feathered to the canopy skin.

Fairing edges taped for resin top coat.

Canopy skin masked for resin top coat.

Resin top coat applied; masking paper and tape removed.

Finish, canopy continued…

Canopy fairing area filled, taped, and masked for the layup.

Fiberglass cutting about to commence.

Fiberglass cutting underway. All the straight pieces are done and the material is about to be turned 90-degrees to cut the curved plies on the bias.

All pieces (including peel ply) are ready to go.

Plies A and D, having had their dyed resin applied, are sandwiched between layers of plastic wrap and ready to be trimmed to their final dimensions.

Initial layup layer (plies A & D) applied. The canopy fairing is underway!

No photos of intermediate steps, unfortunately, but I was too occupied for photography.

Here, the peel ply has been applied to the layup and will set up overnight.