Sun. 1
I did a few touch ups of the speckle paint on the ceiling and sealed it up with clear varnish to protect it.
Wednesday 4
I have been trying to decide what I want to do about painting the instrument panel. I was originally going to try dark gray speckle paint but I did a test spray and it was quite apparent that it wouldn't look so great, I am going to use a black textured paint and cover it with a flat coat of clear polyurethane.
I started sanding the instrument panel and it is going to take a while. The thing has lots of corners and compound curves so I think I know what I will be doing over the next few evenings.
Thursday 5
I did a little more on the panel, filled some spots and cleaned up the fuse cover and inspection covers.
Saturday 7
I didn't do much Europa work this weekend and I only managed an hour in the workshop, to do a bit of filing on the instrument panel.
Sunday 8
I did a little sanding on an aileron. and fitted two rocker switches for the fuel pump & landing lights. I decided to put these switches near my right hand, so that all the things I need in the take off and landing phases are close by. I will have the throttle, propeller control, gear lever, fuel pump and landing light switches in the same geographical area on my panel.
Wednesday 11
I got on line and ordered my left and right grips and a can of black textured paint from
Aircraft Spruce. I have decided to go with the teak hand grips and I have
ordered the pilots hand grip with trim switches as well as a push to talk.
It is the "Witches Hat" style so I am hoping that it will not be prone
to accidentally being knocked.
Thursday 12
No building
Friday 13
No building
Saturday 14
I spent most of the day putting Smooth Priming on one flap. By the time you allow 2 hours drying time most of a day is taken up getting on 4 coats.
Jenny is going to have a go at doing the upholstery so she measured up an estimate for the cloth we will need and made a few patterns.
Sunday 15
I put 4 coats of smooth prime on the other side of the flap plus two spay coats on one side of an aileron, so that accounted for the day
Monday 16
Well, we think we need 9 meters of cloth to do the back, sides, seats and center console so I ordered the cloth from an automotive upholstery supplier. We have probably over estimated, but I guess I would sure be sorry if I came up short.
Tuesday 17
I did a rough sand down of an aileron on both sides with 150 grit, most of the time is taken up working around the mass balance weight and the hinge mounting area. The next step will be to spray on the final two coats of smooth prime.
Wednesday 18
No building
Thursday 19
I had one aileron sprayed with its final coat of smooth prime so I did a final sand back of the top side of one aileron with 320 grit. The sprayed coat sands back pretty quickly. I can get one surface pretty well done in a couple of hours.
Friday 20
I picked up the upholstery. I must admit to being very surprised at the weight of the stuff, I think leather would have probably been lighter. I am sort of hoping that I don't have to use it all now!
Saturday 21
It was my birthday, so took the day off. I put 4 hours on the Comanche, flew all over the place and had a great day with the family.
Sunday 22
I made a rotator for the ailerons so I could mount it and spray both sides. It is definitely a "Mark !" version and subject to a redesign. It worked but it wasn't great.
I spayed both sides of one aileron and the underside of the aileron I had sanded back on Thursday night. I took out the rudder pedals in readiness for painting the foot well. I am going to use a dark gray speckle paint.
Monday 23
Tuesday
Finished the rough sand of the top of the flap and sprayed on a final coat of Smooth Prime.
Wednesday
Completed the rough sand of the bottom of the flap and spayed on a final coat of Smooth Prime
Thursday 28
I did some scuff sanding around the foot wells in preparation for painting. The fire resistant material is bright red and I am wondering if the paint will cover it properly.
Friday 27
No building.
Saturday 28
I finished off the scuff sanding and masked up the front of the cockpit ready for painting. I had to put on a new coat of SprayLat to the inside of the windscreen to protect it from paint splatter as well.
Sunday 29
I spent the rest of the day finishing off the flaps. I am a firm convert of spraying on the last coat of smooth prime. The process I go through is, SuperFil, cut back with 80 grit, then four coats of Smooth Prime, cut back with 150 grit and a final two coats sprayed on that I cut back with 320 grit. I find that the final coat cuts back nice and quickly.
Monday 30
I gave the foot wells a good coating with clear lacquer to protect the textured paint. I am really please with the finish and I am thinking of doing the center console with the same finish.