Wing Root Cuffs

[aviator79]

Would anyone be willing to share some photos of the under side of their wing root cuffs. I'm currently making them out of Laker Leading Edge material, but I'm having a hard time not leaving an open gap between the top of the door and the fairing.

In this picture, you can see that the LLE material does not extend back far enough. I've already extended the fiberglass rearward. That's not that gap I'm talking about. I've tried to draw what I'm talking about in blue. I'm wondering if when these are made in aluminum, this gap is covered because the aluminum would not follow the wing contour as closely. I'd like to see how the Al ones fit so I can know if this is feasible with the LLE material.


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4SP1ZNggFJuMhGfIOaJyjYediJDAnNDQs6nESrQYgz2WDts_NC yGu90K75fcEj2b9CC8V0VSRyMwq_1K9dGnqAkpFvCg8lDq5jzi sTmuWzU3YEYkXiLMzwFI-HZO2qvbPEnBc7ZXULk=w600

[N213RV]

Here is what I did. Custom fabbed my own.

[Esser]

This is one part of the plane I wish the factory offered something better that was bolt on.

[Clark in AZ]

This would be a good candidate for their carbon parts, it's small and could be left long for custom trimming.
Clark

[fastfred]

I have a set in aluminum if anyone wants them

[aviator79]

This would be a good candidate for their carbon parts...

I agree. I volunteer to beta-test! Think I can dibs over Trent? Eh Brandon? :D Please?

[JohnB]

Here is an example of my aluminum cuffs.
The blue template was the one that came with the kit and the wider white one is the one I ended up with.

21491

21492

21493

[efwd]

The rubber that's supplied in the kit seemed to fill in my gaps pretty nicely. Granted, the whole thing doesn't look all that great mostly due to my craftsmanship. I used edge trim rubber on the other three sides and the 45 degree corners are not perfect and the adhesive kinda marred it all up a bit. I'll make new ones one day. Maybe after I take the fiberglass class I hope to take.

[airlina]

this is a great place to try a small fiberglass project, which is how i did mine. Made a clay mold in place at the root and shaped it for a nice look, covered that with saran wrap as a release medium and glassed over this for nice form fitting cuffs. i will get some photos next time at the hangar. I had no fiberglass experience , just a bit of reading up on it , so don't be shy, go for it. Bruce N199CL

[airlina]

Finally able to get to the hangar for some pictures of my root cuffs. The last two photos show how they attach , the small aluminum tab on the bottom inserts into a slot on the wing root bottom and then the automotive style expandable push pin fits in the hole in the top of cuff and wing. Bruce N199CL

[jiott]

Those look really nice!

[jrevens]

Those are great, Bruce! I think I'll end up making something like that someday.

[DesertFox4]

Nice looking cuffs Bruce. 😎

[bbs428]

Those cuffs look great and easy on and off - might have to do mine like that as well :)

[airlina]

Thanks Guys, I can't take credit for the easy on and off system . Saw the setup on an OSH kitfox and shamelessly copied the design. Has worked well for 16 years. Bruce N199CL

[David47]

Nice Bruce. Very simple in design and obviously works well. Might do what John said .......

[aviator79]

I do like those Bruce. I've got mine through paint, so I think they'll work for now. But after I'm flying, I might do that when I'm looking for a project. It gives a better finished look.

For those that did it by the manual, what adhesive did you use to attach the rubber? I can't get anything to stick: Silicone, contact cement, cyanoacrylate, none of them want to hold well.

[Dave S]

Brian

3M Auto weatherstripping adhesive works well. Might need some clamps till it is dry. FYI - lacquer thinner will clean the stuff off your fingers, tools, etc if needed - DON'T get the lacquer thinner on the windshield.

Important to solvent clean the rubber and cuff before applying adhesive.

[rv9ralph]

I Posted this a few years ago, here: https://teamkitfox.com/Forums/threads/7279-Wing-Root-Fairing-Help?highlight=wing+root

It is how I fabricated my composite wing roots.

Ralph

[airlina]

Ralph, Nice tutorial on the clay molded fiberglass method. We think alike, that was the same method I used . Thanks for referring us back to your photos and explanation. Bruce N199CL

[atosrider]

This is one part of the plane I wish the factory offered something better that was bolt on.


one of the advantages of having a group like this would be getting the right talents working together to provide nifty parts many of us could use .. so how about 3D printing? somebody should be able to take one of those custom cuffs and create the digital file that drives the 3D printer .. and the file can be passed along for local fabrication if you have the contacts, otherwise somebody with a 3D printer could fill the order ...
one target I would have in mind is the scoop to hide the water radiator that hangs underneath earlier 912 installations, to me that is the worst visual on an otherwise attractive design ..

[Brandon Petersen]

Its definitely something we have considered. The challenge is that there is just enough variation with wing rigging and how the windshield is fit, that it is tough to have a one size fits all. There needs to be a way to make them adjustable. Hard to do with composite. Any ideas......I’m listening. 😉


Brandon







I agree. I volunteer to beta-test! Think I can dibs over Trent? Eh Brandon? :D Please?

[rv9ralph]

That's why on RVs there are several areas that are done by the builder...i.e. gear leg to fuselage fairing, base of windshield fairing.

Ralph