On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 19:33:56 +0000 (UTC),
(Tina Marie) wrote:


(I've got a certified airplane, so I hope you guys won't run me out
of here on a rail, but...)

I need to replace some of my fairings on my Tripacer. They're all simple,
mostly flat aluminum, some with one or two bends in them. I can form
them (I bought my SO a metal bender/shear/break for Christmas. He never
uses it, but I just love it) without too much trouble.

Here's my problem. After I make 'em, I have to attach them to the plane.
And this nearly always requires making holes in them - and no matter
what I do, the holes in the new fairing never line up with the holes on
the airframe. I don't know how to mark where to drill - if I hold it
up to the airframe, the airframe holes are behind the fairing and I can't
see them. Measuring works sometimes, but then I end up off by 1/16, and
it gets worse by the time I get all of them done.

There's got to be a magic trick to making the holes the right size, in
the right place, and I figured I'd be most likely to find it here.

Thanks!

Tina Marie
--
Life is like an analogy. http://www.tripacerdriver.com

-If your old fairings aren't completely destroyed flatten them out and
use as a pattern to drill through
- Get a hole duplicator. It's 2 joined straps of metal the top one has
a hole in it and the bottom one has a pin that sits in the hole in the
fuselage. Available at your favorite aviation tool store. but it
doesn't work very well on curved surfaces.
- get some clear lexan and make your fairings out of it. You can see
right through it to drill in exactly the right spot. Then use it as a
pattern for your aluminum fairings or just paint it and only you'll
know the difference.
Drew