While performing the restoration work on my Pober, I decided to replace the nose cowl and associated sheet metal. I ordered a new cowl from Aircraft Spruce and upon its arrival began the preparation work. First task was to clean up the edges of the center hole using files and sand paper. I wanted to ensure the hole was perfectly circular and pondered on that problem for a few hours. Wandering around the house I looked at all the circular objects and test fitted several into the opening. I eventually got around to looking at all the various cookware in the house while my wife watched me with a curious look. I finally spotted exactly what I needed when I saw 2 cake pans that are 9 inches in diameter at the bottom or narrow end and slanted walls opening the top to around 9.75 inches. I asked for permission and took the aluminum pan and applied adhesive backed sanding paper around the sides. I use rolls of the sanding paper on various sanding bars for my RC plane projects. By placing the pan in the nose bowl center hole and rotating the pan I was able to get a nice circular hole and I continued the sanding process until the pan rim prevented any further movement though the center.
After smoothing out all the edges on my new cowling I decided to test fit it and determine how to secure it to the front of the engine. I considered cutting mounting plates out of plywood but didn't have anything readily available but I did have another cake pan. My wife said I could keep it since it was Teflon coated and she wasn't sure she wanted to use it anymore due to gluten contamination. I figured out where center was located on the pan and used a die grinder with a carbide burr to create the necessary holes in the pan. Using a combination of spacer blocks and clamps with the cake pan, I now have the nose cowl in a position to continue with my restoration work.
Does anyone have a similar or other technique for fitting a nose cowl?
After smoothing out all the edges on my new cowling I decided to test fit it and determine how to secure it to the front of the engine. I considered cutting mounting plates out of plywood but didn't have anything readily available but I did have another cake pan. My wife said I could keep it since it was Teflon coated and she wasn't sure she wanted to use it anymore due to gluten contamination. I figured out where center was located on the pan and used a die grinder with a carbide burr to create the necessary holes in the pan. Using a combination of spacer blocks and clamps with the cake pan, I now have the nose cowl in a position to continue with my restoration work.
Does anyone have a similar or other technique for fitting a nose cowl?
