May 24, 2008 - Air Seal Templates
I finally got the baffle top edges where I wanted.  For something different, I made the little clip below.  One on each side. 
 
Lynnette came up with this innovative prop-guard idea.  And donated her pink slippers to the Cause. 
 
I should submit this to Vans Air Force "RV Building Tips/Techniques".
 
Time to start making the Air Seal rubber strips.  First step is to make templates from poster board.  The instructions say make the strips 3" wide.  I figured I needed 3/4" overlap between the strip and the baffle.   That leaves 2 1/4" of the strip to contact the top cowl with.
 
Making templates with ruler and scissors.
 
OK, done with the aft edge. 
 
Left and right sides done.
 
And front done.  Not really sure about what I'm doing at this point.  The instructions/drawings are kind of sketchy and I couldn't find a good builders web site. on this particular area. 
 
After making templates, I did a little riveting.  I riveted the angle to this side baffle.
 
I spent some time pondering the lower area of the baffles.  I hadn't noticed it before, but the right rear (#3 cylinder) baffle was coming up against the oil return line where the yellow arrow is pointing.  My plan is to remove the flange there, and bend a new flange higher up. 
 
Connecting these curved things front and back is going to be a whole lotta fun.  Not. 
 
With the templates made, it's time to cut the actual rubber strips.  The rubber sheet came with the Baffle Kit, of course.  I tried to cut the strips in such a way to take advantage of the sheet "curl".  The strips curl inward toward the engine when they get riveted to the baffles.  I used a box cutter alongside a metal ruler to cut the rubber strips. 
 
Not sure how I'm going to handle the aft bracket area yet. 
 
I took a scrap piece of rubber and drilled a 1/8" hole in it, then stuck a 1/8" pop-rivet through it.  Just wanted to get a feel for it.
 
After cutting all the rubber strips, the next step was to drill the 1/8" holes in the baffles themselves.  I used 3/8" edge distance, and 2" spacing between holes, generally. 
 
Drilleding the holes on one of right side. 
 
And left side. 
 
 
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