We started work on the bottom windshield fairing, following the EAA method, by sanding the metal and the plexiglass, applying structural adhesive to the surfaces, then applying a small layer of filler to the joint (being careful to not let much of it go inside):
Windshield joint with sanded metal and plexiglass
Applying filler to windshield joint
Windshield joint with adhesive and filler applied
It was then time to apply the "fake prepreg" strips of fiberglass - a 2.25" strip with 2 layers of fiberglass. To make it easier to work with, we chose to split it roughly at the middle, with each layer being a couple inches offset to make an overlap near the center:
Laying up fiberglass on top of the prepreg plastic
Pre-pregging by squeezing the resin into every part of the fiberglass
Cutting the prepreg into 2.25" x 3.5' offset strips
Windshield joint fiberglass after curing
Once that cured, it was time to apply another layer of filler (a little thicker this time, meant to give it shape), followed by another couple layers of prepreg fiberglass:
Windshield joint after sanding the first layer of fiberglass
Patricia performing "precision guesswork", shaping the filler to follow a nice curve
Windshield joint with filler applied to its full extent
Windshield joint with a second fiberglass layup applied
The fiberglass overlap with the column needed some significant sanding to make a smooth ramp down to the door surface:
Windshield joint, sanded where it meets the column
It was then time to apply the Aeropoxy Light filler, which is a very thick but also very light paste:
Mixing Aeropoxy Light filler
Aeropoxy Light (with black tint) applied to the windshield joint
Sanding the Aeropoxy left some clear high and low spots, which were then filled with polyester icing, which was itself sanded and primed, then the primer was fine-sanded smooth, yielding a nice finished fairing:
Sanding Aeropoxy Light
Sanded Aeropoxy showing some high and low spots
Polyester icing applied to fill irregularities in the surface
Finished windshield fairing, primed and sanded
We also filled the gap behind the fairing where the windshield meets the cabin cover column, with black-tinted resin, to reduce the chance of future cracking of the fairing:
Gap between the windshield fairing, the windshield and the cabin cover column
The minor imperfections around the transition will become Jonathan's problem :)
