Glareshield

 I keep waiting to simply 'install' something, that doesn't require cutting, drilling, grinding, etc.  After 5 years of cutting, drilling and grinding I think I'm due.  Well, today is not that day.

I bought my fiberglass glare shield from Glasair in January 2021, along with the panel blank.  I kind of assembled everything when I got it in March, and it didn't fit.  Well, that was just to make me feel good and I had lots of work to go until I needed to put it in.  That time is now.

After the issue with the panel misalignment were corrected, I HOPED it would just slip in.  NOT.  It does not fit at all.  Further, the instructions (which did not come with it either, but I found on the forum doc library) don't say anything about cutting.  After checking with a few builders, yes it needs to be cut.

Here is the starting point.

I made a paper template that is the same size (and non symmetrical shape) as the blank.

Next the template goes into the glare shield location.  I marked with a pen below the window opening, and then added ~1" after the fact, cut to the +1" line.  

In some areas I took off a couple inches, in others nothing.

The trick seems to be getting the depth of the glare shield right first, because that changes everything else. I worked on this in bits and pieces, where in hindsight should have focused on this first.

The big trick is getting around the cage tubes on either end of the panel.  That took the most time.

A fellow builder told me its like doing the windows... fit, mark, trim, fit, mark, trim, etc, etc.  I haven't done my windows yet, but now I know.

I cut too much off the aft glaresheild 'lip' on the left side.  So a piece cut off is being grafted back on....

Its basically fit now.  Needs a little bit more finessing.

Also to do:

1. Find some muffin fans to install in the glare shield.  Need a fair bit of CFM, 12V, at least 6" with an attractive grill.
2. Figure out how to wire them so they can be disconnected easily
3. Tabs.  The forward part of the glare shield slips into tabs that hold it up.  2 recommended.  Aluminum, with a bend, bonded to the fuselage.

Fans.  Found some on Amazon (2 for $35 CAD).  They ended up being 4 wire computer fans... Pinout:

• Black - ground
• Yellow - 12 V
• Blue - PWM control
• Green - RPM

If you connect just ground and 12V, it runs at full speed.  The other 2 are not required.

To start, I marked a line under the glare shield where the panel to firewall struts are.  Had a nightmare I was going to hit run into them...

Then I measured up from the brow of the glare shield 10".  Centered the fan, and drilled a pilot.  I didn't have a bit enough hole saw (would need about a 4.7" holesaw), so I used the largest I had and then enlarged the hole on the drum sander.

They are not perfectly symmetrical, but darn close.  I doubt anyone will ever notice.

The fan covers are from Amazon as well.  $15 Canadian for 2.

Next is tabs...

It was recommended to clamp the tab in place.  Well, I fought with it for a while and finally just drilled and put a (waxed) cleco in to hold it while curing.  This also had the benefit that I could position the tabs and put the glareshield in place and ensure the front engaged the tabs.  They did...

Last two things are wiring and hardware to mount the fans.

The power source will be the ACM, which will be on the left hand side of the radio stack.  So the plan is to bring the wires down the left hand side with a 2 pin connector and end them somewhere that you can reach under the panel and disconnect with a minimum of fuss.