Another little task that took all day. It seems that either the landing light lens was stored incorrectly and flattened out, or else it was wrong to start. Either way, Velocity was willing to replace it, but suggested that it might be better to try to form it to our fuselage, since it was unuseable as is. Scott Swing gave me an idea on oven temperature and I gave it a try.

I did some internet digging and found some details on temps to use and some of the challenges. The one on the left is the second or third heating of the original lens. OH-BY-THE-WAY - if you get it too hot, little bubbles start to appear. That's not overspray, kids.

If you don't get it hot enough it won't drape. Scott uses a toaster over, so it's not really delicate, but you have to be in range. The middle one is a lens we made from some acrylic we had. Again, we were working in the right temperature range, but let it heat too long. And finally, just like in Goldilocks, the third one is just right. Again, from our acrylic stock. It fits like it was made for out fuselage. Which, of course, it was!

4/11/2011   Picture 133