Fiberglass Practice

Fiberglass Center Console Project

Last updated - 1/10/08.

Starting to think about the center console and arm rest. I am considering using two of Van's fuel valves, one for fuel in, and one for the return. The alternative is a $250 Andair dual valve. Obviously, there is not enough room for two fuel valves plus the manual trim, so a console would be useful. I probably should just buy the Andair, but I also need more space for the two fuel pumps that the rotary requires. Something has to be built to accomodate the pumps, might as well think about a full console. Also, it would be nice to be able to run wires down from the panel through the center tunnel to the flap motor and flap position sensor board.

There's a lot to consider here. A center console would cut into the already limited space in the RV. However, all of the cars that I own have a center console that limits the side to side space, but that's not a problem. In fact, the center console is something to lean your leg up against. I do want to make sure that I still have plenty of leg room, though. We sit in an RV, totally different than we sit in a car.

I thought the panel was forward of the spar, but it is almost straight above the spar. I need to think on this a little.

The arm rest cannot come all the way forward, because the manual aileron trim has to go here. So, the arm rest and the center console need to be two separate parts that do not have to mate.

First thing is to figure out what it is going to look like. Nope, I need to hide two fuel pumps down there.

This is better, but I think I need to have the console not cover the seat floor; otherwise, I have to remove the center console in order to remove the seat floors.

We'll see how this fits. Unfortunately, that's all for today, my wife says I have to go somewhere.

BTW, I wanted to remove the handle from the fuel valve, but there was no way that this thing was coming off. Then I figured this out. Just put the screw back in a little, then you can pop the handle right off using a light tap to the screw with a plastic hammer.

That might do for the base.

Add a nicely formed front.

Glue on a few more pieces for the tabs, and we are ready to start laying-up some fiberglass. Only, we really can't do this all in one piece. Have to think how I want to do this. I think maybe a center console front piece that attaches to the panel and the front of the spar, and then a separate back piece that can be removed to expose the plumbing and fuel pumps.

I used waxed paper over the form, again. This was a mistake. It's hard to get the waxed paper to fit perfectly, and I ended up with a few bulges under the waxed paper, which I should have fixed before doing the first lay-up. The bulges will transfer directly to the first layer of glass, and will be a real pain to fix later.
Also, you can see where the 3M Super 77 has actually disolved some of the foam. This spray works on foam, as long as you use a light coat, but if you get it too thick, it starts disolving the foam. Just have to be more careful.

First layup. You have to lay the form this way so the FG on the underside of the upper part does not come loose.

Here, you can see the underside. Of course, with the form laying like this, the topside is apt to pull away from the form a little, which it did.

First lay-up is cured. As you can see, the topside is really bad, and there are a few other bulges. The waxed paper is a bad idea. Or should I say, I did a really bad job of tapping down the waxed paper. Probably much better to cover the form with epoxy and coat it with wax. Maybe this will be a practice console.

Here's one of the bulges.

At least the FG pulled away from the form without any problems.

The form is still ok.

The part is all trimmed and sanded, ready for the next lay-up. I think I already have two layers here.

Seems to fit.

Well, almost. There's a pretty big gap where the part butts up to the seat floor.

I had to extend the top a little because I wanted it thinner at the ends of the top. I'm going to make the ends solid and use them as the attach points to the bottom of the panel.

After several iterations of wrapping wet glass around the top ends and doing a little filling with microballs, we are ready to start fitting the part to the panel, the seat floor, and the front of the main spar. We have a pretty big gap at the top.

Close-up of the gap at the top.

I've already done one layer at the bottom to get a better fit, but it's going to need at least one more layer to make this nice.

I wrapped a layer of glass around the bottom of the panel and then pushed the console in place. This left a big 'V' between the glass on the panel and the console, which was filled with a mixture of homemade flox and epoxy.

Close-up of the console/panel mate. I think the part is actually cured at this point.

The bottom is starting to fit better.

Happy New Year! I added another layer of glass at the top where the part mates to the panel and to the bottom where it meets the front of the seat floor.

Top still needs some filling.

Bottom is close. Just need some trimming and filing.

I am getting close enough with the front part of the center console, that I can start working on the back piece, also. This time, I coated the back of the form with epoxy, so I could wax it and not mess with the stupid waxed paper. Using waxed paper as a mold release is just plain lazy, and causes a lot more work in the end.

Top and bottom all filed and the part is sanded. Everything is starting to fit. Just need to start filling all of the low spots.

Covered most of the part with wet micro. This is going to take a lot of filing and sanding to get a good finish. I covered the arm rest with headliner, but I'm going to paint the front of the center console, so it has to be perfect, or at least nice.

First lay-up on the backside of the center console form.

Match-drilled the center console to the back of the fuel-valve cover, which has the correct holes for the center console to attach to the front of the main spar.

I had a fillet at the very bottom of the center console. Unfortunately, the length of the part has grown a little, and the bottom no longer fits, so I had to file off the bottom fillets. This is what I ended-up with after all of the filing. I will have to build-up the right side a little, since the bottom right hole is too close to the edge. Fortunately, we are working with fiberglass, so no big deal.

Right side needs to be built back up a little.

Good news, the wax on the backside of the form worked, and the back piece came right off without too much work. Only a little bit of the epoxy lifted off of the form.

Another few layers of glass, and almost done with the back cover. I'm not sure why, but I decided to add the arched areas, which I had to cut away later when things did not fit.

The main console is done. Here, you can see the results of building-up the bottom-right side. That should give us plenty of edge clearance for the bottom screws.

Looks like a good fit on the bench ...

... but not so good when the main console is screwed in place. You can see a pretty good gap on the bottom of the two parts. I knew this would happen.

Here, you can see just how big the gap is on the bottom.

The lines show where the main console fits to the back cover. Looks like there's going to be a little more filing to do.

After several hours of filing and fitting, things look a little better. I had to cut off the arched pieces on the back cover. They really didn't serve any purpose, anyway.

Now, to create an overlap on the inside of the two parts, so I can install nutplates, and be able to screw the back cover to the main console. Here, the two parts are taped together, with waxed paper on the back cover and a few layers of glass layed over the joint. The main console contains the overlapping piece and the back cover will slide onto the main console.
Note, that the back cover will have headliner glued to it, and wrapped around the edges that mate to the main console. I was going to make a groove in the overlap for the headliner to go into. However, after wrapping a piece of headliner around the edge of the back cover I realized that the headliner is just foam and cloth, so it will compress down to nothing. Therefore, a normal overlapped joint will do here.

Separated the two parts. We needed few more layers of glass on the over lap.
BTW, I got out my fuel pump to see if two of them will fit inside the back cover. I don't think so. Two pumps might fit vertically, but I'm pretty sure that would be a mistake. I think the pumps are going to want to go on the floor, which means I will probably have to do another cover FWD of the back cover. Not very good planning.

Console front and back installed in place.

Now, to glue on some headliner so we have something padded to lean our leg up against. The first step is to make a template for the material. Some post office wrapping paper will do.

Here, I have the template laid out on the headliner material.

After gluing the headliner on with some 3M spray adhesive, you can see that I didn't get the bottom quite right. I have a feeling that this whole console might be a test piece, anyway.

Finally got a shot of the console installed. I still need to drill some holes in the bottom of the panel to attach the top of the console to, but you get the idea. I'm not sure if I like this or not.

	I thought the panel was forward of the spar, but it is almost straight above the spar. I need to think on this a little.
	The arm rest cannot come all the way forward, because the manual aileron trim has to go here. So, the arm rest and the center console need to be two separate parts that do not have to mate.
	First thing is to figure out what it is going to look like. Nope, I need to hide two fuel pumps down there.
	This is better, but I think I need to have the console not cover the seat floor; otherwise, I have to remove the center console in order to remove the seat floors.
	We'll see how this fits. Unfortunately, that's all for today, my wife says I have to go somewhere.
	BTW, I wanted to remove the handle from the fuel valve, but there was no way that this thing was coming off. Then I figured this out. Just put the screw back in a little, then you can pop the handle right off using a light tap to the screw with a plastic hammer.
	That might do for the base.
	Add a nicely formed front.
	Glue on a few more pieces for the tabs, and we are ready to start laying-up some fiberglass. Only, we really can't do this all in one piece. Have to think how I want to do this. I think maybe a center console front piece that attaches to the panel and the front of the spar, and then a separate back piece that can be removed to expose the plumbing and fuel pumps.
	I used waxed paper over the form, again. This was a mistake. It's hard to get the waxed paper to fit perfectly, and I ended up with a few bulges under the waxed paper, which I should have fixed before doing the first lay-up. The bulges will transfer directly to the first layer of glass, and will be a real pain to fix later. Also, you can see where the 3M Super 77 has actually disolved some of the foam. This spray works on foam, as long as you use a light coat, but if you get it too thick, it starts disolving the foam. Just have to be more careful.
	First layup. You have to lay the form this way so the FG on the underside of the upper part does not come loose.
	Here, you can see the underside. Of course, with the form laying like this, the topside is apt to pull away from the form a little, which it did.
	First lay-up is cured. As you can see, the topside is really bad, and there are a few other bulges. The waxed paper is a bad idea. Or should I say, I did a really bad job of tapping down the waxed paper. Probably much better to cover the form with epoxy and coat it with wax. Maybe this will be a practice console.
	Here's one of the bulges.
	At least the FG pulled away from the form without any problems.
	The form is still ok.
	The part is all trimmed and sanded, ready for the next lay-up. I think I already have two layers here.
	Seems to fit.
	Well, almost. There's a pretty big gap where the part butts up to the seat floor.
	I had to extend the top a little because I wanted it thinner at the ends of the top. I'm going to make the ends solid and use them as the attach points to the bottom of the panel.
	After several iterations of wrapping wet glass around the top ends and doing a little filling with microballs, we are ready to start fitting the part to the panel, the seat floor, and the front of the main spar. We have a pretty big gap at the top.
	Close-up of the gap at the top.
	I've already done one layer at the bottom to get a better fit, but it's going to need at least one more layer to make this nice.
	I wrapped a layer of glass around the bottom of the panel and then pushed the console in place. This left a big 'V' between the glass on the panel and the console, which was filled with a mixture of homemade flox and epoxy.
	Close-up of the console/panel mate. I think the part is actually cured at this point.
	The bottom is starting to fit better.
	Happy New Year! I added another layer of glass at the top where the part mates to the panel and to the bottom where it meets the front of the seat floor.
	Top still needs some filling.
	Bottom is close. Just need some trimming and filing.
	I am getting close enough with the front part of the center console, that I can start working on the back piece, also. This time, I coated the back of the form with epoxy, so I could wax it and not mess with the stupid waxed paper. Using waxed paper as a mold release is just plain lazy, and causes a lot more work in the end.
	Top and bottom all filed and the part is sanded. Everything is starting to fit. Just need to start filling all of the low spots.
	Covered most of the part with wet micro. This is going to take a lot of filing and sanding to get a good finish. I covered the arm rest with headliner, but I'm going to paint the front of the center console, so it has to be perfect, or at least nice.
	First lay-up on the backside of the center console form.
	Match-drilled the center console to the back of the fuel-valve cover, which has the correct holes for the center console to attach to the front of the main spar.
	I had a fillet at the very bottom of the center console. Unfortunately, the length of the part has grown a little, and the bottom no longer fits, so I had to file off the bottom fillets. This is what I ended-up with after all of the filing. I will have to build-up the right side a little, since the bottom right hole is too close to the edge. Fortunately, we are working with fiberglass, so no big deal.
	Right side needs to be built back up a little.
	Good news, the wax on the backside of the form worked, and the back piece came right off without too much work. Only a little bit of the epoxy lifted off of the form.
	Another few layers of glass, and almost done with the back cover. I'm not sure why, but I decided to add the arched areas, which I had to cut away later when things did not fit.
	The main console is done. Here, you can see the results of building-up the bottom-right side. That should give us plenty of edge clearance for the bottom screws.
	Looks like a good fit on the bench ...
	... but not so good when the main console is screwed in place. You can see a pretty good gap on the bottom of the two parts. I knew this would happen.
	Here, you can see just how big the gap is on the bottom.
	The lines show where the main console fits to the back cover. Looks like there's going to be a little more filing to do.
	After several hours of filing and fitting, things look a little better. I had to cut off the arched pieces on the back cover. They really didn't serve any purpose, anyway.
	Now, to create an overlap on the inside of the two parts, so I can install nutplates, and be able to screw the back cover to the main console. Here, the two parts are taped together, with waxed paper on the back cover and a few layers of glass layed over the joint. The main console contains the overlapping piece and the back cover will slide onto the main console. Note, that the back cover will have headliner glued to it, and wrapped around the edges that mate to the main console. I was going to make a groove in the overlap for the headliner to go into. However, after wrapping a piece of headliner around the edge of the back cover I realized that the headliner is just foam and cloth, so it will compress down to nothing. Therefore, a normal overlapped joint will do here.
	Separated the two parts. We needed few more layers of glass on the over lap. BTW, I got out my fuel pump to see if two of them will fit inside the back cover. I don't think so. Two pumps might fit vertically, but I'm pretty sure that would be a mistake. I think the pumps are going to want to go on the floor, which means I will probably have to do another cover FWD of the back cover. Not very good planning.
	Console front and back installed in place.
	Now, to glue on some headliner so we have something padded to lean our leg up against. The first step is to make a template for the material. Some post office wrapping paper will do.
	Here, I have the template laid out on the headliner material.
	After gluing the headliner on with some 3M spray adhesive, you can see that I didn't get the bottom quite right. I have a feeling that this whole console might be a test piece, anyway.
	Finally got a shot of the console installed. I still need to drill some holes in the bottom of the panel to attach the top of the console to, but you get the idea. I'm not sure if I like this or not.