Now it’s time to fit the bottom of the doghouse to the canard. First I mount the canard on the fuselage then covered the top of the canard where the doghouse rests with duct tape. Then fill the bottom of the doghouse with epoxy/cabo and lower the doghouse onto the canard.

Epoxy/Cabo mix squishing out.

Once it cures, a quick cleanup of the excess epoxy and I’ve got a perfect fit.

Now for another departure from the plans. The manual has the doghouse being attached to the canard torsion tabs with four screws. There’s nothing wrong with this approach, but there’s another way that doesn’t use any externally visible fasteners.

First I cut a length of piano hinge a little less than the length of the opening. Then I drill four holes through the hinge and tab.

Here the hinge is temporarily held in place with cleco’s.

Then I countersink the screw holes.

Apply some structural adhesive and screw it in place. I’ve got duct tape on the hinge to keep the two sides from becoming permanently attached to each other.

Inside view.

I drilled four holes through the top part of the hinge and the doghouse. I then drilled out the four holes to about 1/2″ and filled the area with epoxy/milled fiber/cabo. Once it cured, the drilled it out again.

I covered the top half of the hinge with structural adhesive, lowed the doghouse in place and inserted bolts though the holes from the outside into the hinge. Put the nuts on and tightened. I also filled the holes on the outside of the doghouse.

When it was done, this is what the top of the inside of the doghouse looks like.

When I put the doghouse on, this is what it looks like (on the inside) just before it’s all the on.

Here it is all the way in position.

Then I just slide the hingepin in place and the doghouse is held in place with no externally visible fasteners.

From the outside.