Making small cowls: Need some help...

I am enjoying the Lucky Racer post, and have a question for anyone, and you don't have to know a thing re Hollow Logs...

A weak spot of mine, Scientific model wise, are those pesky cowls. The 270 degree wraparound plastic ones supplied in the kits just don't cut it. They are hard to attach, come loose easily, don't look quite right, etc.

I've tried 1/64 ply and 1/32 balsa, my own aluminum, even my own un-obtainium, and still am not happy...

OK: I would like how you guys mold your own, and I am talking about any size cowl, for that matter. One of the guys in the NVCL club was telling me about epoxy and fiberglass cloth, use of a balloon to even things out while setting, etc. But this was verbal, and he lost me, both in the sequence, and what you actually do. By the way, I'd like to wrap the cowls all the way around, too, for some models.

And how do you attach the things to...the firewall, I guess? Or maybe a bit further back, on the body itself.

Any help appreciated!

Currell (down to 10 grams this AM on a Log wing, by the way)

Tip o' the Hat to Z Man for rigging up a router to bury his leads in the solid wing Bullet. This is the professional way.

But here's another method to cut your grooves (just did it two minutes ago) that doesn't require any special tools, or skill:

1. Cut out the rectangle that is bordered by the two lead lines, wing tip, and where the lines enter the fuselage.

2. Take this rectangle piece, and put it in a vise. Put two pieces of scrap balsa on each side (maybe 1/4") of your piece, a little higher than the piece.

3. Grab a piece of 150 sandpaper, and fold in half.

4. Now, use the sandpaper folded edge to sand your groove. Just work it back and forth. The two scrap pieces will keep it straight in the 1/8" edge that you are sanding the groove into. You may want to use a flashlight to get a better view of the groove progress.

5. Glue the now-grooved-out piece back to the wing. Make sure that leads are in there. Work them back and forth to smooth out any glue.

That's it.