I am notoriously cheap.  And I get a weird satisfaction out of finding uses for things they weren't intended for.  I badly need to strengthen a cowling on a plane I'm making.  And I was doing some sheetrock work at home yesterday using a fiber tape.  So, I'm cutting some tape and realize I'm gonna have about 200 extra feet of this stuff that will sit in my shed until I'm dead.  After looking at the tape for a bit, I decided I'd be happier with storing just 199 feet of the tape, so I decided to experiment and epoxy a layer of it inside my slip-on cowling.  Had to work fast because the only epoxy I could find at either Lowes or Home Depot had a 5-minute set up, but managed to brush it on, work in the tape and wipe off the excess while it was still workable.  Does seem to make it stronger.  It will not work on the outside of the cowling.  Too thick.  Too stiff.  And won't handle compound curves.  One of my goals was to build this plane without spending a penny and use only things I already have.  But I'm probably going to fail, because this cowl will still need a layer or two of thin glass cloth on the outside and I have neither the cloth nor the epoxy to do that.  Oh well, won't be the first time, nor the last, I don't achieve a goal.  First pic is the sheetrock tape.  Second is the inside of the cowl after epoxying a layer of the tape.  Last pic is the cowling I'm trying to strengthen.  It is removable by taking off the prop and sliding forward.  Still needs final shaping, but I think it's going to work pretty well if I make it strong enough I don't crush it trying to start the engine. 

I am notoriously cheap.  And I get a weird satisfaction out of finding uses for things they weren't intended for.  I badly need to strengthen a cowling on a plane I'm making.  And I was doing some sheetrock work at home yesterday using a fiber tape.  So, I'm cutting some tape and realize I'm gonna have about 200 extra feet of this stuff that will sit in my shed until I'm dead.  After looking at the tape for a bit, I decided I'd be happier with storing just 199 feet of the tape, so I decided to experiment and epoxy a layer of it inside my slip-on cowling.  Had to work fast because the only epoxy I could find at either Lowes or Home Depot had a 5-minute set up, but managed to brush it on, work in the tape and wipe off the excess while it was still workable.  Does seem to make it stronger.  It will not work on the outside of the cowling.  Too thick.  Too stiff.  And won't handle compound curves.  One of my goals was to build this plane without spending a penny and use only things I already have.  But I'm probably going to fail, because this cowl will still need a layer or two of thin glass cloth on the outside and I have neither the cloth nor the epoxy to do that.  Oh well, won't be the first time, nor the last, I don't achieve a goal.  First pic is the sheetrock tape.  Second is the inside of the cowl after epoxying a layer of the tape.  Last pic is the cowling I'm trying to strengthen.  It is removable by taking off the prop and sliding forward.  Still needs final shaping, but I think it's going to work pretty well if I make it strong enough I don't crush it trying to start the engine.

After looking at your pictures, here's what I'd do. Take a strip of silk span the width of the cowl plus1", rap it around the cowl doping it on and leave it stick out in front. Once the dope is (almost) dry ,cut slits every 1/2" or so all around the cowl and dope'm down. They will over lap but that is alright as you will sand them down. Apply several coats and then the color.

Good luck, Jerry

PS: You might want two layers of silk span. Or even three.

PPS: You can do it wet if you prefer.

Well I'll show my age.  I remember when kit instructions would say to use plain ole medical gauze for reinforcement or strengthening areas.  Also using Duco cement for model planes.

Nice article, Dave. Thanks  !!

Which makes me wonder what would happen using heavy silkspan dipped in alphatic resin/water slurry ..?