 | Project Log - March, 2001 |
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Home Project News January 20, 2021 Project Log Empennage Horizontal Stabilizer Vertical Stabilizer Rudder Elevators Rudder II Wing Kit Wings Fuel Tanks Ailerons Flaps Fuselage Kit Bulkheads Aft Section Foreward Section Top Fuselage Cabin Finish Canopy Cowling Electrical Firewall Forward Fuel System Engine Baffles Misc Miscellaneous Fiberglass Assembly Panel Finishing Up! FAQ Project Notes Project Summary Guestbook Other Stuff | Recieved, inventoried, organized and stored the empennage kit.
Drilled the holes on the web of the rear spar. Started on the rear spar stiffeners.
Finished drilling & deburring the stiffeners on the HS rear spar. Drilled and deburred the elevator hinge brackets. Riveted the bearing to the center elevator hinge bracket. I will have to wait to finish the rear spar until I find some primer.
Fabricate HS-610 and HS-614 forward spar splice angles.
Trimmed the HS-602 forward spar channels, lined them up on the jig with the HS-610 and HS-614 splice angles and drilled the rivet holes.
Did some more trimming on HS-602 (front spar) and deburred it. See note. Bent the front spar and front spar splice angles. Started deburring ribs. Deburred and fluted ribs. Cleaned, etched and primed all the parts of the HS rear spar. Riveted the rear spar together.
Worked on building brackets to fasten the rear spar to the jig.
Mounted the rear spar in the jig and started building up the HS skeleton. Finished drilling all the parts of the HS skeleton, un-clecoed the skeleton and started deburring all the parts in preparation for priming.
Finished deburring, cleaning and treating all the HS skeleton parts. Primed all the HS skeleton parts Started assembling the HS skeleton Finished the HS skeleton and drilled and clecoed the skins to the skeleton.
Deburring, dimpling HS skeleton and skins. Built a make-shift table for the C-frame tool, finished dimpling the skins. Sanded cleaned and treated the HS skins. Primed the HS skins. Started riveting the skins to the skeleton. Drilled out the pilot holes on the rear spar of the Vertical Stabilizer.
Finished riveting the skins on the HS skeleton. The horizontal stabilizer is finished
Deburred the ribs and front spar of the VS. Stored away the Horizontal Stabilizer an sanded all of the Vertical Stab parts that need to be primed. Cleaned and treated all of the Vertical Stabilizer parts. Primed all the Vertical Stabilizer parts Riveted the VS Rear Spar together and prepared the jig so I could mount the spar.
Riveted the ribs onto the rear spar. Mounted the rear spar in the jig. Riveted on the forward spar and the root tip rib. Drilled and clecoed the VS skin.
Riveted the skin to the vertical stabilizer. The Vertical Stabilizer is Finished!!!
Trimmed and deburred the Rudder stiffiners. Started deburring the rest of the rudder parts. Finished deburring the rudder parts. Finished sanding the rest of the rudder parts.
Ground off the what was left of the little guide hole on all the stiffeners. The more I looked at it the more it looked like a stress concentration in a fairly high stress place. See note. Etched, coated and primed all the rudder parts. Drilled all the rudder stiffeners to the rudder skin. Deburred and dimpled the stiffeners and skin and started back riveting the stiffeners to the skin.
Riveted the stiffeners to the rudder
Fabricated the little spacer that goes behind the rudder horn. Had to etch and prime it as well. Clamped the spar, reinforcement plates, lower rib and rudder horn together and drilled. Squeezed all the rivets that I could reach with the squeezer. I also built the homemade sheetmetal brake for forming the trailing edge of the control surfaces. Finished riveting the spar, rudder horn and lower rib together. Formed the trailing edge of the rudder and started setting up the V-block jigs.
Finished drilling the rudder skeleton, set up the V-block jigs for the rudder, drilled and clecoed all of the rudder parts together in the jig.
Deburred, dimpled and started riveting all of the rudder parts together. Finished riveting the rudder skin to the skelton. Formed the leading edge of the rudder. Rudder is finished, except for fiberglass and the counterweight.
Started laying out the stiffeners on the right elevator and cut the stiffeners from the angle provided.
Drilled pilot holes in the stiffeners for the bottom right elevator skin and started fabricating the stiffeners for the top. Drilled the second set of stiffeners for the right elevator. Started deburring all of the right elevator pieces. Deburring right elevator parts. Drilled the stiffeners to the right elevator skin. Finished deburring all right elevator parts. Sanded, cleaned, coated and primed all the parts to the right elevator.
Riveted the stiffeners to the right elevator skin. Formed the trailing edge of the right elevator. Started putting the elevator skeleton together and built the V-Block jig for the elevators.
Straightened up the V-block jig. I wasn't happy with it. Riveted the tip ribs together. Looked dumbfounded at the manual and the prints for a while until I realized that I was too tired to continue and went to bed. Finished laying out the Right Elevator skeleton. Started drilling and dimpling holes to attach skin to skeleton. Finished drilling, deburring and dimpling holes. Riveted the right elevator together. Bent the leading edge and mounted to the HS. Drilled the pilot hole for the HS hinge. Right elevator is finished except for fiber glass and bolting on the counter weights.
Started the left elevator. Fabricated and drilled all of the stiffeners. Trimmed the Z brackets for the electric trim servo mount and started deburring all of the parts in preparation for priming.
Deburring, Deburring, Deburring. Received the wing kit today. Shannon and I inventoried all the parts and I stored them away.
Deburring, Sanding, Deburring, Sanding Etching, coating, priming. Drilled the spar to the left elevator skin and dimpled the holes in the spar. Drilled the rear spar to the skin and dimpled the rear spar (OOPs @#$%& I am supposed to machine countersink those) Undimpled the left elevator rear spar with the Avery squeezer and a flush rivet set. Countersunk the rear spar holes that match with the trim tab hinge. Finished dimpling the elevator skin and all of the stiffeners. Backriveted all the sitffeners to the elevator skin. Bent the little tabs on the elevator skin where the trim tab is. Started putting the skeleton together.
Mounted the elevator trim servo on the mounting plate. Assembled the reinforcement plate for the elevator trim and riveted it to the skin. Also worked a little on the skeleton.
Finished the left elevator skeleton and started drilling the elevator skin to the skeleton.
Deburred and dimpled the skeleton and skin on the left elevator. Put all the rivets in the left elevator except for where the trim tab hinge is to be attached. Finished the trim tab and riveted the hinges to both the trim tab and the left elevator. Assembled the tail for a picture and to try and convince myself that all of this stuff will really look like an airplane someday. Stored the tail away and did a little dance because - THE EMPENNAGE IS DONE!!!
Cleaned up the garage and got the main wing spars out to get started on the wings.
Drilled and countersunk all the holes for the tank skin attach platenuts. Started attaching the platenuts and countersinking the screw hole. Finished attaching the tank skin attach platenuts on the main wing spars.
Attached all the platenuts for the wing inspection covers on the main wing spars. Fabricated the little spacers that go behind the tie downs and started working on drilling the tie downs to the wing spar. Finished the tie down assemblies on the main spars and started deburring the parts of the rear spars.
Deburring the parts of the rear wing spars Finished deburring the parts for both rear wing spars. Primed the spars and assembled them.
Deburring wing ribs Deburring wing ribs Deburring wing ribs Deburring wing ribs Deburring wing ribs Finished deburring wing ribs and started fluting / straightening wing ribs Fluting and straightening wing ribs Finished fluting and straightening the wing ribs. Modified the H-Jig for use in holding the wings. Clecoed the main ribs to the main and rear spars of the left wing.
Drilled the ribs and spars of the left wing. Clecoed and drilled all the ribs and spars of the right wing and then deburred all the ribs and spars. Also started building the little wooden fuel tank craddle. Finished the leading edge / fuel tank craddle. Started drilling the holes in the main ribs for the electrical conduit
Finished drilling all the holes for the conduit. Deburred the holes in the left wing parts and prepared the left wing parts for priming. Primed the left wing ribs. Riveted the main ribs to the main and rear spars. Shannon built the wing storage craddle. Mounted the left wing skeleton in the stand. Clecoed and drilled all of the main skins. Clecoed the leading edge skin to the ribs and spar.
Installed the W-423 joint plate.
Started marking and drilling the fuel tank attach brackets. Still drilling and laying out the fuel tank attach brackets. Countersunk the rivet holes where the platenuts attach to the fuel tank attach brackets. Started deburring the fuel tank ribs. Deburring fuel tank ribs. Fluted all of the fuel tank ribs, and riveted the platenuts to the left tank attach brackets. Started bolting the attach brackets to the left main spar.
Lined up and drilled the T-702 baffle to the tank attach brackets and ribs. Mounted the skin on the tank assembly and drilled all of the holes in the tank skin. Drilled and clecoed the stiffeners to the fuel tank skin. Countersunk the holes where the skin attaches to the baffle.
Fabricated the T-405 tank attach angle and cut out the T-410 reinforcement plates. Predrilled the cpacative fuel sender plates to the ribs and trimed the plates for the proper clearance. Drilled the access plate reinforcement plate to the inboard rib and drilled and clecoed the filler cap and drain flange to the tank skin. Started modifying the number two fuel tank rib for the inverted fuel pickup.
Finished the inverted tank mods to the second inboard rib. Countersunk the fuel filler body and deburred the skin and most of the ribs.
Finished deburring and dimpling the fuel tank ribs. Deburred the skin. Finished deburring and dimpling all the tank parts. Modified my leading edge craddle, and built a little 10:1 balance for measuring pro-seal.
Pro-Seal session #1. Riveted/sealed the tank stiffeners, the fuel filler cap and the tank drain flange. I also sealed the reinforcement ring that goes inside the inboard rib with the platenuts. (What a mess!)
Rebuilt the leading edge craddle and did some last minute preparation for the Pro-seal nightmare that is to begin tomorrow.
Pro-sealed all of the ribs into place in the fuel tank. Surely 1 hour per rib is a little much but that stuff was curing pretty fast and I had to mix up a batch for each rib. It's still hot in Houston. Installed and wired up the capacative fuel senders in the left tank. Installed the fuel vent and fuel pickup tubes and fittings as well as the little BNC connector for the fuel sender. Drilled, countersunk or dimpled the holes for the platenuts on the T-423 attach plate.
Finished closing the left fuel tank. Maybe I'll have time to forget how much I hate Pro-seal before I get to the right tank. Cleaned up the shop getting ready to go back to work on the wing.
Drilled (I thought I already did that) deburred, and dimpled the leading edge skin. Deburring and dimpling wing skins and ribs. Deburring and dimpling wing skins and ribs. Primed the wing skins and countersunk most of the little holes in the wing spar. Finished countersinking the spar. Riveted the leading edge skin to the ribs and started installing the Duckworks landing light in the leading edge.
Got the mounting plate built and trimmed the plexi for the Duckworks light in the left wing.
Finished the landing light installation in the left leading edge.
Tapped the tie down bracket and drilled the little hole in the skin for the tie down. Started riveting the leading edge assembly to the spar. Finished riveting the leading edge assembly to the left wing.
Pressure tested the fuel tank and fixed the big 'ol leak that I found.
Finished leak testing the fuel tank. Decided that the leak was where my test fitting connected to the tank. Couldn't make a single 'Snoop' bubble anywhere else. Installed the tank on the wing. Started riveting on the top wing skins Still riveting top skins on Finished riveting the top skins and took the left wing out of the jig and into the craddle.
Installed the aileron bellcrank in the left wing. Cleaned up the shop and started preparing the ribs for the right wing for priming.
Primed all the right wing ribs. Assembled the right wing skeleton and hung it on the jig. Clecoed and drilled all of the main wing skins top and bottom as well as the leading edge skin. Time to start on the other tank. :-( Fabricated the right tank attach brackets and drilled them to match the main spar. Finished the right tank attach brackets and bolted them to the spar. Cut out and deburred the tank stiffeners. Drilled the stiffeners to the right fuel tank skin and started getting the baffle lined up on the tank attach brackets. Drilled baffle to the attach brackets, drilled the skin to the ribs and the baffle. Prepared the capacitive fuel sender plates and drilled them to the proper ribs. Fabricated the tank attach angle (difficult with the bandsaw out of commission) Drilled the attach angle and doubler plates to the ribs. Drilled the fuel filler and drain to the skin. Cut the big hole in the inboard rib, fit and drilled the tank access reinforcement plate. Prepared the tank access plate for the fuel pickup and fabricated the anti-rotation bracket and drilled it to the tank attach plate. Fabricated the fuel pickup tube. Also made the little cover to fit over the tooling hole in the outboard rib. Started deburring and dimpling all the parts of the right tank.
Deburring and dimpling right fuel tank parts. Finished dimpling and deburring all of the right tank parts. Now I am ready for the Pro-seal. Sealed and back riveted all the right tank stiffeners, fuel tank filler, drain flange and six of the seven ribs. It goes faster the second time and it helps that it wasn't so hot this time so the Pro Seal cures slower. Installed the capacative senders in the right tank. Also cut and flared the the vent line. These things are much easier with the inboard rib off. Finished the capacative fuel sender installation, installed the inboard rib with the reinforcing ring and installed both of the reinforcement plates and the attach angle to the leading edges. Installed the baffle in the right tank. TANKS ARE FINISHED!!!! Now if it will just not leak then I can be done with Pro-seal. Cleaned up a little bit and worked on the leading edge parts. Removed the top skins from the skeleton and deburred both of them as well as the leading edge skin. Riveted the platenuts to the tank attach plate. Dimpled the leading edge skin and both top skins, and got everything ready to prime. Primed all the right wing skins, deburred the main ribs, riveted the leading edge together and almost finished installing the Duck Works landing/taxi light into the leading edge. Finished the Duck Works light installation and countersunk all the little holes in the spar where the skin dimples sit. Also rivted the leading edge skin to the spar. Pressure tested the right fuel tank, and cleaned up the shop a bit. Started the ailerons by knocking off the edges of all the ribs and stiffeners. Got the old door out and drilled all the stiffeners to the skins and started deburring the stiffeners.
Finished deburring and dimpling the aileron stiffeners. Started getting all the aileron parts ready to prime. Got the rest of the aileron parts deburred, dimpled and ready to prime. Finished installing the leading edge to the right wing by riveting the ribs to the spar (it took until tonight because I waited for John to give me a hand). Installed the fuel tank on the wing as well. Riveted the top skins on. I didn't back rivet these and they seemed to turn out better. I had trouble keeping the rivets straight with the backrivetter. I also took the wing out of the jig! Now I can take down these two posts.
Primed all the aileron parts. Backriveted the stiffeners to the aileron skins, formed the trailing edge bend and started assembling the skeletons.
I took down the emp/wing jig and cleaned up a little. Worked on the forward aileron skeletons some more. Attached the aileron hinges and aileron gap seal to the left wing, started on the flap brace. Finished installing both sets of aileron hinges, aileron gap seals and flap braces.
Installed the aileron belcrank in the right wing. Drilled the ribs and spars of the right aileron, drilled and countersunk the counterbalance pipe, dimpled and countersunk all the holes and assembled the aileron. Also bolted on the hinge brackets.
Installed the right aileron on the wing and started drilling out the reinforcement plates on the left aileron. Finished putting the reinforcement plates on the aileron spar, riveted the leading egde ribs to the spar and riveted the counterbalance pipe to the ribs.
Finished Drilling all the holes in the left aileron and started deburring, dimpling and countersinking everything. Finished deburring and countersinking all the parts for the left aileron, and finished riveting it together. Mounted the left aileron to the wing. Cut, primed and assembled both aileron control rods. Installed and adjusted the control rods to the ailerons.
Installed the nylon corrugated wiring conduit in the wings.
Cleaned up a little, got all the Flap parts out of storage and started fabricating the little reinforcement brackets. Finished fabricating the reinforcement bracket and started deburring all the edges of the flap parts.
More deburring of flap parts Deburred the edges of the flap skins |
