Author: Ron Slosberg

Finished the left flap

Worked on both left and right flaps simultaneously; performing each step on one then the other. Riveted the top skins and nose skins to the spars and then to the ribs. I back riveted the aft-most two holes in each rib.

 

 

Clecoed then riveted the bottom skins and nose skins to the spars. I had to stick my arm down between the skins, slightly pulling back the bottom skin to be able to back these rivets. Glad I deburred well. My arms were pretty well scraped by the end of this step.

 

 

Final drilled #33 and blind riveted the nose skins to the nose ribs.

 

 

Applied 3M double-sided VHB tape to the trailing edge extrusions. I clecoed the extrusions in place in the left wing, removing the bottom backing from the tape as I went. I let the VHB adhesive set up for an hour or so and remove the top backing form the tape; removing and replacing clecos as I went.

 

 

I let the top tape set up for a couple of hours. I clecoed and taped the trailing edge into the right wing at this point and moved on to riveting the left wing while the bottom tape set up.

I used the squeezer to just barely set rivets in the trailing edge. Then used a mushroom set in the gun with a back rivet plate to fully set the back of the double flush rivets.

 

 

I final drilled #33 all the bottom skin/rib holes and blind riveted. I used the squeezer to set solid rivets in the inboard and outboard end ribs. I installed the rod end for the flap actuator. Left wing done!

 

 

I removed the backing form the top tape on the right trailing edge. I’ll finish the right flap up in the morning.

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Today’s Time (hours): 6.0
Wing Time (hours): 166.0
Total Time (hours): 377.0

 

Primed everything and began assembly

Primed everything

 

Riveted the nutplates and doublers to the rod end ribs.

 

Riveted the hinge halves to the ribs. Then installed the hardware and double flush riveted the halves together.

 

Today’s Time (hours): 2.0
Wing Time (hours): 158.0
Total Time (hours): 369.0

 

Hooked up landing lights

The ground (black) wire attached to the C401J connector that came with the wiring harness in the kit was too short to route through the outboard rib and spar to the landing light. It was originally intended to be grounded to the rib. The instructions for the AeroLED landing lights recommends bonding it to the ground for the landing light which is routed back to the fuselage in order to prevent radio interference. So I removed the black wire along with its molex socket from the C401J molex connector. I ordered new sockets from Mouser and they arrived today. So I cut some lengths of 18 gauge wire and crimped the new sockets on.

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Inserted the pin back into the connector and routed the wire.

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Crimped on the the ring terminals.

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Ran the wires through the adel clamp and connected to the terminals on the landing light. Wire tied everything to keep it neat and tight.

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Today’s Time (hours): 1.0
Wing Time (hours): 154.0
Total Time (hours): 365.0

 

Fitting the flaps together

Assembled the inboard and outboard rod end ribs. Clecoed the ribs and doubles together. Match drilled the #40 holes and final drilled the 1/4″ hole. Countersunk the #40 holes on the outboard doublers.

 

Clecoed the ribs to the flap hinges and final drilled all the #30 holes.

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Modified all the main ribs by removing the top forward tab from each with the Dremel and a cutoff wheel. Finished with a bit of sanding to remove the burrs.

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Assembled the flap substructures.

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Trimmed the inboard and outboard trailing edges to final size with the bandsaw and finished on the scotch brite wheel.

 

Clecoed the flaps together.

 

Match drilled the two top holes in each of the nose ribs. I also final drilled all of the holes in the trailing edges.

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Assembled the hardware in the hinge to hold everything in alignment and match drilled the four holes in the  trailing edge of the hinge.

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Disassembled everything.

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Next I need to machine countersink the holes in the trailing edge wedge and the holes I just drilled in the hinges. Then dimple and prime everything.

Today’s Time (hours): 6.5
Wing Time (hours): 152.5
Total Time (hours): 363.5

 

 

Began work on Flaps

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Built the cradles for the flaps. Traced a leading edge rib to make a template which I transferred to the plywood blanks. I used the bandsaw to cut out the cradles. I glued and screwed some 2×2 stock to the bottoms so I can clamp them to the bench.

 

Started work on the flap attach brackets. Laid out and drilled the holes in the flange of one of the left halves of the bracket. Then match drilled the other three and deburred everything. The right halves get drilled later in the process.

 

Today’s Time (hours): 2.0
Wing Time (hours): 146.0
Total Time (hours): 357.0

 

 

…And tanks are on hold again

Same drill as yesterday… Match drilled the right J-channel stiffener and machine countersunk the skin for the tank baffle rivets.

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Then I started dimpling the skins. I started by using the squeezer to dimple all the holes it could reach. I caught one hole off center. Then moved on the second skin. I got through the all the ones with the squeezer and then moved to the DRDT and had the skin pop off of the dimple die just as I was pulling the handle. This created an extra hole about 2 mm from the original hole. I could probably salvage both of these issues if this were a regular skin but I’d rather not chance leaky tank skins. So ordered replacements from Van’s. Not my best day of building.

The good news is I’m not stuck waiting on the replacement parts. I can move on to the flaps and/or ailerons in the meantime. Could have been worse.

Today’s Time (hours): 2.0
Wing Time (hours): 144.0
Total Time (hours): 355.0

 

 

Work resumes on the tanks

I received the J-Channel that that I ordered from Van’s. I cut it to length with a cut-off wheel in the Dremel. Then cleaned up the edges on the Scotchbrite wheel. I measured and marked the centerline. Drilled the starter hole. Clecoed it in place and match drilled the rest of the holes, clecoing as I went.

 

I clecoed the baffle in place and machine countersunk the corresponding rivet holes in the tank skin.

 

I disassembled everything final drilled the #19 holes in the skin and then deburred them as well as the holes in the j-channel. I dimpled the J-channel with the pneumatic squeezer.

In other news… My propeller was delivered! It’ll be a while before I need it but ordered it at the same time as the engine to get a discount. The engine has a much longer lead time. Expecting it to show up mid October.

 

 

Today’s Time (hours): 2.0
Wing Time (hours): 142.0
Total Time (hours): 353.0