Category: Fwd Mid Fuse Side Structure (Section 29)

Finished the Forward Mid Fuselage Side Structure (Section 29)

Match drilled the side gussets to the upper longerons and Machine countersunk the holes in the gusset.

 

Riveted the cross brace to the fuselage.

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Riveted the gussets and intercostals into place. Bolted on and torqued down the roll bar braces.

 

Trimmed and scuffed the NACA ducts for the fresh air vents. The instructions recommended waiting until section 35 to assemble and install.

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This was a really long section but the result is really rewarding…

 

Next up I attach the aft fuselage! Exciting next step.

 

Today’s Time (hours): 2.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 129.0
Total Time (hours): 583.5

Finished riveting left side

Riveted the web stiffeners to the main bulkhead webs.

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Riveted the nut plates to the root faring angles and lower skin. Then riveted the root faring angles to the left side skin

 

Bolted the left bulkhead bar back in placed and torqued it down.

 

Removed the right landing gear bracket in preparation for riveting the right side skin to the fuselage.

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In other exciting news, my engine arrived from Lycoming!

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Today’s Time (hours): 5.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 123.0
Total Time (hours): 577.5

Continued riveting the left side

Went flying today… Jared and I flew his RV-14 up to Knoxville for lunch. Beautiful day and a great flight.

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Finished riveting the left skin to the fuselage and firewall.

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Bent the left center section channel and riveted it in place.

 

Riveted in the left side frame and the three forward stiffeners.

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Riveted the arm rest in place.

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Riveted the left flap block bracket in place.

 

 

Today’s Time (hours): 3.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 118.0
Total Time (hours): 572.5

Started riveting the side skins to the fuselage

Back riveted the side ribs, center section, and forward stiffener to the side skins.

 

Clecoed the side skin and longerons to the fuselage and bolted the upper drag link in place. I ran a bead of fuel tank sealant between the firewall and the skin and the upper longeron and the skin. Unfortunately it wasn’t until after I put the sealant in place that I realized that I hadn’t dimpled the flanges of the firewall.  In my defense, I can’t find where it says to do so in the instructions. What a fucking mess!  Thanks, Vans!

 

Riveted the canopy latch bracket and bulkhead side channel to the left skin.

 

Got about halfway through the riveting on the left side. Slow going. I was hoping to make more progress than I did today.

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Ran into one frigging rivet that necessitated removal of the landing gear bracket. This was a huge pain in the ass with the skin in place. There’s not enough room to get a drift in front of the main bulkhead to knock the outboard bolt out. Ended up using the short end of an allen wrench and hitting it with the long bucking bar that I have. There wasn’t room for a hammer. Once I got it started with this arrangement, I was then able to get a drift into the space and use the bucking bar to knock the bolt out. Would have saved a bunch of time had I removed the bracket before the skins went on. Burned over an hour on this.

 

Today’s Time (hours): 10.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 115.0
Total Time (hours): 569.5

Dimpled the skins and countersunk the longerons

Taped off the holes that were not to be dimpled. Deburred and prepped the edges per the plans. Dimpled the skins.

 

Countersunk all the outboard holes in the upper and lower longerons.

 

 

Today’s Time (hours): 3.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 105.0
Total Time (hours): 559.5

Riveted bottom skins

Jared came over and helped me rivet the bottom skins. Thanks again! I neglected to take any pictures. Imagine the picture below with rivets where all the clecos are. Had to remove and reinstall the landing gear brackets to get all the rivets in.

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Installed the control column.

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Temporarily clecoed the side skins in place.

 

 

Temporarily bolted the upper and lower longerons to the firewall assembly and match drilled the cowling attach hinges and the longerons.

 

 

Today’s Time (hours): 7.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 101.0
Total Time (hours): 555.5

Dimpling, Countersinking, and Assembly continues

Constructed a support leg from scrap wood and bolted to the bulkheads. Then turned the fuselage assembly up on its side to rivet the bottom.

 

 

Put clecos in all holes to be riveted. The final drilled and blind riveted the bottom skins to the drag links. This is as far as I could get without a riveting partner.

 

 

Sealed the muffler ramp to the bottom skins with fuel tank sealant.

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Dimpled and countersunk all of the parts except the skins.

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Riveted the roll bar angles to the intercostal ribs.

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Fabricated the seat adjustment guides and assembled the seat adjustment stuff to the cross brace.

 

 

 

Today’s Time (hours): 5.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 94.0
Total Time (hours): 548.5