Flaps Completed

Same drill for the right flap… Just barely set the trailing edge rivets with the squeezer then set the shop heads flush with a mushroom set in the gun and a back riveting plate. I riveted the bottom skins with blind rivets. Then I installed hardware.

Flaps complete!

Emailed Van’s about my tank skins and heard back on Friday. The right skin is back ordered so they estimate that they will ship end of next week. I’ve got plenty to keep me busy until then… On to the Ailerons.

Today’s Time (hours):	1.0
Wing Time (hours):	167.0
Total Time (hours):	378.0

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.

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

Started riveting the outboard leading edge to left wing

Clecoed the outboard leading edge assembly to the left wing assembly.

Blind riveted the leading edge ribs to the main spar.

I set the the wing upright on the workbench and riveted the leading edge skin to the lower flange of the main spar.

I need a bucking partner to get the upper flange. Hopefully Remy will be available tomorrow evening.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Wing Time (hours):	122.0
Total Time (hours):	333.0

Riveted outboard leading edge to right wing

Completed the right outboard leading edge by riveting the landing light bracket and J channel stiffener in place.

Clecoed the outboard leading edge to the right wing.

Blind riveted the leading edge ribs to the main spar. I couldn’t get the rivet puller square to the river so I fabricated a wedge to safely pull the rivets at an angle. Thanks to Jared for the reminder on this technique. I had originally read about it in section 5 but had forgotten. I ended up using a piece of left over trailing edge wedge. I cut of a small section about half an inch long and drilled a hole in it to accommodate the tail of the blind rivet.

Riveted the leading edge skin to the bottom flange of the main spar.

Riveted the leading edge skin to the top flange of the main spar. Remy bucked for me.

I made a home depot run and picked up a bunch to 2×4’s to construct a wing cradle.

I messed up and stripped a couple of screws that I used to attach the inspection plate to the left leading edge. Need to order a screw extractor.

Today’s Time (hours):	3.0
Wing Time (hours):	116.0
Total Time (hours):	327.0

Attached vertical stabilizer tip

I final drilled all the holes to #30, dimpled them, machine countersunk the holes in the fiberglass, and blind riveted the tip to the VS. I detached the rudder from the VS and put the VS aside. Won’t be needing it again for a long time.

I marked the rudder bottom fairing and cut the hole for the tail light with the Dremel tool.

Used the sanding drum on the Dremel to finish up the hole.

I primed the outside of the doubler with SEM rattle can primer.

I mixed up some flox and used it to adhere the doubler to the rudder fairing.

I blind riveted it in place. I’ll clean it up with sand paper once it has cured.

Today’s Time (hours):	1.5
Empennage Time (hours):	211.0
Total Time (hours):	211.0

Attached top rudder tip

I was away in south Florida all last week for work. Good trip but glad to get back in the shop today.

I final-fit the top tip to the rudder with some sand paper. I match drilled #40 all of the holes.

I final drilled the holes to #30.

I machine countersunk the holes in the tip to fit the dimples in the skin.

I dimpled the holes in the skin.

I attached the tip to the rudder with the pneumatic pop rivet gun.

Et viola…

I attached the rudder to the vertical stabilizer on the workbench. I fit the VS tip with sandpaper and match drilled all the holes #40.

I used the band saw to cut some foam to back the fiberglass closeout. I test fit the assembly to the VS and used sand paper to gradually reduce the size of the foam until I got an interference fit.

I mixed up some epoxy resin with glass micro bubbles to . nice thick paste that wouldn’t run.

…and used it to glue the foam into place.

Today’s Time (hours):	1.5
Empennage Time (hours):	206.5
Total Time (hours):	206.5

Sanded and attached horizontal stabilizer tips

Sanded and fit the HS tip to fit. Before I paint the airplane, these will need to be filled and finish sanded.

Final drilled #30, dimpled the skins, and machine countersunk the tip.

I picked up a pneumatic rivet puller at Harbor Freight yesterday. I used it to set the rivets and attach the tips. So much nicer the the manual puller!

This completes the work on the horizontal stabilizer and elevators. So I’ve moved them to a safe place until I’m ready to final attach them at the end of the build.

Today’s Time (hours):	1.5
Empennage Time (hours):	205.0
Total Time (hours):	205.0

Attached left elevator tip

I final drilled #30 the elevator skin to the tip. Then I removed the tip and countersunk the holes.

I dimpled the holes in the elevator.

I had to remove the counterweight to dimple the forward two holes. Then reinstalled and re-torqued the nuts.

Installed the tip with CS4 pop rivets. I’m thinking I might replace my pop rivet tool. I’m getting a burr on the top of all of the rivets and I’ve had several break off in the tool. I’m careful to keep the tool perpendicular to the work but this keeps happening. A while back, a mandrel got jammed in the tool. I disassembled it to remove the mandrel and reassembled it. But I think the jaws are not grabbing properly now.

In other news, you can see that after trimming and sanding the left HS tip, it fits nicely. The right tip is another story. I think I neglected to final fit it after I sanded the foam or perhaps I seated the foam too deeply. In any event, it spread the tip about an eighth too far and now the tip wont fit between the top and bottom skins at the spar. I’ll noodle on how I might salvage the part for a while and If I can’t I’ll order a new one. My best thought at this point is to take a 1/8″ wedge out of the middle of the foam/fiberglass with a saw and then put another layer of glass over it.

Today’s Time (hours):	1.0
Empennage Time (hours):	201.0
Total Time (hours):	201.0

Finished Elevators and Worked on Aft Three Bulkhead Assemblies

Yay! Rivets came in the mail and I was able to finally complete the elevators.

Cleaned up the edges and deburred the longerons and J stiffeners.

Matched drilled the aft bulkheads to the VS aft spar.

Countersunk the tie down support.

Dimpled the bulkheads. I think I found a problem with the plans. They called for dimpling the #30 holes in the web of the bulkhead. Note the two dimples along the edge of the tiedown bracket. they are keeping it from sitting flush against the bulkhead. I’ll likely need to undimple these holes somehow.

Match drilled the next bulkhead to the HS attach bars and dimpled the flanges.

IMG_1885-1

Likewise with the next bulkhead…

Ready for deburring, scuffing, and priming.

Today’s Time (hours):	6.0
Empennage Time (hours):	137.0
Total Time (hours):	137.0

So F’ing Close!

I thought for sure I would finish the elevators today. But no! Came up short by five AD-41-ABS pop rivets.

Started the day by riveting the trailing edges. I lightly set all the rivets with the pneumatic squeezer first. Then propped everything up so that the trailing edge rested flush to the back rivet place and very carefully used a mushroom set on the bottom to finish the double flush rivets. With he “backward” trailing edge of the elevators, I almost needed to use just the edge of the rivet set. It was tricky but I’m happy with the result.

Remy helped me roll and rivet the leading edges.

I cut and installed the lead counterweights. Is it me or does installing lead in an airplane just seem wrong? 🙂

And here they are. My almost completed elevators!

TODO:

Finish riveting the leading edge (ordering rivets today)
Terminate the wires from the (waiting for crimper to arrive)
safety wire trim tab hinge pin (waiting for safety wire to arrive)

Today’s Time (hours):	6.0
Empennage Time (hours):	125.5
Total Time (hours):	125.5