Primed and started riveting the rear spar and Ordered Engine and Prop

Had an awesome time at Sun N Fun with Jared, Wes, and the Family. That’s me ordering an engine and prop in Van’s tent! And that’s me and Remy sitting in the RV14 at Van’s booth. Suddenly this is getting more real.

We got back from Lakeland this morning and I got right back to work. No rest for the wicked! Primed the rear spars and all of their associated parts.

Clecoed the aileron hinges together.

…and riveted them.

Clecoed the spars together.

Started riveting the doublers to the spars with the squeezer.

Today’s Time (hours):	3.0
Wing Time (hours):	63.0
Total Time (hours):	274.0

Much progress on rear spar

Screen Shot 2019-05-27 at 10.16.11 AM

Peeled the vinyl from all the parts. Did the minor cutting and fabrication called out in the plans. Cleaned up and deburred all the edges with file, deburring tool, scotch brite wheel, and sandpaper. Scuffed everything with a scotch brite pad.

Assembled and final drilled the aileron hinges. The inboard hinges are from the service bulletin. I’m surprised they haven’t updated the plans yet. Had to follow the SB instructions.

Clamped the spar doublers to the spars and match drilled them.

Drilled out the aileron pushrod hole in the inboard doublers and cleaned them up with the Dremel.

Clecoed the right rear spar together with the wing assembly.

Today’s Time (hours):	4.5
Wing Time (hours):	59.0
Total Time (hours):	270.0

Primed everything and started assembly

Wiped everything down with acetone and then shot primer. I did the spars first, then the ribs in two batches, and finally all the other small parts.

Riveted the flap hinges and hinge ribs to the ribs. I started using the squeezer but it couldn’t reach most of the rivets so just switched to the gun and shot the rest of them.

Assembled and riveted the the torque tube brackets and riveted them to the inboard ribs.

Clecoed the ribs to the spars and reinstalled the AN3 hardware and torqued everything down. I also installed the snap bushing in the systems holes in all the ribs. Many of them were a bit loose. I’ll have to give some thought on how I want to resolve this.

Today’s Time (hours):	7.0
Wing Time (hours):	52.5
Total Time (hours):	263.5

Final drilled ribs to spars and drilled systems holes.

Spent a lot of time finishing the deburring of all the holes in the flanges and finishing dimpling the lower flanges of the ribs.

Clecoed the ribs to the spars and final drilled all the holes in the forward flanges.

Disassembled everything and deburred the rest of the holes.

Measured, marked, and drilled the systems holes with the step drill.

Deburred all the the systems holes.

Ready to prime and assemble ribs.

Today’s Time (hours):	7.0
Wing Time (hours):	45.5
Total Time (hours):	256.5

Work on the ribs continues

Netflix and scuff! Sophie deburred and scuffed all the ribs while I was traveling this week. Awesome job!

I fluted and straightened all the ribs.

I assembled and final drilled #30 the torque tube bracket assemblies.

I clecoed the torque tube bracket assemblies to the inboard-most ribs and final drilled them to the rib webs.

I clecoed the flap brackets and flap bracket ribs to the inboard and outboard wing ribs and natch drilled all the #30 holes.

Today’s Time (hours):	10.0
Wing Time (hours):	34.5
Total Time (hours):	245.5

Rinse, repeat, right spar complete

Match drilled the J channel to the spar.

Machine countersunk the nutplate attach holes.

Riveted in the nutplates

Countersunk the screw holes.

Machine countersunk all the skin attach holes.

Riveted in the nutplates at the tip end of the spar.

Riveted the doubler to the spar and installed the tank attach nutplates.

Final drilled, deburred, scuffed and primed the aileron bell crank brackets

Installed and torqued the aileron bell crank brackets.

Right spar done!

Today’s Time (hours):	4.5
Wing Time (hours):	21.5
Total Time (hours):	232.5

Started the wing build

Screen Shot 2019-05-27 at 10.10.58 AM

Cut the J channel to the specified lengths with the Dremel tool and a cutoff wheel.

Clamped the J channel to flange leaving it 1/16″ proud of the flange.

Drilled and clecoed the J channel.

Flipped the lower J channel to the upper flange to finish the holes where the nut plates were on the lower flange. I marked the J channel and set aside for later when the skins go on.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Wing Time (hours):	12.0
Total Time (hours):	223.0

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

Attach bottom rudder fairing

Last night I put a layer of glass over the foam in the VS tip.

This morning, I trimmed and sanded the edges.

I filled with a thick mixture of glass micro bubbles and epoxy resin.

I set aside the VS tip to cure and got started attaching the bottom rudder fairing. I measured and marked the fairing and match drilled #40 and clecoed in place.

I used a nut plate, a #6 screw and a rivet as a drill jig.

I dimpled all the nut plate attach holes with the squeezer. I needed the close quarters dimple dies for the aft-most holes.

I dimpled the nut plates.

I machine countersunk the rudder horn bracket. It’s too thick to dimple.

I riveted the nut plates in place. I made the aft-most hole too close to the aft edge of the attach strip. So I cut one ear off of the nut plate.

I machine countersunk the fiberglass for #6 screws.

Everything went together just fine.

I disassembled and started work on the doubler for the tail light. I centered and taped it in place. I drilled the #30 holes and clecoed. I ordered a #43 drill and a 4 40 tap from amazon for the other two holes.

Today’s Time (hours):	3.0
Empennage Time (hours):	209.5
Total Time (hours):	209.5

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