Broke the top edges of the side skins with the edge roller. Sawed a kerf into a small wood block on the band saw and used it to tweak the edge of the top skin under the slot and aft. Dimpled the canopy attach holes in the side skins.
Countersunk all of the holes in the canopy with a zero flute countersink.
Fabricated that aft canopy seal with a hole punch and a razor knife.
| Today’s Time (hours): | 2.0 |
| Finish Kit (hours): | 64.0 |
| Total Time (hours): | 794.0 |
Riveted together the canopy handle and aft canopy frame.
Machine countersunk the side rails forward rails. Dimpled the side skins, the forward top skin, and the support flanges.
Clecoed the skins and forward rails to the substructure and reinstalled the forward and mid fixtures to the bottom.
| Today’s Time (hours): | 2.0 |
| Finish Kit (hours): | 35.0 |
| Total Time (hours): | 765.0 |
Cut all the parts that needed parting.
Fabricated the canopy handles from aluminum angle.
Deburred and scuffed all the parts.
Primed everything.
Started assembling the canopy frame. Dimpled and rivered the hinge intercostals. Dimpled the skin. Fluted and fit the substructure. Started riveting the substructure together.
| Today’s Time (hours): | 6.0 |
| Finish Kit (hours): | 26.5 |
| Total Time (hours): | 756.5 |
Match drilled the cowl attach hinges.
Took everything apart and dimpled the skin, the firewall flanges, and shims. Machine countersunk the hinges and longerons.
I got the nut plates I ordered. So I also finished riveting the instrument panel in place.
| Today’s Time (hours): | 2.0 |
| Fuselage Time (hours): | 195.0 |
| Total Time (hours): | 649.5 |
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 |
Applied a bead of tank sealant to the bottom flanges of the muffler shroud sides and riveted them to the forward skins. Riveted the muffler shroud ramp to the sides and added a fillet of sealant to the bottom of each seam.
Positioned the firewall assembly on the forward skins and muffler shroud. Added sealant between the skins and firewall and around the curved area where the muffler shroud connects to the firewall and clecoed everything together. Riveted the cover bases to the skin. Riveted the curved part of the firewall to the muffler shroud sides and ramp.
Riveted the firewall angle to the firewall and skins. Dimpled the cowl places and shims and riveted them in place.
Riveted the tunnel sides to the skins and muffler shroud.
Riveted the routing bracket and fuel selector bracket in place.
Riveted and bolted to forward center section bulkhead to the tunnel side. Riveted the skins to the cover ribs.
Sealed and screwed the firewall penetration fittings to the firewall.
Fabricated and assembled the cabin heat vent assemblies. Then riveted them in place on the firewall along with their control cable brackets.
Machine countersunk the battery box attach holes and riveted it to the firewall.
Dimpled the cover panel and riveted it to the forward flanges of the cover ribs along with a gazillion nut plates.
Forward Fuselage Lower Structure… Done! On to the side structures!
| Today’s Time (hours): | 8.0 |
| Fuselage Time (hours): | 73.0 |
| Total Time (hours): | 527.5 |
Dimpled the bottom skins and riveted the com antenna doublers and skin stiffeners to them. I’m only installing a single com radio so I only drilled out the right side skin for the antenna. The left side I installed some rivets to fill the starter holes. I did install the left side antenna doubler in case i want to add another radio later. I can just drill out the rivets and upsize the holes to install another antenna.
Dimpled the muffler shroud parts. Riveted the doublers and muffler hanger brackets to the shroud sides. Riveted the nut plates to the fuel pump brackets and then riveted the brackets to the shroud ramp.
| Today’s Time (hours): | 2.0 |
| Fuselage Time (hours): | 65.0 |
| Total Time (hours): | 519.5 |
Dimpled the firewall sides.
Machine countersunk the firewall angles to mach the dimples in the firewall. Unfortunately I got distracted and neglected to tape off the holes I wasn’t supposed to countersink in the diagonal firewall angles. So two new additions to the scrap pile. New parts ordered. Moving on to the next section in the meantime…
Before moving on to the next section, I was able to dimple the firewall top section and countersink the associated angle as well the relay doubler.
| Today’s Time (hours): | 2.0 |
| Fuselage Time (hours): | 53.5 |
| Total Time (hours): | 508.0 |
Dimpled the bottom skin. Today’s word of the day: unwieldy.
Riveted the doublers and stiffeners to the bottom skin.
Dimpled the gear brace bracket and machine countersunk the gear brace bars. Riveted the gear brace assembly together and then riveted it to the skin.
Clamped the lower fuselage substructure to the bench and clecoed the skin to it. Ready for riveting.
| Today’s Time (hours): | 6.0 |
| Fuselage Time (hours): | 37.0 |
| Total Time (hours): | 491.5 |
I was using the squeezer to do some dimpling and riveting. About halfway through it started leaking air from the valve. I disassembled the valve and found that the o-ring that prevents the poppet from-over extending had sheared in two. I called Cleaveland Tool and they were more than happy to ship a new o-ring at no charge. Nice folks over there. In the meantime I’ll be using the DRDT-2 and C-frame dimpling duties and shooting all the rivets with the gun.
I assembled the bulkhead bars. Unfortunately I screwed up one of them and had to order a new part from Van’s. Here’s the good one…
I moved on the the aft center section bulkhead. I machine countersunk all the holes then riveted the nut plates in place. Then I riveted the side angles to the bulkhead.
I countersunk and riveted the bearing brackets.
I dimpled the cover ribs and riveted the nut plates in place. I riveted the bearing brackets to the ribs as well.
Machine countersunk the bearing bracket braces and riveted on the attach angles.
Moved on to the forward center section bulkhead. I machine countersunk the holes on the flanges and riveted on the nut plates. Then riveted and bolted the side angles in place.
| Today’s Time (hours): | 5.0 |
| Fuselage Time (hours): | 11.0 |
| Total Time (hours): | 465.5 |
Ron's RV-14A Build Log 