Started the Seat Backs (Section 39)

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Picked and inspected all the parts. Peeled off all the blue vinyl and labels.

 

Cut the corners off the seat back angles.

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Separated the parts that needed parting. Deburred everything.

 

Fabricated the seat back and seat brace hinges. Match drilled the hinges to their corresponding parts. Machine countersunk the brace stiffeners and braces. Riveted the brace assemblies together.

 

Riveted together the seat backs.

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I’ll scuff and paint these along with the canopy.

 

Today’s Time (hours): 4.0
Finish Kit (hours): 51.0
Total Time (hours): 781.0

 

 

Cut, deburred, scuffed, and primed the canopy frame parts.

Cut all the parts that needed parting.

 

Fabricated the canopy handles from aluminum angle.

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Deburred and scuffed all the parts.

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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

 

 

Finished canopy latching mechanism

Installed the lever and latch. I had to spend a bit of time finessing the lever to get it to sit properly when retracted into the skin. As it came, I kinda stuck out at the end. The scotch-bright wheel took care of the problem. Also note that yesterday I had painted these parts. That was before I realized that there was an interference fit and they were just going to get messed up anyway. So I unpainted them today with some lacquer thinner.

Installed the bell crank brackets and bell cranks. Installed the torque tube, pins, and pushrod.

On to the actual canopy next.

 

Today’s Time (hours): 2.0
Finish Kit (hours): 20.0
Total Time (hours): 750.0

 

 

Finished rear window and started on Canopy Latch

I used the edge roller to break the edge of the top and side skins where they meet the rear window. I final drilled the skins #27 and dimpled the holes for #6 screws. The squeezer wouldn’t fit into the space between the top skin and the roll bar brace. After a fair amount of ass-scratching I tried using a #6 screw and a K1000-06 nut plate to press the dimple into the center hole. It worked well.

I decided to wait until later to actually install the window. This will enable better access to the fuselage and keep me from beating up the window while I’m working on the rest of the stuff. But everything’s done and all I have to do is add some sealant and screw it in. For sealant I’ve decided to try Lexel. It’s a clear solvent based sealant that is safe for acrylic. Other builders have reported good success with it.

 

I separated, deburred, and painted the stiffener angles. I’ll rivet these in place as soon as the paint dries.

 

I picked and inspected all of the parts for the rest of the canopy.

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I peeled all of the parts for the canopy latch mechanism. I separated the peices that needed parting. I deburred and scuffer all the parts. Then painted everything to match the interior.

 

I test fit the canopy latch pins in the bushings that I installed in the roll bar. I realized that I neglected to mask of the bushings when I painted the roll bar and got some paint in there. I wrapped some sand paper around a brass drift and used it to clear the paint. Everything fits fine now.

 

Today’s Time (hours): 4.0
Finish Kit (hours): 18.0
Total Time (hours): 748.0

 

 

Cut the co-pilot-side panel

Same drill as the pilot side…  Lay everything out, drill pilot holes, final drill with step drill, cut with Dremel, deburr, machine countersink, paint, rivet, and bam! We have a panel.

 

Mounted the GDU and the ELT switches to the panel and mounted the panel in the plane.

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Next, I’m going to cover the panel in flat black vinyl. I’m also thinking about adding a carbon monoxide detector beneath the ELT buttons.

Today’s Time (hours): 3.0
Options and Miscellanea (hours): 25.0
Total Time (hours): 708.0

 

Began work on Roll Over Structure (Section 37)

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Picked, inspected, and peeled all the parts. Cut apart the pieces that needed to be separated on the band saw. Deburred and scuffed all the parts.

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Today’s Time (hours): 1.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 205.0
Total Time (hours): 659.5

 

Began work on the Aileron and Elevator Systems (Section 36)

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Picked, Inspected, and peeled all the parts. Cut the parts on the band saw that needed to be separated. Deburred, and scuffed everything.

 

Used the template from the plans to drill the ends of the elevator push tubes. Match drilled the rod end fittings to the tubes.

 

Everything ready to prime.

 

Today’s Time (hours): 2.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 204.0
Total Time (hours): 658.5

 

Began Work on Upper Forward Fuselage (Section 35)

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Picked, inspected, and peeled all the parts.

 

I separated all the parts that required parting and began fabrication. I made the canopy release pins by shortening and chamfering the ends of a couple of eye bolts. I made the canopy release push tubes from some aluminum tubing.

 

Today’s Time (hours): 3.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 176.0
Total Time (hours): 630.5

Began work on rudder and brake systems (Section 33)

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My sister and brother-in-law were in town for some turkey. So I enlisted John to help with prepping and painting all the rudder pedal parts. I decided to flat black everything. I’m going to go with some grip tape on the face of the brake pedals. We got all the parts cut, deburred and scuffed. Then painted with Rustoleum Painter’s Touch rattle-can.

 

We’ll let the paint cure tonight. Then we can assemble tomorrow and shoot another coat to cover the rivets.

 

Today’s Time (hours): 2.0
Fuselage Time (hours): 160.0
Total Time (hours): 614.5