Work continues on Fuel Tanks

Final drilled the tank attach Z brackets and machine countersunk the nutplate attach holes. I cut the brackets apart on the band saw and cleaned up all the edges on the scotchbright wheel. I riveted the nutplates in place with the squeezer.

I machine countersunk the fuel filler flanges.

I separated the shims with snips and deburred on the scotch bright wheel. I clecoed the the shims to the tank attach brackets and trimmed the ends to be flush with the brackets with snips and cleaned up the edges on the scotchbright wheel. I final drilled all the holes in the shims and dimpled them with the squeezer. I machine countersunk all the holes in the flanges of the attach brackets.

I came up short on J-channel. Not sure whether I didn’t cut the stock I had efficiently when making up the wing stiffeners or if I missed something in inventory. Either way I don’t have anything long enough to make the two 54″ tank stiffeners. I ordered a couple more pieces from Van’s. Should be here next week some time.

Today’s Time (hours):	3.0
Wing Time (hours):	130.0
Total Time (hours):	341.0

Prepared tank stiffeners

Dimpled the nut plate attach holes in the inboard tank ribs.

Separated the stiffeners.

Used snips to make all the cuts. Doh! Should have peeled the blue vinyl off before I cut them.

Then cleaned them up on the scotch bright wheel, scuffed the mating surfaces and dimpled.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Wing Time (hours):	127.0
Total Time (hours):	338.0

Started work on fuel tanks

Screen Shot 2019-05-21 at 9.57.47 PM

I ordered plexi bits and a zero flute countersink so that I can fabricate the landing light lenses. While I’m waiting for those to show up, I started on the tanks.

Fluted and straightened the tank ribs yesterday. Final drilled all the #40 and #30 holes in all the ribs tonight.

Located and drilled the 3/4″ hole specified in the plans.

Match drilled the rivet holes from the finger strainer flange in the inboard ribs.

Dimpled all the holes in the top and bottom flanges of all the ribs.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Wing Time (hours):	125.0
Total Time (hours):	336.0

Left outboard leading edge complete.

Finished riveting the skin to the ribs of the left outboard leading edge. Had to lie it flat and get Remy to buck the last three rows on the top side. Just couldn’t reach.

Riveted the landing light mounting bracket in place.

Riveted the J channel stiffener to the top of the skin.

Left outboard leading edge complete.

Clecoed the ribs into the right outboard leading edge skin and drilled the 3/8″ hole for the tie-down eye bolt.

Fabricated the spacers for the landing light brackets. Painted the spacers and mounting screws. Riveted the nut plates into the brackets and shot another coat of paint over the rivets. Assembled the landing lights into the brackets.

Today’s Time (hours):	4.0
Wing Time (hours):	111.0
Total Time (hours):	322.0

Finished dimpling everything

Clecoed the left leading skin to the ribs.

Slid the j channel into place and clecoed the starter hole. Then match drilled all the holes from the skin into the stiffener.

Match drilled the aft-most top and bottom holes in each of the ribs.

Disassembled everything and repeated the whole process for the right wing. Deburred and dimpled all the holes.

Dressed the edges of the skin with a file and sand paper. The cut-outs for the landing lights were pretty jagged. I cleaned them up with an abrasive drum on the Dremel and some sandpaper.

Dimpled the skins with the DRDT2 and scuffed the insides with a scotch brite pad.

Dimpled the rest of the parts.

Everything is ready for priming and assembly.

Today’s Time (hours):	7.0
Wing Time (hours):	101.0
Total Time (hours):	312.0

Work continues on outboard leading edges

Deburred all the edges of all the things. The doublers for the landing light lenses looked like they were crafted by Van’s with a chainsaw. You can see the before and after shot below. I used sandpaper to work the flanges around the nose of the ribs so that the skins don’t telegraph any faceting.

Trimmed the four ribs called out in the plans so that they will fit around the spar braces. Finished with files and sandpaper.

Flattened, straightened and fluted all the ribs. Then final drilled and deburred all the holes.

Dimpled all the holes with the squeezer.

Cut the J-channel stiffeners to length and drilled the first inboard hole in each.

Final drilled #19 the screw holes in the splice strips. Carefully deburred the holes and dimpled for #8 screws. Dimpled all the #40 holes as well.

In other news, I received the order confirmation for the engine I ordered at Sun ‘n Fun. The ship date from Lycoming is October 11.

series-engine-390

Today’s Time (hours):	5.0
Wing Time (hours):	94.0
Total Time (hours):	305.0

Finished Section 16–Top Wing Skins

Riveted the nut plates to the inboard rib and skin. Machine countersunk the screw holes.

Match drilled the aileron bracket to the outboard rib and rear spar, deburred, and riveted in place.

Top wing skins completed!

Today’s Time (hours):	1.0
Wing Time (hours):	87.0
Total Time (hours):	298.0

Attached nut plates at inboard rib and countersunk screw holes

Riveted the nut plates that will be used to attach the wing attach point fairings. I was able to squeeze all the rivets.

Machine countersunk the corresponding #8 screw holes to fit a dimpled skin.

Clecoed and match drilled the outboard aileron bracket. Then deburred everything and clecoed back in place.

It was a bit too ate in the evening for riveting so that will have to wait until tomorrow. If Remy can buck a few more rivets with me, I should be able to get the stiffeners riveted in and the left wing top skins will be complete!

Today’s Time (hours):	1.0
Wing Time (hours):	81.5
Total Time (hours):	292.5

Dimpled all the ribs and stiffeners

Got my rivet set and AD5 rivets from spruce and replaced the rivets I removed after screwing up last week. See Finished riveting everything to the rear spars… almost.