Date

Removed the F-972 lower skin and traced the pattern for the landing gear sockets and brake lines.  After drilling with a 1/2" bit I cleaned up the gear holes with the Dremel.  I drilled the brake line holes to full size with a step-drill to 5/8".

 

Made the F-719B angle clips and drilled them to the F-719 R&L forward skin stiffeners.

Made the F-917 R&L lower longerons by cutting to length and then trimming them according to the plans.  These also had to be clamped and twisted slightly.  I clamped each one to the WD-603 and drilled for the AN-3 bolts.

I spent a great deal of time fabricating the F-684 gussets.  Several builders have described how these things are easy to screw up.  After measuring, marking, cutting, trimming, drilling, deburring and bending, I started fitting.  After a little tweaking I was satisfied with the fit.  I was crossing my fingers that after I drilled I would have sufficient edge distance.  I had to peel back the front of the side skins in order to drill the gussets to the firewall angle but it worked out fine.  Yep, looks good.

Installing the Forward Bulkheads

I fluted the flanges on the F-902 L&R bulkheads and opened the hole for the rudder cable to 5/8" with the step-drill.  I riveted the nutplates and clecoed in place.
 

Clecoed the F-9101 gear attach web to the F-904 bulkhead.  Drilled the web and clecoed.

 

Assembled the rudder pedals and clamped in the fuselage.  Trimmed the F-6118 rudder pedal brace and drilled and clecoed to the firewall support bracket.  After I drill the alternate holes for the pedal positions I will trim the brace and cut the lightening holes.

I previously ordered bushings, springs and stop collars previously from McMaster-Carr in order to make a spring return for the brake master cylinders.  Others have reported problems with their brakes dragging without the springs forcing the cylinders to open.  We'll see how well they work.

Several builders have emailed me asking for the parts list for my order.  Well, here it is:
 

6389K625	1 Pack	Nylon Bearing, Flanged, For 3/8" Shaft Dia, 1/2" Od, 3/8" Length
9657K115	1 Pack	Steel Compression Spring, Znc-pltd Spring-tempered, 3" L, 1/2" Od, .047" Dia
9946K13	4 Each	Aluminum Set Screw Shaft Collar, 3/8" Bore, 3/4" Outside Diameter, 3/8" Width

Next, I repeated the procedure and drilled the F-6118 rudder pedal brace bearing block and the three additional position holes.  I measured out and drilled the lightening holes per the plans.  I decided to not cut down the brace to shorten it.

I bolted the bearing blocks in place and hand tightened the nuts.  I set the rudder assembly aside. 

I primed the brake pedal components using self-etch primer.

 

Installing the Floor Stiffeners

I test fitted the floor angle braces.  The innermost braces required trimming in order to fit flush against the F-601J angles.

 

I also received my Gretz pitot tube.  This is really a sweet piece of engineering.  I had previously ordered and received the mounting tube and have already assembled it to the left wing.

 

I trimmed each fairing and drilled them to the fuselage.

 

I deburred the right side skin and drilled the 1" hole for the fuel line.
 

Next, I re-connected the aft fuselage with the center section and re-installed the main longerons.
 

Bill and I were able to get the left side skin riveted and about half of the right side. 

 

We finally drove the last rivet and flipped that puppy over.  Good times.

 

Next, I clamped the aft deck in place and drilled.  I can't locate the AS3 material I need in order to fabricate the aft deck spacers so I called Vans and placed the order.

I also finished attaching the brake pedals to the rudder bars.

Finally, I worked on the F757 gussets.  After fabricating and match-drilling, I was not satisfied with the fit.  The gusset has a gap of about 1/16" between it and the F905 bulkhead. 

I fabricated a spacer out of .063 sheet and placed it below the gusset.  I like the fit much better now.

 

Tonight I trimmed, deburred, measured, marked and drilled the F-695 forward fuselage gussets.

 

I riveted the aft deck permanently as well as the F-709 bulkhead. 

I then riveted the firewall gussets.  Have I mentioned how having a pneumatic squeezer is a joy?  There were only two rivets per side I could not reach with the squeezer.  Can you tell which ones they are?

 

I drilled the F-656 gusset plates to the F-706 bulkhead.

I riveted the F-757 plates to the longerons as well as the aft canopy decks.

 

I fabricated the F-635 elevator bellcrank assembly and test installed.  The F-635 spacers were fabricated and trimmed for a nice snug fit.

I clamped and match-drilled the rear F-656 L&R gusset plates to the F-707 bulkhead and longeron and clecoed.  (I had previously drilled and clecoed the forward gussets to the F-706 bulkhead).
 

Clecoed the F-7112 Forward Top Skin to the F-707 and F-706 bulkheads.  Installed the F-788 Gusset Plate.

 

I match-drilled the top skins to full size and drilled the J-stringers.  I then un-clecoed the left side and drilled the F-707 brace to the F-707B clip and clecoed.  I then drilled the F-707B clip to the F-707 bulkhead and clecoed.
 

Installing the Steps

I started with the left side and initially fit the step.  The tube was hitting the baggage rib web and was holding the flange of the step about 1/8" away from the side skin.  I ground the tube until it was flush with the skin.  I then used a rubber mallet to bend the flange until the step rested smooth against the side skin.  I then rounded the corners of the flange at the grinder.  I marked the rivet lines with a Sharpie being careful to align with the baggage side rib.  I drilled all 16 holes to #30 and deburred.  I marked the phenolic blocks and drilled to #11 on the drill press.  I then installed the step/block assembly to the fuselage and carefully back-drilled to the side skin using the step flange as a guide.  After clecoing the step to the side skin I back-drilled the phenolic block to the baggage floor rib using the Dremel tool with a 90º adapter to #30.  I also drilled through the step tube using the block as a guide.  After disassembly I drilled the #30 holes to #11. 

Since the steps are going to get a lot of abuse I decided to install a back plate behind the skin for additional support.  I used some scrap .032 and cut a piece about 2.75" x 3.00".  I trimmed for the step tube and deburred.  Next, I back-drilled using the holes in the skin as a guide.

Finally, I will be installing the steps with flush rivets so I countersunk the holes in the step flange.  I finished by using a file to bevel the edges of the step flange.

I am spending a lot of time on the steps to make them as nice as possible as this is one item on the plane that will get a lot of abuse and is one of the main things people will look at.  When I finally install the steps I will use ProSeal behind the flange before riveting to ensure a weather-tight seal with the fuselage.  One down, one to go!

 

Finally, I bolted the steps to the baggage rib and torqued.

 

After fitting and drilling, I removed the plates, deburred and drilled and attached the platenuts.  After scuffing and alodining I installed with blind rivets.

 

Total Hours this Page

Total Hours Fuselage (as of 8/26/07)