Date

Drilled and riveted the two center section platenuts on the spar.  Drilled the tie-down bar to the spar and attached the four platenuts and primed using the rattle can.  Bolted the tie-down and torqued to 25 in/lbs.

Began working on the left wing rear spar.  Drilled and clecoed the W-907D and W-907E doubler plates to the spar.  Drilled the hole for the aileron pushrod using my Unibit then cleaned it up with my Dremel tool.  Took the whole assembly apart and deburred the spar and doubler plates.   The rear spar is ready to chemically treat with SanChem.

Next, I placed the main spar and rear spar on the table and clecoed the ribs to the spars.  You have to pay attention to the plans to arrange the ribs in the proper orientation.  I was really proud when I had finished to find that I had NO left-over ribs :)
 

Drilled the 1"x1" angle to the outboard rib and attached.  Hung the left wing assembly on the wing stand.  Drilled the wing walk doubler as per the plans.  Clecoed the inboard skin, doubler and outboard top skin to the wing skeleton.

After much debate I decided to go with Option 1.  This is the only option that avoids running the pitot tube and wiring through the bellcrank area.  I fabricated the attach angle and drilled the bracket for riveting to the skin.  I then reattached the bottom skin and marked it for the pitot bracket cutout.  Cut the skin for the bracket and drilled for rivets.  I primed the pitot mounting tube and riveted the platenuts.  I will set the assembly aside until I rivet the bottom skins.

We clecoed the ribs in the leading edge assembly and mounted to the spar and clecoed.  Fabricated the W-919 splice strip and drilled and clecoed with the W-908 rib.

More Gretz Pitot install here.

Total Hours

TruTrak Roll Servo Bracket Installation
I received my servo bracket assembly and soon discovered I had been sent the support bracket for the right wing install.  I fired off an email to Stein so I expect to get this resolved quickly.  The installation is really a mental challenge because the bracket comes with no instructions.  After some time, this is the final result...minus the support bracket. (UPDATE: Received a replacement bracket from TruTrak... Great service!)

My replacement tank attach brackets finally arrived today so I'm back in business.  I drilled the brackets and pop riveted to the tank (using two (2) rivets this time).  After back drilling through the spar, I removed the tank from the spar and placed in the cradle. 

I removed the attach brackets from the baffle by drilling out the pop rivets.  Drilled the attach brackets for K1000-3 platenuts.  Countersunk the brackets and washed down with MEK.  Set the brackets aside for priming.

Fabricated the T-905 attach angle.  I used the bench grinder to finish trim the angle.  I match drilled the attach angle to the inboard rib and set aside for priming.
 

Fabricated the T-410 reinforcement plates to the inboard and outboard ribs and test fit/ground down until the fit was perfect.  Deburred and match drilled the T-410 reinforcement plates to the inboard and outboard ribs. 

I match drilled the capacitive sender plates to the second and sixth ribs per the plans.  Drilled the 3/8" hole for the BNC connector in the inboard rib.  Deburred, dimpled and riveted the platenuts in the capacitive plates. 

Used the fly cutter to cut the access hole in the inboard #1 rib.  Match drilled the T-411 plate.  Drilled the 3/8" holes in the inboard rib for the fuel vent fitting and the fuel vapor return fitting.

Fit and drilled the T-406B fuel cap flange.  Deburred and countersunk the flange.  I also fabricated the T-914 clip from a scrap of .020.
 

Fit and match drilled the VA-112 drain flange.

Drilled the holes in ribs #2 and #3 for the fuel return line and deburred.

Chemically treated leading edge ribs, splice plate, T-905 attach angle and T-411 cover plate.

Disassembled tank and deburred stiffeners and ribs.  Deburred skin.  Fabricated the small plate for covering the tooling hole in the outboard rib.  Drilled and deburred cover plate.  Scuffed skin along rib and stiffener line.
 

Riveted the platenuts on the splice plate.
 

Prosealed and riveted the anti-rotation bracket to T-411 tank access cover plate.

 

I started by loosely installing the inboard and outboard capacitive plates.  Then installed the BNC sender in the inboard rib.

I rough installed the vent tube and when I had the proper length I flared the end and loosely installed to the AN-4 bulkhead fitting.

Next, I crimped and then soldered the ring connectors on the wire ends.

I then twisted the 18 AWG wire around the vent tube to secure the wire and remove the excess slack.  Then I loosely connected the connectors to the capacitive plates.

Then I installed the plates permanently.

Next, I installed the fuel vapor return line.  Like the right wing tank, I ran the return to the middle of the third bay.

Finally, I mixed up 4 oz. of proseal and coated the bulkhead fittings of the vent tube and vapor return line and torqued to 55 in/lbs.  Then I covered the entire fittings with proseal.  I also covered the ring connectors and connector screws and nuts.  I also prosealed the wire in places where it could rub against the tank skin.

Here is the final shots before I close up.

Installed the fuel sender with proseal and safety wired.

 

 LEFT TANK DONE!
 

Total Hours

Polished one of my fuel tank caps.  Several builders are opting to buy the Van's "deluxe" fuel caps.  I couldn't justify spending an additional $100 per cap so I made my own.  I started by disassembling the cap.  Next I started sanding with 240 grit sandpaper.  I progressed through 320 grit, 400 grit, 600 grit and finally wet sanded with 1000 grit.  All in all it took 30 minutes for the first cap.

 

I began the process of chemical treating the inside of the top skins as well as the wing walk doubler and the J-stringers.  Since it was around 26º outside and the water froze on contact with the skins, I was only able to clean scuff the skins and chemically clean/etch the skins.
 

Next we mounted the fuel tank and bolted it to the spar.  The bolts were torqued to 25 in/lbs.  Next we screwed the tank top and bottom to the spar flange.  I was pleased to see there was no gap between the leading edge and the tank.

We then clecoed the inboard and outboard skins to the spars and ribs. 

My EAA Technical Counselor, Kyle Boatright, called as he was heading our way for a visit so we met him at Copperhill airport.  Kyle had not seen the project since I had received the wing kit so he looked it over pretty well.  I really like having Kyle looking over my shoulder not only because he has built an RV but because he is exceptionally knowledgeable in so many areas of aircraft construction.  With Kyle's letter of approval, we returned him to the airport.

After a great Mexican food lunch, Jim and I returned home and riveted the top skins.  Like the right wing, we back-riveted the top skins and then riveted the J-stringers.  We then removed the wing from the stand and placed it in the cradle.  After Jim left, I finished riveting the skins to the rear spar.

 

Total Hours