Rotisserie

Posted on by Neal

Today I finally finished a mount for the firewall, and was able to get the fuselage onto the rotisserie.

The mount is made of angle iron and 2×4, and is bolted onto the firewall in 4 corners where the engine mount will go. I had to ream the holes (per plans), and used a combination of AN-6 bolts, rubber washers, and nuts to secure the mount to the firewall.

With the mount on, I assumed I would need a couple of helpers to get the fuselage down from the work benches to the rotisserie, but was able to get it done by myself. I hoisted the fuse up using rope suspended from rafters, moved the tables out of the way, then eased it down onto a couple of low saw horses. By lifting the tail I was able to line up the mount with the rotisserie, and it slid into place no problem. Then I was able to remove the saw horses, lower the tail onto a saw horse, and it was done.

Fuselage on the rotisserie for the first time
Rotating to the side 45 degrees to test it out

Seatbelt lugs

Posted on by Neal

Tonight I riveted the seatbelt lugs together, then clecoed them to the fuselage. I had to clean and oil my hand squeezer. It’s been so long since I used it!

I didn’t have too many problems once I had the right yoke on the squeezer, and fiddled around to find the right angles.

Rotisserie

Posted on by Neal

I started work on a rotisserie mount for the firewall. The mount will support the forward end of the fuselage, connecting the firewall to an engine stand. The stand allows the whole fuselage assembly to rotate so I can more easily work on the fuselage.

The mount is made of some steel angle and some 2×4
This is the engine stand that will support the fuselage and allow it to rotate

Bulkhead install

Posted on by Neal

Tonight I installed the F-01406 bulkhead. This was a quick and fairly easy job, one side at a time I removed clecos and installed the bulkhead pieces per the plans, and then clecoed it back together. I clecoed almost every hole to get this joint as strong as possible before I move the fuselage onto a rotisserie for riveting.

Installing clecos to hold the bulkhead in place
My two-tone fuselage

Aft fuse attach

Posted on by Neal

With help from my friend Simon, we were able to attach the aft and forward sections of the fuselage today! It’s amazing to see the size of the fuselage now, it is now so big that I can’t possibly move it by myself.

We didn’t get too far, we just clecoed together the parts, but they will stay together now for good. Everything went smoothly, and the holes lined up perfectly without the need to do any real finessing. I was surprised at how easily it all came together, just following the instructions. The only snag we encountered were a couple of temporary rivets that I had missed. Once we removed those, everything was great.

Rather than using saw horses, I decided to use my work benches to support the two halves. These are on wheels, and can be easily maneuvered into position. It worked out great!
Getting the two halves to line up, with help from Simon
The two halves clecoed together
Note the bulkhead has not been installed yet. That will be next, before I move to a rotisserie

Prep for fuse attach

Posted on by Neal

Tomorrow I’m planning to attach the two halves of the fuselage. This will be a big step, and it’s exciting to be at this point! My friend Simon is coming over to help me with the alignment of the parts which I’ve heard can be tricky.

Tonight I got ready for that step by rearranging the garage, and completing a few final tasks. I removed the temporary rivets holding the skins and ribs of the forward fuselage, along the trailing edge. I also bent two of the flanges of the aft fuse per the plans, and set up some safety straps, suspended from the rafters.

Forward and aft fuselage parts spend their last night alone

Finished air vents

Posted on by Neal

Last night and tonight I worked on the air vents, installing them in the cockpit tonight.

The vents (SV-6) arrived from Vans on Friday, so I got to work positioning, match drilling, and trimming the parts per the plans.

I installed some aluminum honeycomb in the vent to stop any large insects or other critters from getting access through the vent shaft. This worked out ok, and I feel slightly better knowing there is something to act as a barrier.

Aluminum honeycomb product used for screening the vent shaft
Silicone used to bond everything together. A cutout of the aluminum honeycomb. This was glued inside the vent shaft to stop FOD coming in the vent.
Assembled and match drilled
Trimming the vent per the plans. One corner is rounded.
Carefully clamping them into position
Clamped into position. Waiting for the silicone bonding agent to dry

Filling nutplate holes

Posted on by Neal

Tonight I filled some unnecessary nutplate holes with rivets, in the bottom of the fuselage. I had been puzzling over how to river these, and decided to back river them. That worked ok, except for one right by the spar, where I can’t get in snugly enough with the rivet gun to rivet straight. The ribs and spar flanges get in the way. I’m thinking I’ll pop rivet these, vs risking damage to the spar.

The nutplates are for the tricycle version, and hold the gear leg fairings.

Setting up to back-rivet the holes

Air vents

Posted on by Neal

Tonight I trimmed and sanded the air vents, and separated and deburred the aluminum brackets. I found scotch-brite worked best to scuff the plastic.

I can’t do more on this until the eyeball vents arrive from Vans, and I’m not sure on their ETA right now.

Vents and brackets
Holding in place, this is view from outside
View from inside cockpit. There is zero clearance between the panel and the vent, will check this again once I have the eyeball in hand.