Dec 28, 29 & 30  26 hours

We got back from Alabama and I jumped at the chance to spend some dedicated time working on the plane.  I started back with the forward seat floors.

I realized that I had not put the plate nuts on the outside ribs.  I used this flexible dremel tool to drill the holes.  I've used the tool a couple times to bail myself out of a tight spot.

The aft seat floors.

The remainder of the forward seat floors were uneventful.  Here is the start of the control rod tunnel.  Notice the screw-up?  I cut one of the "Z" angles 1 inch short.  Of course there is not enough of the stock to make another one. (:

The cover plate on the angles.

Here's my fix for the screw-up.  I squared up the end of the short "Z" angle, cut a piece of .063 angle, added the additional "Z" angle, riveted it all together and cut the whole thing to the correct length.

Next was the seat backs.  Here's the start with lightening holes cut.  These pieces slide in the back bracket.

Sorry, I can't remember all the part numbers and don't have the plans in front of me. But anyway, it's trimmed.

I marked the holes per the plans on the hinges and then back drilled.

Riveted the hinge to the frame.

Same song, second verse.

This is how I laid out the seat back angles.  I laid out the holes on one angle as a pattern and then using a square, I laid out the other three.

Clecoed together.  Then it was just a matter of riveting the two seat backs together.

Here's the center cabin cover.  Just put it in place, drill a couple holes and put some more platenuts in place.

This is the most forward part of the center cabin cover.  The cut outs are the heat baffle.  I assume these will be flared out later.

Here's how the fuel value cover comes from the factory.  The bent up piece is for manual elevator trim.  I've got electric trim.  The plans state to just cut the bend off.  But if you do it leaves a gap.

I first straightened out the cover.  Then put it in the vise and bent it back the other way.  (You can't just flip it over as the holes are pre-drilled.)  I wouldn't do this for a stress bearing piece but for this it's no big deal.

After the bend.

Then I cut the hangover to a half inch.

Worked out pretty well.  Just wish I had bent it a little shorter.  But I don't think it will be noticed once everything is in place.

Started on the electric flaps.  The plans call for drilling a hole here for a safety wire.  I did this but I searched the archives and it seems another alternative is to just use locktite.

The flap actuator in place.

All the little pieces that you need.

The F-758 brackets ready to rivet to the F-766A channel.

More nutplates on the channel and a 5/8 inch hole cut so the bolt head will rest on the reinforcing bar.

It's amazing how much you can get done in 3 dedicated days of building.  I've got a couple more days off work and hope to get the electric flaps finished and the landing gear mounts in place in the next two days.

Dec 31, 2002 & Jan 1, 2003   12 hours

I finished installing the electric flap control, the flap actuator and the landing gear mounts.

This is the electric flap servo & brackets clecoed in place.

Basically the same picture but everything riveted in place, torqued down and cotter key in the castle nut.  I also used red locktite on the bottom bolt and nut.

The finished product with the side plates installed.

I had to take a picture looking from the front to the back.  It really does look like the inside of an airplane now.  Unfortunately, most of these covers come back off.

Next up was getting the landing gear mounts installed.  I had cut the holes in the skins and test fit the gear mounts a while back so I knew the mounts would fit.  They were tight to get in place but it all worked.

The first thing you have to do is drill out the hole in one side of the gear mount.  To do this, you need to install the landing gear leg into the mount, align the pre-drilled hole and then enlarge the other hole.  I used the dremel with a sanding disc to clean up and polish the mount.  I followed this up with emory cloth and a little WD-40.  I knew that I could force the leg into the mount but I wanted to make sure I could get it back out!

I also need to remove some of the powder coated paint.  There was a ridge here and I used this nylon bristle brush and then emory cloth as a final polish.

Here's the leg stuck in the mount.  Notice the pin in the hole.  To finish this part up I drilled out the hole and took it all apart and put the leg back up on the rack.

I wish I could draw a pointer here to make this clear but every time I try the picture size decreases.  Anyway, the plans call for putting a washer as a spacer behind the mount (between the mount and the spar) on the lower most inboard hole.  I struggled with how I was going to do this for a while.  Then it hit me, go get the fuel lube which is very sticky, put a little on the back side of the washer, stick it to the spar and ease it into place catching it was a drift pin when it gets close.  Worked like a charm.  Took about 2 seconds to get the second one in place. 

Also, if you notice to the left center, you see an extra hole drilled in the center brace/bulkhead.  The gear mount brace has two holes that need to be back drilled through the gear mount brace and into the skin.  There is no way to get any kind of drill behind the brace that is already in place.  I made it simple, just drill a #30 hole as pilot through the bracket and skin.  Then you can back drill through the skin and bracket with a #12 bit to get the correct size hole.

All the bolts in place & tightened down.  I did have some questions about the bolt lengths and the use of washers.  I ended up using the number 12 bolts with the washers that were called for on the bottom but left the washers off on the top.  On the bottom most inboard where it called for an extra washer, I used a number 13 bolt.

I did most of the work on New Years Eve and just piddled on New Years day.  I finished up the day by taking the top skins off and finished riveting a couple of the bulkhead braces.  I also found that I had left a couple of nutplates off that hold the center section cover to the floor support braces so I put them on as well.

Tomorrow, I go back to work but this has really been a productive 5 days.  The next thing up according to the plans is to mate the wings.  I'm not ready for that yet but I have plenty of other things to do.