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July 4 - 9, 2006:
(10 hrs.)
Checked everything for level one more time and then riveted the aft deck into place. I also riveted the semi-circle bulkhead (F-710 ?) into place. The direction say to slide this into place after the top skins are on, but it seems easier to do it now. |
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Fabricated the F-705 gussets. For the sliding canopy, that amounts to creating the radius on one end. |
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These gussets slide into a slots on the center canopy deck that were cut some time back. After match drilling the gussets to the F-705 and longerons, I deburred everything and set the rivets. |
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To set the rivets in the center canopy deck, I needed a thin bucking bar to reach underneath the decks rolled bottom. My 'c' yoke from the hand squeezer made a good bucking bar. Just add a little duct tape to keep from scratching things up and you are good to go. |
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Here is the bucking bar being held into place under the canopy deck. |
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Canopy decks all riveted |
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After the decks were attached, I used a file followed by a Scotchbrite wheel on my die grinder to bring the decks outer edge completely even with the side skins. Note that I have not primed the decks (or arm rests). I have decided to not prime any parts that will be receiving interior paint until I determine what kind of finish paint I will be using. I have heard that the AKZO primer is not the greatest to put a finished coat over, and many people end up sanding it down. I would like to avoid that additional work. |
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Next I match drilled the forward canopy decks |
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And the forward upper firewall gussets |
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Used my hand squeezers and c-shaped yoke to set these flush rivets in the F-706 and elevator bell-crank rib. |
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Next I fitted and match drilled the seat belt shoulder harness attach point. Just clamped them to the longerons and match drilled the holes. |
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I had previously cut the J channels for the fuselage tops, so all I had to do was place them into position. I used a little duct tape to hold them in place until they are match drilled. A center line was drawn down the length of each J channel which will be used for aligning the center of the channel thru the top skin pre-punched holes. |
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After clamping into place and drilling the
F-706 and F-707 bulkhead gussets into place, I cleco'd on the aft top
skin.
Arrow in picture is showing on of the F-706 bulkhead gussets |
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I don't remember the part number, but I installed this top center rib. It gets cleco'd to the F-706 and then the top skin. The back end of this rib gets attached to the F-707 with a little clip which you will see in a second. |
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Drilling the aft top skins to the J channels. |
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Front top skin is cleco'd into place |
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Here is the aft end of that rib that gets attached to the F-707 with a little clip I fabricated out of some .032 3/4 x 3/4 aluminum angle. With the front top skin on the right side peeled back, I used my right angle drill attachment to match drill the holes in the clip. |
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Next all the top skin holes were match
drilled.
Starting to look like something.... |