Monthly Construction Log - December 2008

Date  
1 Deburring/polishing/cleaning parts in preparation for priming.
2 No work.
3 No work.
4 Deburring/polishing/cleaning parts in preparation for priming.
5 Deburring/polishing/cleaning parts in preparation for priming.
6 Deburring/polishing/cleaning parts in preparation for priming.
7 Finished deburring/polishing of center fuselage parts. Primed first batch of center fuselage parts. Assembled stabilator bellcrank and installed. Installed rudder cables in tailcone pulleys. Transfer drilled stabilator push-pull tube ends.

     
8 Wiped interior of stabilator push-pull tube with linseed oil and riveted end fittings. Have to set end-to-end length before installing - need an extra set of hands to do that.

   
9 Installed stabilator push-pull tube after setting end-to-end length. Installed rudder cable fairleads in bulkhead #1. Installed remaining fairlead Tinnermans in spar carry-through and rear spar. Started assembly of center fuselage ribs. Riveted seat ribs to carry-through. Painted flap handle weldment and several other steel parts that were primed on 12/7.

     
10 Started bolting flap handle weldment into position - found specified AN3-5A bolts through ribs are too long (or not enough washers) and the nuts bottom. Need to figure that one out before proceeding. Continued painting steel parts. Need to get more Veriprime to continue center fuselage work - out of primed parts to reassemble. Started gathering parts for trim servo installation.

   
11 Added thick washer to flap weldment bolts and torqued to ribs. Installed trim servo, transfer drilled bracket, and removed. Received vent from Vans. Pressed bearings into control sticks.
12 No work.
13 Cleaned remaining parts for priming. Received pack of updates and backorder parts from Rans.
14 Primed all remaining fuselage center section parts and continued reassembly of center section. Riveted trim servo bracket.

     
15 Finished riveting fuselage center section frame. Reattached side skins and longerons. Mated front and center fuselage sections.

     
16 Drilled forward longeron at firewall weldment and brace. Removed side skins for bending. Fabbed shims and installed gussets for forward side skin formers.

     
17 Put lower bend in side skins. Reinstalled side skins with stiffeners, gussets, shims, cowl straps, etc. Installed top skin. Started transfer drilling.

     

     

      
18 No work.
19 Transfer drilled center fuselage sides, top, and firewall areas. Started transfer drilling of belly skins.
20 No work.
21 Finished transfer drilling #40 belly skins and gussets. Gusset location on top of all skins is correct per photos Glenn posted in Rans Clan. Needed to free up some 1/8" clecos before drilling all of the belly skin #30, so flipped over and removed top skin. Flipped back over to complete #30 transfer drilling of belly skins. Finished all belly skin transfer drilling and separated forward/center sections. Transfer drilled roll bar support. Began disassembly of both sections.

   
22 No work.
23 No work.
24 No work.
25 Riveted upper engine mount weldments. Deburred forward fuselage and prepped for epoxy primer. Riveted baggage deck nutplates.
26 Replace tail tie-down  rivets with bucked rivets (for looks and the huge drag reduction). Cut NACA scoop inlets into forward side skins for air vents. (Son Andrew looking very proud of the assist - he discovered that there was no such thing as a free breakfast, either.) Deburred and polished forward side skins. Riveted seat deck nutplates and angle brace.

     

     

   
27 Primed (Veriprime) forward side and belly skins, and various forward fuselage parts. Drilled out fuel shut-off valve mounting plate and prepped for priming.
28 Primed (epoxy) forward side skins, floorboard and access panel, inner forward belly skin, vent scoops, and various forward fuselage parts.
29 Started riveting instrument panel frame to forward fuselage assembly.
30 No work.
31 No work.