Fuselage

Rudder Pedal Bearing Block  ( 2 hrs )

While Fuselage is on it's side, decided to jump ahead and work on items easier installed in that orientation.  Much easier to work on center support Rudder Pedal Bearing Block F-6115 per Sec 33-05 and -06.   Drilled #12 locator holes while clamped to support, then enlarged in drill press to #10 holes.   Then split apart via bandsaw.   Assembled loosely for now.   Located in furthest forward position for best leg room (1 of 3 positions).

[Note:  discovered Van's didn't provide Bearing Block Template for LH and RH Blocks, so emailed request to expedite. Seems packing list/inventory is inaccurate for QB's.   They're now 2 for 3 in missing templates needed]

Fuselage

Vents Assembly ( 1 hr )

Bonded Vents to Fuselage per Steps 7 & 8, Sect 29-22.   Worked well to turn Fuselage on it's side for easier access.  After initial set,  added carpenters clamp so I could rotate Fuselage back to opposite side.

Adhesive visible on top side will be hidden
 by Instrument panel and sill overhang.

Fuselage

Vent Assemblies ( 1 hr )

Only had time to complete Step 5 in Sect 29-22 to seal w/ adhesive silicone Vents SV-10 into Ducts.  Attached mounting face with 3 machine screws.  Otherwise, spent some time considering upcoming stages in project. Ordered Fuel Lines pre-bent and assembled via Aircraft Specialty Cabin Fuel Line Kit.   Good feedback in VAF .   Determined I'd spend as much on tube bending and flair tool as buying the precision formed ready to install version from this source (and saved time and aggravation ...Sec 31-06 to -10.

Fuselage

Vent Assembly  ( 2 hrs )

Masked off wherever adhesive will be used.  Decided not to paint interior of  duct, but wait until plane painted...since not sure of exterior paint scheme.   Primed alum (NOT the actual Vent eyeball !), then painted duct and alum with semi-gloss black..  Coordinating with dash panel, and "hiding" black head screws, and highlighting Aluminum Vent.   Pending if leave edge of captured Vent as Aluminum,  or paint black too.  I like the appearance of the exposed Aluminum edge, but it will be mostly hidden.

Using my portable, collapsible paint booth,
since cooler and damp weather today.

Fuselage

Air Vent Assembly  ( 5 hrs )

Building LH & RH Air Vent Assemblies per Sect 29-21 at Steps 1-11,  and Sect 29 -22 at Steps 1-4.  Ready to prime/paint.  Then install with adhesive.  Using upgraded (optional) SV-10 aluminum Vents replacing original black plastic Vents.  These close tightly so no cold air leakage, plus "way cool" appearance.   Lot's of trimming of molded plastic and corner of Vents.

Fuselage

Lower Gear Brace   ( 3 hrs )

Completed Steps 2 & 3 at Sect 29-03 for Lower Gear Brace installation (Tri Gear build) .  Tight clearances makes getting bolts inserted a time consuming chore.   Started trying to only use wrench to advance each bolt  -  but lots and lots of 1 click at a time turns in confined area convinced me to try plan B.  Used titanium bucking bar to tap bolt heads.  Since high grade steel bolts going through aluminum Spar, no problem with thread damage, etc.

"clocked" brake line fittings.
 (After pic during install, realized one on right was not correct angle) 

spans rear web to front web on main spar

Fuselage

Lower Gear Braces ( 2 hrs )

I'm back from visiting my brother in hospital in Seattle - he's making full recovery from a heart attack last week.  Miraculously saved by CPR during a business trip there.   Since no warning or prior history, very alarming.  Thank God he's alive and gonna be A-OK !   

Began working on Lower Gear Brace installation at Sect 29-03, Step 1 (of 3). Trial fit up OK (tight !), so disassembled and primed.  Pic below shows prior driving bolts most of the way...

 

Fuselage

Tri Gear set up & Control Column adjusted ( 2 hrs )

Nancy again helped rivet:  at 4 places adjacent to Step Mounts for fuselage specific to Tri Gear per QBF-2 Step 18.   Since Fuselage was on its side, I had another "go" at adjusting washer/shims at LH Column bearings.  Found easier access to inner ear (vs reaching way over and down).  Used new feeler gage to measure gaps more accurately this time.  Determined prior efforts were too tight by a few thousandths.   Bingo !   Vans describes goal as "moves freely".   I took a video showing how readily the control assembly free falls.  Perfect.   Sorry, can't attach w/o access to my entire Google Pics album.  Need to find alternative.  [ reference:  RH spacers are 0.123" inner and 0.089" outer, LH is 0.101" outer and 0.075" inner ]

Control column assembly now falls freely...with thunk.
Sorry, video not working.

Fuselage

Tri Gear set up for QB Fuselage ( 3 hrs )

Continued setting up QB Fuselage as Tri Gear following QBF-2 instructions.   Step 12: drilled two sets of 5 #27 holes for nutplates that attach Gear Leg Fairings later. These locations had been dimpled by QB builders (instructions callout these as exceptions to not dimple).  Required flatten each, drill and deburr - so another tweak to correct Van's build.  Per Sect 26-11, completed Steps 5 and 16 at QBF-2 (Sect 26-10 and -11) for riveting on the 10 nutplates.  Nancy operated rivet gun while I held bucking bar from inside fuselage.  Great teamwork !

  Step 7 was not done by QB Builders (see pics) - so I drilled two #19 holes and one 9/16" hole via uni-bit (assume for antenna mount).  

 

Removed cover plates at RH and LH Step per QBF-2 Step 18 (ref Sect 26-10).

removed temp cover plates for Step mounting

Fuselage

Gear Leg Openings ( 2 hrs )

Cut out and smoothed Gear Leg Openings in bottom of Fuselage: Step 3, 7-9 at Sec 26-10 for Tri Gear builder.  Nancy helped rotate the Fuselage onto a side so this was much easier !  Took some time since I first rough cut opening,  leaving material to hand file down to final size (aligned with inside panel already open - serves as template)

 

11/16" hole is for brake line routing along
gear leg

Fuselage

Control Column Assembly shims ( 3 hrs )

Tried again to measure total gap to be filled on both sides.  Targeted .098 and .074 to fill measured .172" gap (required combinations of washers to be ground down).  Can't measure inner gap due to flange once 1st outer ear has washer/shims installed.   Found this to be "loose", so started over with different combination of washers and shims.    Success [ still considering another tweak ! ] - not "loose", but sufficiently low friction so assembly free falls once nudged.   Contacting Mitch Lock, East Coast sales rep for Vans who has built RV14a for his insights.   Connected up control arm so I could get realistic feel from actual grip.   Recently received these Control Sticks.  Feel seems OK, but could be better if less drag...?    Moved on to Sect 26-10, first steps after QB:  Tri-gear specific Steps 2, 4 & 5 completed (no pics yet).

 Comparing left to right with no drag, vs some drag for pitch...  hmmm.  More tweaking needed...

Fuselage

Correcting Shims at Control Column Assly ( 4 hrs )

Back to building after quick adventure flying to Kansas City with Nancy and I taking turns as pilot or navigator.  Started at Sect 29-05 to "fix" the Control Column Assembly.  I discovered upon delivery back in Nov they were not correctly shimmed, binding the bearings so considerable friction when moving.  NOT good for that great RV feel!  Vans builder support sent shims and new nuts.   But I should have yelped about needing to redo (only washers installed were nominal shown in Fig 4) - since this is very difficult and time consuming.  Really hard to reach, especially the inner ear.   I used a mirror to guide the washer wrenches (the special wrenches are a necessity !) and applied cyanoacrylate to bond thick and thin washer together.   Van's advice today was to start at one control stick side, and when successful (low friction after torqued ) proceed to other end.  Finally, after several iterations got the RH side moving freely when torqued.  Still working on LH side with 4 iterations.  Shame can't find a way to accurately measure gap - - I tried, but just poor access  -- so only way seems trial and error.   #@$%&... to be continued.

2 washers plus thin shim bonded
 prior to inserting via "washer wrench"

first washer / shims "easy",
other side covered by flange is tough

Wings

Exchange of Wings & Fuselage ( 2 hrs )

Moving day:  time to exchange Wings from garage/shop with QB Fuselage in basement (fortunately a walk out basement with sliding door that can be removed).   Instead of gathering a small army to carry my QB Fuselage from my basement around the house into the shop, I bought a Harbor Freight 4'x2' flat deck "wagon" (bargain at $79).  Added a 5'x3' plywood sheet & covered with a heavy rug.  This worked out really well..."easy peasy"!  Nancy helped significantly, so the 2 of us were able to make the move.   Bringing the Wings through the yard (soft from recent rains) was the most work, but we made it !

sliding doors re-installed.  Next to Empennage tail cone/fuselage

Wings

LH Landing Light Lens ( 2 hrs )

Finished LH Lens.  Left a greater margin at perimeter, approx 1/2" instead of 1/4".  Fits great.  Sanded edges to smooth finish using 400 grit, including rounding.  Very surprised as I was finishing up to see 2 very small cracks starting at edge - so quickly stop drilled and chamfered.  I had noticed the Backing Plates had moderate "bow" (whereas those on RH Lens sat flat onto Lens), so maybe once tightened they may have induced stress along edges.  RATS !   Hoping stop drilling will prevent major cracks from developing - or I'll have a "do over" in future.    Otherwise, I'm "done" with Wings.  Ta Dah !    Time to exchange the QB Fuselage from basement with Wings.

I left the tape on as I installed this time.  Removed tape after removing Lens.

@#$%&!  ( i.e. Drat ! )   Couple cracks started soon after I
re-inserted screws to hold backing plates while double sided tape "set".
Maybe stop drilling will save the Lens

Wings

RH Landing Light Lens ( 3 hrs )

Completed RH Lens trial fit after machine CS Lens and dimpling skin for #6 screws.   Applied VHB double sided tape (same as used for TE on Elev and Rudder) to hold Backing strips/nutplates.  Good fit (whew - no cracks or scratches ...another hurdle !)  so on to LH Lens.  Cut off excess and immediately covered with masking tape to protect.  Sanded edges smooth - ready to drill tomorrow.

 

LH Lens started...

 

Wings

Magnetometer Mount, Landing Light Lens ( 3 hrs )

Double flush riveted Magnetometer Mount for Garmin GMU22.  Even with deeper machine CS on shop end, still required light filing to get flush.  Very pleased when slid into receptacle in LH Wing with snug fit - no UHMW tape needed as option suggested in instructions if loose.   Returned to Sect 17-09 Steps 1-5 for Landing Light Lens in RH Wing.  More cutting Plexiglass - thicker than Tip Lens, so takes longer with dremel/cutoff wheel.   Good instructions, including covering with masking tape.  Less concern with scratching Lens.  Positioned and drilled 8 #30 holes with plasti - drill.  Enlarged using Uni-bit at 5/32 (slightly oversized vs recommended #27 drill).   Note:  Uni-bit recommended by Vans at Sect 5.19 general instructions - works great on plastic to enlarge holes, and chamfer edge of hole too.

         

 

Wings

RH Tip Lens completed, Magnetometer Mount ( 2 hrs )

Just 15 min to complete riveting on the 2 nutplates and re-install RH Tip Lens.  Very pleased with fit. Done with Sect 24.      Started Sect 62: Garmin Magnetometer Mount Kit ( slides in ADHARS Mount Assembly in LH Wing ), used to install Garmin GMU 22.  Deburred edges and holes, CS both sides for the double flush rivets and primed.

Holes were 1/8" too close to sides to use Microgage with countersink.  But a 12" extension was used by simply taping the CS into the female hex end.  Good fit!  Worked fine...just proceeded slowly and CHECKED often to avoid going too deep.