Fuselage

Baggage Area ( 4 hrs )

Started riveting LH & RH  Baggage Floor into Fuse per Sect 32 at Steps 1-6.   I'd prepped floors couple weeks ago, so today I jumped right into riveting.   These aligned well after some "negotiating" into position.  Added blue tape along Side Panel rivet line, to avoid prematurely doing those.   24 nutplates done alone central access opening.

Fuselage

Finish Aft to Forward Fuselage joint (2 hrs )

Finished Sect 30 !   Nancy helped complete Steps 5-8 so all riveting done joining Aft to Forward Fuse.  Included final Baggage Ribs to Bulkhead.  Next:  Sect 32,  Baggage Area to install Floors and Side Covers.  (completed Sect 31 earlier - fuel system installation).

Fuselage

Aft to Forward Fuselage ( 2 hrs )

Nancy and I riveted Step 5 & 6 along Bottom Skins and LH Side Skins.   Only RH Side remains - and looking good ! as clecos disappear.   Working these steps with Fuse on its side enables Nancy to use rivet gun on outside while I lean inside with bucking bar.   I can access behind the bulkheads better than I'd imagined, too.

 

Fuselage

Fuse to Aft Fuselage ( 3 hrs )

Rolled Fuselage onto RH side so access rivets along bottom skins and Bulkheads.   Steps 1-3 completed, and 1/2 done Step 4 (Baggage Ribs to bottom fore/aft) for Sect 30-08.  Some were best done by myself reaching inside for Bulkheads to Baggage Rib rivets, others Nancy helped w/ rivet gun at Bottom Skin outside while I bucked from inside.  Teamwork !

Fuselage

Brake Pedals & Side Skin ( 3 hrs )

Installed Brake Master Cylinders per Step 5-6 Sect 33-04.  Skipped Step 4 to install brass elbows - wait until ready to install into Fuse and connect brake lines (kept plastic plugs installed to keep out moisture & contaminants).  Nancy's back - so we did LH and RH Fuse Side Skin rivets Step 4 Sect 30-08.  Sterling at Van's Tech Support confirmed these were OK to do out of sequence with bottom and bulkhead riveting in Steps 1-3.   Now we're ready to roll Fuse on its side for better access to remaining Steps 1-3 and 5-8 re: bottom skin / bulkheads.

back side.  These are stout brake pads.

Fuselage

Brake Pedals ( 4 hrs )

Finished all 4 Brake Pedals.  Created 4  spacers each 5/16" long per Step 1 at Sect 33-03.  Attached Brake Pedals Assly's to Rudder Pedal Assly's.  Some thinner washers were substituted to tweak filling gaps correctly.  Very pleased with how free turning and slop free these are now ( Van's instructions include "rotate by gravity alone")

 

Fuselage

Brake Pedals ( 4 hrs )

Buffed Pedal face removing some marks, and getting good uniform sheen.   Then Final Drilled #12 holes (axles via AN3 bolts) and all #30 holes, and deburred all.   Machine C.S. pedal face or front surface holes converting these to flush rivets for what I believe is cleaner appearance.   Riveted next all the 470 Univ. heads, and only 1 Pedal w/ flush rivets.  Need to pick up more AN426AD4-6 (vs supplied 470 rivets) from friend at airport w/ extras from his RV7a build - so finish those tomorrow.

 mock up into Rudder pedal assly
     I really like how the flush rivets turned out.

Fuselage

Brake Pedals ( 3 hrs )

Worked off & on today deburring and grinding smooth the lightening holes.  Our monthly potluck lunch at airport gave me opportunity to talk with airport manager (and my instructor) Barry Logan, who built his RV7a couple years ago.   He's been a valuable resource / mentor.  Today I got a fresh (re-) inspection of his plane too.  We covered how he painted interior, source for seats and wall panels (Flightline), local paint shop Byerly Aviation, and fact he didn't paint his Brake Pedals.  Ta -Dah !  I'd been considering same approach, since almost any primer and paint will partially wear off.  His pedals still look great (midwest region & hangared helps vs salty coastal areas).   I'm now planning to buff mine.

buffed sample...  

Fuselage

Brake Pedal Pads ( 3 hrs )

Brake Pedal Pad build started per Steps 1-3 at Sect 33-02.  Required couple hours just grinding and smoothing edges after cutting apart.   Pre-assembled one, just to check it out.  Neat design.   But lots of lightening holes that I've just begun to deburr.

Fuselage

Baggage Floors  ( 5 hrs )

Finished dimpling, then scuffed all surfaces, cleaned with acetone, then primed with Napa 7220 Self Etching Primer.  Added nutplates per Steps 3 & 4 at Sect 32-04.  Also completed Step 1, Sect 32-05:  2 locations require dimples so blind rivets can be flush adjacent to Seat Back Hinges...seems should have been called out on prior page with other dimples.  But I needed C-Frame to reach these anyway.

scuffed, ready to clean and prime

Fuselage

Baggage Floor ( 5 hrs )

Finished Step 5 for Seat Back Hinges.   Then deburred edges and holes for LH & RH Baggage Floors at Steps 1 & 2, Sect 32-04.   Started dimpling around perimeter.   These floors have a lot going on...

Tempting to only install rearmost position for Seat Back, since Nancy and I are tall, but best to enable optional seating positions.

Fuselage

Baggage Floor  ( 2 hrs )

With my wife Nancy traveling all this week (aka Rosie the Riveter), I'm working several sections to prep parts for later installation.  Started Baggage Area, Sect 32.   Completed Sect 32-02 Steps 1 & 2 Outboard UHMW Bushings for Flap Control Rods.  Worked well to use my table saw to trim to size, since this tough material doesn't sand well.   Started on six special Hinges for Seat Backs per Sect 32-03 Steps 1-4.

Fuselage

Aft to Forward Riveting ( 3 hrs )

Nancy (aka Rosie the Riveter) helped rivet per Steps 1-5 at Sect 30-07 for Aft Fuse Top Side Rivets.  While I bucked, she took over the rivet gun.   Most of the time, we were using step stools to enable access - some are quite a reach (around back of bulkheads especially).  The Shoulder Harness Lug is now secured, and the Longerons joining Aft to Forward also.

These were challenging to reach behind bulkhead toward top of fuselage.

The top rivets are done.  Next lower sides and underneath per Sect 30-08.

Fuselage

Aft to Forward Fuselage riveting ( 3 hrs )

After countersinking 7 holes in each Lug, I primed then riveted bracket to main Lug per Steps 1-3 Sect 30-06.   Cleco'd into Aft Fuse and Bulkhead.   Started riveting with Nancy's assistance at top center Bulkhead and Shoulder Harness Lugs.   Combinations of 470 Universal Head and 426 Flush Head rivets kept us checking and re-checking drawings.   Had to remove one 470 so the correct 426 could be installed.  Oops.   Steps 6 & & done Sect 30-06.  Beautiful Spring weather stopped shop work - time a joy ride on my Harley !

reflection in Aft Fuselage skin - not primed (Alclad)

Fuselage

Bulkheads installed ( 4 hrs )

Completed Step 4 at Sect 30-02 adding 22 nutplates to 3 Bulkheads.  Installed Bulkheads per Sect 30-04 Steps 1-5.  Everything aligned with minimal effort so satisfying to add clecos.  Even the radiused lower corners of the Forward Fuse pulled in to align with floor Ribs.   I can see many rivets are gonna be challenging to reach and use rivet gun/bucking bar.

nutplates added.  Had to be creative to access those
close to the curved flange, but got 'em done.

Fuselage

Forward & Aft Fuselage "married" ( 3 hrs )

Ordered Finish Kit (8-10 wks lead time) since 'needed' by mid to late July at rate going on Fuselage.  Vans to include FWF (firewall forward) Kit in the Finish Kit crate.  

Today I buffed, cleaned with acetone, and acid etch primed the 3 Bulkheads.   Still need to rivet on nutplates before can install.

Big step - "married" Forward Fuselage to Aft Fuselage per 13 Steps in Sect 30-03.   Nancy was terrific help as we carefully adjusted height of 4 sawhorses with towels, pillows, etc.   Then...Yay !   we got alignment and inserted clecos.  Next is installing Bulkheads and lots of riveting.

Fuselage

Bulkheads Aft Fuselage ( 3 hrs )

Finished deburring edges & holes in 3 Bulkheads at Sect 30-02.   Dimpled #40 and #30 holes.   Those for nutplates required using Cleaveland Tools Close Quarter Dimple Dies.  Trial fit with cleco with Nancy's assistance.   Seems good fit-up without needing adjustment via fluting.   Ready to prime and rivet on nutplates.

Close Quarter dimple dies

Deburred and dimpled.

Trial fit success !

Fuselage

UHMW Bushings & Aft Fuselage moved (3 hrs )

Trimmed 2 UHMW Bushings for Inboard Flap locations per Step 2 in Sect 32-02.  Used bandsaw then 6" disc sander   - tough stuff !  Installed per Step 1 & 2 in Sect 32-03 (one more item out of order while Fuse was on its side).   Then Nancy helped move Aft Fuselage from walk out basement (had to remove sliding doors...again) into shop ready to join to Front Fuselage.  Otherwise worked on LH & RH Bulkheads and Top Bulkhead per Sect 30-02.  Deburring, etc.  Discovered Vans mislabeled LH vs RH Bulkheads.  Checked at least 4 different ways in dwgs and test fit, etc  before convinced they'd reversed the labels.