Installing the 'crotch strap' kit

So that's seriously what it's called. Basically it's the connection for the fifth point of the 5-point harness (vs. the 4 point* harness that's usually in planes). I'm not sure why a non-aerobatic plane requires a 5-point harness but the parts came in the kit and the floor panels were already cut out for the kit so we pretty much had to install it. We also installed another bunch of plate nuts, installed the last few rivets for the main spars, and finished up a few little things in the centre fuselage. This part is getting close to being finished.

* in case you're wondering the 4 points are the 2 sides of the hips and 2 shoulders.

December 10, 2011

Okay, we've actually been working, I swear

We've been working over the last few months on the centre fuselage. It certainly felt like we stalled but, considering that this is the part of the airplane where the wings join, all the controls connect, and, most importantly, we sit, it stands to reason that it would be complicated and have a lot of parts. We've now finished assembling the main part of the centre fuselage. We have some final steps for the side ribs but we're almost ready to join the centre fuselage to the tailcone.

October 6, 2011

A little time off for some more work on Scott's back yard. October 8, 2011

October 15, 2011

November 13, 2011

November 26, 2011

November 26, 2011

November 28, 2011

December 3, 2011

December 3, 2011

More Prep Work

Today we spent our time completing the dimpling, sanding, cleaning and priming of the rest of the parts for the centre fuselage. There are a large number of parts in this section so it took a remarkably large amount of time to get all the parts done. Next we'll start assembling the centre fuselage -- a task that is expected to take a few weeks.

Took some time to work on Scott's back yard. August 13, 2011

August 20, 2011

August 27, 2011

September 19, 2011

A big step forward and now a seemingly step backwards

Tonight we spent a few more hours working on the centre fuselage. Specifically we worked on the spot in the fuselage where the wings attach. We bolted the spacer blocks between the two sides of the wing attach bulkhead (F-904 for those who are following the part numbers) and low and behold everything lined up perfectly with the bottom skin. We then clecoed everything together, match-drilled all the remaining parts and then set about disassembling the entire assembly.

 

The spacers bolted in place

 

After everything  has been disassembled for deburring, and dimpling.

Enough is enough

So today was the breaking point in this (relatively) new workshop. Now that we know how we need to work we decided to bite the bullet and use today to organize and rearrange the workshop. After we rearranged the storage location for the wings we were able to move some of the alleged woodworking tools around. (I say alleged because they've cut more aluminum then wood.) That freed up some wall space for us to put up some wall paper (aka sheets of plans). Until now we were losing a workbench to the plans -- what a waste of horizontal work space. Well now the workshop is much better organized and will work for the entire fuselage build.

 

Post clean-up shot #1

Post clean-up shot #2

 

Post clean-up shot #3

There's an awful lot of woodworking for an all metal plane...

Today was a good day in the shop. We spent the morning doing something that we should've done a year ago when we built the 904 bulkheads (that's the place where the wings attach). We had to make some spacers that were precisely 1 17/16". Luckily I bought a planer about 4 years ago. Unluckily, it was still in the box. Once we cut some 3/4" MDF and glued it together we then set about putting the planer together. It was pretty straightforward and I must say that I'm pretty impressed with the Rigid planer (I bought it when I was living in the states and paid about 50% of the price I would've paid in Canada -- who could pass up that deal?!?)

Once that was done I cut the spacer blocks and drilled them out. We'll need them when we bolt the bulkheads together and get them setup for match-drilling.

While I was doing woodwork, Darren was concentrating on cutting some holes and getting the parts setup for the steps. The instructions weren't the best so it took some head scratching and figuring but it's pretty much ready to go.

That's where we ended today but we're going to try to get some more work in on Monday.

 

Rough pieces after being cut out.

 

After final manufacturing.

A close up of some of our work.

 

Scott at work creating the required spacer blocks.

 

The planer

So, we've actually worked since this last post

I thought that I'd put up a little update. We have done some work since the last post. We've match drilled the whole centre fuselage and also worked on manufacturing some attach pieces and modifying some additional ribs. Unfortunately, the pictures pre-match drilling and post-match drilling look almost identical except the clecos have moved one hole. We didn't do any work this last weekend since we decided to take a trip to Hamilton to watch the Riders. We don't want to talk about the game.

Start of center fuselage

Today we started work on the centre fuselage. The first step was cutting some spacers (sounds easy but takes time) and modifying some of the floor ribs to ensure that the controls have sufficient space. After that we did some prep for platenuts and some other general prep work (drilling out for electrical wires, etc). Finally we clecoed the entire assembly together and installed the bottom skin.

The parts laid out prior to starting work for the day.

Darren working on manufacturing one of the spacers. 

The ribs Scott was working on modifying.

Some more of the ribs Scott was working on.

The ribs modified as required, and ready to be cleco'd together.

The spacers Darren was working on.

Scott working on some assembly.

The centre fuselage cleco'd together, and flipped over so the bottom skin could be cleco'd into place.

Aft fuselage riveting finished

Today we finished riveting the aft fuselage. We can't do any further riveting on the aft fuselage until the longerons are installed and the rest of the fuselage is essentially done. This is starting to get big.

Sweltering Heat, And A Little More Work On The Fuselage

It got up into the thirties (Celsius), and the workshop currently has no cooling.  After an hour of replacing a couple of rivets we were not happy with, and adding a few new rivets, we had had enough for the night. 

Some progress was made.

Fuselage Assembly

We finally managed to start on some actual assembly on the fuselage. 

The first skin riveted onto the fuselage.

Starting from the bottom up.

Now we flipped it over, and noticed we didn't cut off quite enough of the plastic.

Ready for some more riveting.

It is a lot easier to rivet these pieces when the fuselage is flipped upside down.

Beginning aft fuselage assembly

We started working on assembling the aft fuselage.  The first step, and actually most difficult, was to get the very think (but small) piece of fuselage skin to bend and conform to the rear bulkhead.  After we got that done we began assembling the skins and bulkheads.  The bulkheads were assembled way back in the old workshop last year so this went fairly quickly.  The only item we had to do was ensure that the bulkhead flanges were bent to conform to the skin.  Next we cut and shaped the j-stringers to fit in the fuselage.  After that it was a matter of making sure that everything was straight and then match drilling all of the rivet holes.

March 12th

The longerons.

March 26th

The basic structure.

The rear bulkead.

With the side skins attached.

April 2nd

More work on the rear bulkhead.

Darren match drilling.

Match drilled, and ready for priming.

Fuel tanks are finished

Sorry for the lack of updates but we spent a few days sealing the last fuel tank.  There really aren't any good pictures as proseal is sticky and we didn't wnat to get it on the camera.  The good news is that the tanks are sealed and curing awaiting a pressure test.  I won't be sad to see the end of the proseal.

The completed second tank.

Multiple updates - vert stab, elevators, rudder and fuel tanks

Sorry for the lack of updates.  We've actually been working but I just haven't taken the time to update the site recently.

 After the inspection we worked on wrapping up any of the things that the inspector noted.  First up was re-doing the rolled leading edge on the rudder.  It was a fairly simple job.  What it did point out was the increased level of confidence in our abilities.

After that we moved onto working on the ailerons.  We did most of the work but we simply aren't happy with the results.  The skins is a little too wavy and that can induce drag and lower our speed.  We've decided to redo them now that we have more experience with metal.  It will equate to about 7 hours of work but it'll be worth it.

We then closed up the vertical stabilizer.  It's now completely finished and ready for installation on the fuselage (once that it ready).  

After that we got to work finishing up the trim tab (it's a part on one of the elevators that is kind of like cruise control in a car) and then the right and left elevators.

Finally we continued working on the fuel tanks and have sealed one of the tanks.  We need to let the sealant cure before we pressure test it.

What's left?  We have to rivet the trailing edges on the rudder and both flaps and seal the last fuel tank.

February 16th

The rudder's inspection sticker.

Scott squeezing a few rivets.

Darren Squeezing a few rivets.

A finished piece!

February 19th

Darren squeezing some rivets on the trim tab.

February 21st

Scott working on our ultimately unsuccessful attempt to fix up the ailerons to our satisfaction.

February 26th

The elevator prior to attaching the trim tab.

Scott working on attaching the trim tab.

Darring sqeezing some rivets.

Scott showing off the installed trim tab.

A finished piece! 

March 5th

A shot of the tack prior to riveting.

After riveting.

Inside.

 From the side.

Finished elevator (non trim tab side).