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

Waiting for inspection

Today we spent some time organizing the shop and going over all the parts for a second time to prepare for the inspection.  We looked over everything to make sure that there wasn't anything obvious that we hadn't done and that we were working according to the standards required.  Everything looks good from our point of view and, barring weather, the inspection should take place next Saturday.  Personally I(Scott) think that guarantees a massive snowstorm but we'll see.  If the inspection does get delayed we'll just move onto the fuselage.

Finally back in the shop

Well, let's just say that the move didn't go so well.  Less than a week after moving into my new house, Darren and I were starting to insulate and hang drywall in the workshop.  After a crash, xrays and a doctor setting the break, I spent the next 6 weeks in a cast for a broken wrist and the month after that getting mobility and strength back.  But, the shop is now finished and we got back at the plane this past weekend.  We've decided to do the last few things on the empennage and wings so that we can have the inspector come.  So, you won't see any major new parts for a little while because once the inspection is finished we're going to close up all the horizonal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, elevators, rudder, fuel tanks, ailerons, and flaps.  All the parts are ready for the final work and it will be nice to have parts completed. 

Scott working on one of the fuel tanks.

The fuel tank.

Scott gearing up for some priming, or possibly mixing up some tank sealant.

The bracket primed and riveted in place.

Another of the bracket.

Our new bucking bar

We're back in the workshop again

Well, it's a new year and we're back at construction on the airplane. We've wrapped up the hangar for the season (the electrical was installed on the weekend before Christmas) so we can finally get back to working on the airplane.  If we even think about building a hangar again I hope someone will give us a shake.  It wasn't like doing a building in Saskatchewan -- it probably would've been finished in a couple of weekends -- but we were lucky to have a few friends who gave up a bunch of their weekends to help us out.  At the end of the day the hangar looks pretty good but now we need to get back to building the airplane so we can fill it up!

We finished the reworking on the right wing main spar and did all the tasks necessary to attach the plate nuts for the fuel tanks.  It's the exact same job we did on the left wing (except a mirror image).  Even though we had a few months off the skills were still there and we were able to move through the task a lot faster than on the left wing.  

We took a couple of pictures this time (they'll be uploaded later) but you can look at the left wing pictures in a mirror and they'll be the same as the ones we'll post.  At least we hope that the wings will be symmetrical. :-)

Yes a lot of time has passed so much in fact that flipping a couple of pages on the calander wasn't even enough... We needed a whole new calander

Darren working on clecoing the plate nuts to the main spar.

Workshop Setup

The pin board so we can take a quick look at how it all fits together. The toolbox.  One of the workbenches.  Another one of the workbenches with the drill press, and heater. The heater was moved shortly after the picture was taken to make room for the grinder.  Close up of the heater.  The heater works really well, and keeps the place nice and warm.  A clock.  It is really easy to lose track of time.