Thursday, February 13, 2014

I am trying to consistently post a weekly build update every weekend.  We are flying out to San Antonio this weekend to visit friends, so I decided to post this week's update a bit early.  Hopefully I'll post some pics of the trip when we return...

9 FEB 14: Page 7-6 steps 6,7,9,10: 3.5 hours
Match drilled all rudder parts – skeleton, skin, and trailing edge wedge.  Disassembled and deburred all holes.  Plans call for breaking the trailing edge prior to riveting.  Not sure if I want to do this or not – will have to research a bit more on the internet.  Nothing left for the rudder except priming, dimpling and riveting.  Boring work session, so no pics.  I finished with some riveting practice and, more importantly, some rivet drilling practice:


10 FEB 14: Page 8-2 step 1: 2 hours
Well, I decided to continue on with prepping parts for the HS.  We are flying out to San Antonio this weekend to visit friends (will hopefully do a write up), so with just a few hours in the evenings during the week to work, I don’t really have the time for priming prep/paint.  No pictures tonight – only did step 1 – deburring the HS rear spar and doubler.  As a new builder, deburring has kind of given me fits as far as getting bogged down with it – i.e. what is good vs. excessive.  I seem to be trying to get absolutely perfect, and I just don’t think there is justification.  Besides taking an excessively long time per part, the amount of materiel being removed is probably unnecessary (focusing on edge distances).   I read a good post about this on Tim Olsen's build log that gave me some insight on deburring.  Part of the time delay for a new builder is just figuring out systems and how you’re going to accomplish certain tasks – like deburring.  I think I prefer hand files for the larger edges, 6” med/fine scotchbrite wheels for smaller edges, and 2”/1” med scotchbrite wheels for lightening holes – I have a pretty good system down now.

11 FEB 14: Page 8-2 steps 1-3: 2.25 hours
Finished deburring, match-drilled holes in the doubler/spar web (paying attention not to drill several holes called out in the plans), countersunk a couple holes in the spar web:

Final-drilled the hinge brackets to the spar.  Ended with:

12 FEB 14: Page 8-3 steps 1,3,4: 2.25 hours

Deburred some old parts (go back a few days ago to OCD deburring post) from the VS.  Final-drilled the hinge brackets/flange bearing, although I did not rivet the pieces together.  These will be my first rivets in the plane.  Although they’ll be squeezed, I’m still excited to rivet my first parts!  Spent the rest of the evening measuring, cutting, shaping, and drilling the two front spar attachment brackets.  Although I’m pretty slow and methodical, I enjoy making the parts – fun to take a piece of angle and form it into a part that will be used on my airplane.  Not much to show, but still forward progress:

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