The Rear Bulkhead & Roll Bar

This week I worked on the rear bulkhead and the roll bar.  Not much to the bulk head.  Just some nut plates and rivet it all together.

Then I went to work on the roll bar.  I loaned out all but 5 of my silver clecos not realizing that I might need them for the roll bar.  No problem. I just lined up a few holes at a time and worked my way around the roll bar with the drill press.

One side done

Then the other

Finished with the outside

Complete with the top all counter sunk

Odds and Ends

Didn't do a lot today.  Put the vents in

Added the piano hinge

And mocked up the roll bar

Putting on the side skins

This week we had great weather so in the evening I went out and worked on the plane a couple of nights.  I put the seats together and installed them.

Here is my youngest learning how to build a plane

Then I started on the side skins.  First I had to cut out the wing slots

I used a nibbler that i have

A little hand work and then I set it on the frame

A little riveting and I had both sides installed

Today was the day to build the longerons

Today I tackled the Longerons.  It took about four hours.  The hardest part was spreading the ends 5.4 degrees.  Here are the tools I planned to use.  I decided to use my press instead of a vice.

Here is the set up for spreading the channel

Found that it worked better without the sockets

Here I am pressing the bend with the Dies

First one done.  I had completed page 23-3 before I started the bends.  I found that it helped a lot to be able to put everything together to measure.

 

Both done

Put the skins on to see how it would look

Up to the Longerons

This week I got the whole bottom end of the fuselage riveted together.  I then put in the arm rest and side rails.  I am now ready to build the longerons.  I cut them to length and carefully measured all the bend points.  I tapered the rear of the angle iron.   I purchased the dies from Larry and tomorrow I will make the bends.

Forward Fuselage

Not much to show.  Worked on the forward fuselage.   I need to order some gas tank sealer for the firewall before I can lock it all down.

Next weekend I start the Longerons