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More tanks...
IMG_0752 by Ed Fleming, on Flickr IMG_0752 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrTank riveting! Me on the left and my buddy Paul on the right bucking. We look like surgeons in our donated work shirts! anything to keep proseal from where it doesn't belong. We found it easiest to rivet from the inboard rib out, always removing the next rib outboard to improve bucking access. The worst part about these tank sessions is they are long. From starting to clean the parts with MEK until the last tool is cleaned can be 4-5 hours.:( IMG_0757 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrFirst flares. IMG_0760 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrFor a change of pace, riveting nut plates with Nas 1097 rivets for the first time. IMG_0762 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrRiveting inboard ribs. |
Closing the tanks
IMG_0766 by Ed Fleming, on Flickr IMG_0769 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrThis is where the sender will mount. IMG_0775 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrBeads applied. I didn't fancy spooning proseal into freezer bags so we used George Orndorffs method of beading up the proseal with a notched popsicle stick. Seemed to work fine. IMG_0777 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrAnd its on! we nicknamed this assembly the porcupine! IMG_0780 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrNeat Fillet. That CAN'T leak!:p |
Last tank day
IMG_0786 by Ed Fleming, on Flickr IMG_0789 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrThis is anti hangup mark 2, and I'm much happier with it. IMG_0796 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrAt this point, ready to fit the second rear baffle, I was completely out of Proseal. I actually ran out of the Black catalyst first. However after buttering everything up I realised I had just enough mixed sealant to put on the access covers and senders, so we went ahead and did that too. It was a Looong session but I definitely did not want to wait for more sealant! IMG_0803 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrA few days later the leak tests passed!:D |
Nice work, Ed! You're doing a very thorough and neat job. I went the QB route, so I hope those crafty Filipinos were on their game that week.
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Thanks Doug. I'll be thinking of you and other quick builders every time I open my deluxe fuel caps :D no doubt you will Spare me a thought still building when you set out on that first cross country.
Seriously, all the best with your build IMG_0799 by Ed Fleming, on Flickr |
nice job and great pics
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Leading edges
IMG_0818 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrRight wing completely naked for the last time. Countersinking the spars was not nearly as bad as I thought it might be. IMG_0816 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrFinally got a TV in the garage, just in time for the Ashes! IMG_0819 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrRight wing Outboard leading edge is on. Managed all solid rivets without too much trouble, finally seemed to make friends with the double offset :D IMG_0820 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrUnfortunately the join with the tank is not perfect. I may shim this. |
Main Top skins
I prepped all of the main skins, edges and holes. Bottom skins were then stored away un dimpled. I went back to the system of removing strips of the blue vinyl. I had stopped doing this on the elevators and tanks since it took so much time and I intend to paint fully. However the scratching I got from the dimple die and also back riveting plate were just unacceptable. I know they will all be scuffed and painted eventually but I do want to build something that looks nice right now!
IMG_0817 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrHere's the scarf joint. May have been able to get it a bit thinner but I was starting to get worried about accidentally bending a corner, so decided this is good enough. Should look ok, we shall see when its riveted. IMG_0826 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrWing walk dimples. Over done if anything. IMG_0822 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrStarted skin riveting on the right wing. I'm trying out back riveting using the 12 inch straight back rivet set from Cleaveland tool along with their back riveting bucking bar. My wife picked up the bucking instantly, its very easy, and the results are indeed very nice. Also impressed with the skin-tank joint. When it is just cleco'd it doesn't look great but the final product is great. IMG_0823 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrAnd this is from the inside. One or two of these shop heads are a little bit off centre but its a learning process. I found my 3x gun with a fairly high pressure, and give it a good hit to start with. I think this is going to work. IMG_0832 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrAnd the right wing is catching up! |
More skin riveting.
Its been way too long since my last update, but there is plenty to report. First up, the rest of the skin riveting.
IMG_0850 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrRight wing all done and ready for squeezing along the rear spar. We persevered and back riveted all the rivets on this wing, but had to replace far too many rivets. IMG_0850 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrAnother view. IMG_0852 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrWhen we got to the left wing we tried regular shooting and bucking for the first rib. It was so easy before we knew it we had slammed out almost the whole wing in a morning. I don't have a great comparison picture, but I really can't see a difference in the exterior surface quality. I so wanted back riveting to work out but in the end it was a waste of time. IMG_0855 by Ed Fleming, on Flickr IMG_0855 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrFinally got the wings out of the stands! |
IMG_0869 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrWing stands and one leading edge cradle were recycled. IMG_0841 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrStandard pitot installation. This is the stainless steel tube sold extra by vans. IMG_0840 by Ed Fleming, on FlickrThis is the new stall warning access cover I fabricated. I don't have a picture, but the original had an ugly gap all around. This is much nicer. |
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