when to rivet the forward top skin?

[toolmanmike]

I know I will hate myself if I do this too early. Lots of wires to run under the dash. Im done with the instructions for the fuselage but it never said when to rivet the foreword top skin on!
If you do it too early, you are kicking yourself installing avionics and wiring....

If you wait too long, the back side of all those rivets are really gonna be hard to get to with avionics boxes and wiring running all over the place.

In my case, the riders and brakes are in. Ill finish my fuel line tomorrow. interior covers and such are all removable, so that doesn't play into the picture. The skin is drilled and set aside for now. The sub panel and under structure is in and ready for avionics.

When did you do the top forward skin??

[wirejock]

You mentioned several issues. One other is the windshield and trim. I was working canopy and fiberglass so I riveted the top skin and finished. Yes, it's been a pain running wire and installing electronics but once all that is done, I don't have to put a windshield on or mess with trim. Basically it's a builder decision. Which pain do you want first or last.
I do have a lot of experience working on vehicles laying on the floor so it's not a big deal. I built a deck to lay on with foam and a blanket. It's not horrible.

[PilotjohnS]

When i installed the avionics, i made sure i had room to rivet the top skin. So my top skin went on after the avionics were in and tested. Then the windshield went in and so on. I did not have to do too much wiring from under the panel, yet, expect to replace a failed switch.

[PaulvS]

Assuming a sliding canopy, the fwd top skin only really needs to be on in order to install the windscreen.
I'm leaving it off for as long as possible.
It's much easier working on the firewall items (battery box, solenoids etc) without the top skin (and also without the rudder pedals and brakes).
The avionics boxes and instrument panel can be temporarily removed when the time comes to rivet the top skin.

[Stevea]

Originally Posted by toolmanmike

When did you do the top forward skin??

-6A, tip up canopy:
I waited until all the panel and sub-panel equipment was fit up, plumbing was fit up, AND all the wiring was permanently installed.

The fit up sub panel parts (avionics boxes, some plumbing, etc.) was removed before riveting the top forward skin on. There were a few places where a wire bundle had to be flexed out of the way to buck rivets, but most of the rivets were easy to get to.

Yes, this means you can't do the canopy fit up and fairing (tip up or slider) until the skin is rivet on. But the alternative (hours on your head, upside down under the panel, even with nice padding to lay on and all the pointy objects under your back removed) is NOT something you want to spend a lot of time doing. Neither is bucking rivets around expensive under panel avionics boxes. Re-installing them after riveting....WAY easier.

[blaplante]

Keep in mind that stuff installed with the top skin off, and was easy to install as a result...
Can result in stuff that is a complete PAIN in the nether regions to work on when the plane is completed.

I see (and have done). Mounted things up way too high....

[Untainted123]

Originally Posted by PaulvS

Assuming a sliding canopy, the fwd top skin only really needs to be on in order to install the windscreen.
I'm leaving it off for as long as possible.
It's much easier working on the firewall items (battery box, solenoids etc) without the top skin (and also without the rudder pedals and brakes).
The avionics boxes and instrument panel can be temporarily removed when the time comes to rivet the top skin.

Absolutely this. Having done 3 avionics installs so far, with the top skin off, and done some under dash work in my own, I wouldn’t want to spend what ends up being about 100 hours laying on my back trying to wire, crimp, solder, heat gun etc.

I can’t imagine doing all this with it on (and this wasn’t even all the wires yet):

[Dave S]

-7 and I'm working on mounting my propeller and still have the skin off. My thinking is I want to haven my Garmin set up and make sure it all works before I put the skin on. Its a whole lot easier to stand next to the fuselage, reach in to play with the wires, then it will be to lay on my back upside down, backwards and play gumby. Since my hangar acts like a faraday cage and block GPS signal, that currently means waiting for a nicer warm day when I can sit in the airplane outside for a while. As long as I have other things I can work on, 30 is not a 'warm day' yet.

[TX7A]

You might want to consider installing the access panel kit that Vans offers. Might come in handy in the future.