7A Main Gear - when to drill to web?

[Flying Scotsman]

I'm finishing all the prep work on the forward fuselage, getting ready to put it all back together and rivet things, but I noticed on one builder's site that he had drilled the main gear weldments to the side (the big honkin' gear attach webs and side skins) during the *previous* step, when everything was all together for drilling the stiffeners and whatnot. I didn't do that (there was no instruction to do so), and now I'm thinking I should have. However, other sites that I looked at didn't mention doing it at that time.

What say you all? should I have done that (meaning a relatiively time-consuming operation of putting things back together and drilling that weldment now), or did you do it at a later stage and was there any problem in doing so?

Thanks for the assistance...

Steve

 

[roee]

No problem

Steve,

QuickBuild folks have to fit the main gear weldments after the fuselage has already been riveted up. Not a problem.

-Roee

 

[Bavafa]

I would do it later on as there is no issue.

In fact I think you may get a better fit as things move around when it is riveted compared to just clekoed. Don't forget that you may need to shimm it as well if you have some space between the skin and the gear weldment

Regards
Mehrdad

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Thanks, everyone! I'll wait and drill 'er later...

Appreciate the help!