When to rivet the aft top skin?

[cjensen]

I'm finished with all the stuff that I want in the tail cone of the fuselage, and I have the rear-aft top skin cleco'd back on...when can I or should I rivet that skin on?

I read ahead, and I see that the front-aft top skin will probably go on and come off another time or two when fitting the canopy and such, but it says nothing about the aft top skin.

 

[cytoxin]

i say now

chad your construction is looking very nice man, keep up the good work.
do it now.this is when i did both of mine. some say to wait but i havent seen a reason to. good luck

 

[kentb]

Your roll bar needs to be in.

I would wire the back of the plane, including the static tubing.

In general don't put the skin on until you need to. I should be in before finial fitting of the back canopy plexi.

Kent

 

[LettersFromFlyoverCountry]

I read ahead, and I see that the front-aft top skin will probably go on and come off another time or two

This part made me laugh outloud.

Only because I've been working on the canopy since February and I've burned out a rotator cuff putting the same things on and off.....on and off.... on and off.....

 

[cjensen]

chad your construction is looking very nice man, keep up the good work.
do it now.this is when i did both of mine. some say to wait but i havent seen a reason to. good luck

Thanks man! I can't see a reason not to either...

I would wire the back of the plane, including the static tubing.

In general don't put the skin on until you need to. I should be in before finial fitting of the back canopy plexi.

Kent

Wire conduit is run, and the static lines are in. Seat belt anchors are in, strobe power pack is in, and the bracket for the ELT is in place. I can't think of anything else that needs to go back there. Am I missing something?

 

[Stephen Lindberg]

Go ahead

I riveted both aft top skins ASAP and haven't regretted it. There is a tricky rivet on the forward of the the two aft skins, it is mentioned in the plans. It is on the midline. You have to rivet it first, then cleco the skin back down into position. Easy to do, just don't forget to do it or bucking access will be blocked on that rivet.

 

[Jamie]

It appears by glancing at your builder's log that you haven't started the canopy yet. I would wait until you fit the canopy before you rivet the skin on.

The reason is because you want to trim the canopy from the front first and get it to lay down on the roll bar like this:

That's hard to do with that skin in place. Leaving the skin off for the canopy fitting simply gives you more options. Only my humble opinion.

 

[mgomez]

Wire conduit is run, and the static lines are in. Seat belt anchors are in, strobe power pack is in, and the bracket for the ELT is in place. I can't think of anything else that needs to go back there. Am I missing something?

Elevator servo, if you're planning on a two-axis autopilot.

 

[Tbone]

As Jamie said, I believe that the canopy needs to be fit before the aft skin is riveted on.

 

[cjensen]

Elevator servo, if you're planning on a two-axis autopilot.

Done...forgot to mention that one. Well, the mounting bracket is installed anyway. Still need to buy the servo.

As Jamie said, I believe that the canopy needs to be fit before the aft skin is riveted on.

Okay, but the rear-aft skin appears to be riveted on in Jamie's pic...that's the one I'm more specifically wondering about. I plan to leave the forward-aft skin off as long as I can.

 

[cytoxin]

not really

As Jamie said, I believe that the canopy needs to be fit before the aft skin is riveted on.

you can fit the canopy with both skins on and it is little or no additonal work ..i only throw "little" in there becuase i havent done one with out the skin installed. but it is 6 of one and a half dozen of the other. good luck either way it'll turn out fine.
tell me how you trim the window without the skin on. or with the skin on and clecoes in the way.

 

[tomagin]

I'm building an 8 with the same issue. I have put in conduit, etc. The problem on the 8 is that if you put in the things you might aft of the baggage you then can't put in the boards to lay on to buck the rivets. I have made brackets for things like the strobe power supply and ELT that permit removal and easy re-install without interferring with the plywood. Same applies to the AP servo. I'm waiting for them to be delivered. I'll see if I can do some prep to make it easier to put in when the rear skin is on and will then start riveting. I understand some earlier QB 8 kits had the rear upper skin on from the get-go so don't see how one can make a mistake. I have just found that other than making it easier to prime the inside you really can't put much in permanently before closing it up.

 

[AltonD]

I did my canopy with the aft skins on, no problem.

But. .. . do finish and final install the cabin frame BEFORE you rivet the forward-aft skin. There is a screw on the cabin frame that is underneath the skin. I now have an extra screw showing that most do not. No big deal. on the upside, I can remove the cabin frame, where most would have to remove the skin first.

 

[cjensen]

I did my canopy with the aft skins on, no problem.

But. .. . do finish and final install the cabin frame BEFORE you rivet the forward-aft skin. There is a screw on the cabin frame that is underneath the skin. I now have an extra screw showing that most do not. No big deal. on the upside, I can remove the cabin frame, where most would have to remove the skin first.

I just saw that on Jeff Bordelon's website this morning...

 

[fodrv7]

Vacuum and Wipe.

Chad,
You might considering jumping in the back with the vacuum and a damp cloth to suck up any chaff and wipe of the bulk of the dust.
Of course you can get in there later, but the squeeze between the seat back brace and the roll bar is a pain.

Pete.

 

[cjensen]

Chad,
You might considering jumping in the back with the vacuum and a damp cloth to suck up any chaff and wipe of the bulk of the dust.
Of course you can get in there later, but the squeeze between the seat back brace and the roll bar is a pain.

Pete.

Yeah...I'm sorta anal about that already. I have the vacuum out in the garage every few days sucking up AL bits and dead bugs.

 

[sglynn]

when to rivet top aft skins see dwg #44

Before riveting the aft top skin, see drawing #44 about the empennage fairing. You'll see 6 platenuts that go on the aft bulkhead. You'll want to put those on before riveting down the aft most top skin.