Section 29 Starting Combining 26,27, and 28 to add the side

RV14 Build December 9

FWD MID FUSE Side Structure

This is sooooooo exciting!!! Starting to look like a fuselage. Look at how well my new bench works with the saw horses. Sorry nerding out.

Getting the sections lined up.

Installing the first clekos.

I couldn't find anywhere how long this would be. I figured people might care when it comes to shop space.

Answer is 88.5 inches.

Installing the lower and upper braces.

Just looks cool together.

Installing the center section side plates.

FWD MID FUSE Side Structure 1.5 Hours

Shop Time...New Bench

RV14 Build December 8

FWD MID FUSE Side Structure

I made this bench to hold this section, I got smart and made the height the same as my saw horses. I also cut the saw horses I made for the paint booth to be the same height as the bigger work bench. This was some real foresight!

Bought a new tool for back Friday! Its very satisfying to use .

Shop 3.0 Hours

Section 28 FWD Fuselage lower Structure

RV14 Build November 25-December 9

FWD Fuselage Lower Structure

This is all of Section 28, Prime.

Dimple.

Backriveting.

Trim the stainless steel muffler shroud and rivet the exhaust hanger angles.

Pro-Seal and rivet the muffler shroud.

Using the tape really helps keep the pro-seal lines clean.

Getting ready to add section 28 on it, by reaming the engine mount holes.

Riveting section 28 onto the lower structure and muffler shroud.

Fuel selector valve bracket.

Finally adding the Bulkhead from section 25. Keeping this thing safe in the shop until i needed it was a chore! Its just a little bulky.

Riveting the bulkhead to the tunnel sides. The access wasn't great and this took some care to get a bucking bar in there.

The access to the cover panels was tight! Had to drill out more than 1 rivet. I think the sub structure dimple die set I used tends to made the rivet length too short when it starts to set, or I used too much primer and the parts where thicker...not sure but I used -4 instead of the called for -3.5 for most of this.

I don't think this was needed but I wanted to put it on for the parts on the forward side of the firewall.

Air Vent, the other one Im still waiting on parts for.

Counter sinking the battery box. This is a chore by hand since the edge distance is close.

And riveting it on with my flush set isn't going to work...Time to order a new flush set thats longer!

FWD Fuselage Lower Structure 33.5 Man Hours

Section 26 Finish the rib repair and baggage ribs

RV14 Build December 8

MID Fuselage Lower Structure

Finally got around to repairing the baggage rib. So quick recap. I tried to rivet the rib myself when I was tired and didn't get even pressure on the bucking bar and ended up bushing the metal out around the rivet shop head. After drilling it out 1 rivet hole was too big and required to be stepped up and another was close, but that one was close to the edge and I was worried about rivet edge distance. I decided to make a doubler and flush rivet that to the rib to reinforce mostly the top rivet near the edge but it went the whole length.
Here you can see the doubler riveted on. The smaller rivet shop head are AN3 that secure the doubler to the rib flush on the FWD side, then the larger and the pop secure the rib to the spar. I decided to use a #5 cherry max instead of a driven rivet. Mostly because of cost. I dont have a rivet set for larger AN5 and the cherry max are .66 each. If you see my previous post on section 26 I went through the stress load thought process.

 Conor stopped by and helped rivet the ribs to the bottom skin.

Riveting on the last of the outboard baggage ribs to the skin.

Finished!

MID Fuselage Lower Structure 4.0 Man Hours

Section 27 Firewall

RV14 Build November 24

Firewall

Finished up the section 27 besides a few rivnuts. There wasn't a lot t do, but the pro seal is a sticky mess. Definitely need to be ready to clean your tools often.

I taped the areas around where I wanted to seal, this really helped keep the lines clean.

Riveting the supports on was easier than expected, there is really good access and you can back rivet most of it.

Done besides the rivnuts.

Firewall 4.5 Hours

Section 27 Firewall

RV14 Build November 19-22

Firewall

The 22nd is officially 1 year since the kit arrived!! It feels longer and I can't believe how much I have gotten done!

The firewall have a decent amount of small parts but nothing major really. Countersinking, prep for prime, prime, and rivet.

Dimpling the firewalls

Back riveting the structure to the firewall.

Building the exhaust channel. I made a mistake hear and riveted without al the pieces. The rivets looked too long, that should have been a red fag, someday ill learn to listen to those.

Firewall 14 Hours