All of Section 25 Bulkheads

RV14 Build October 7-11

FWD MID Fuselage Bulkheads

So this is a big post but its 1 week of work that crushed it out!

When you first get started its a little slow going pulling all the parts for each section because there are so many and finding them in the "kits" takes time. The "kits" aren't organized by build section but rather physical size it seems.

This is all the parts for section 25....so i thought, turns out I was missing 2.

Decided to start brining work home in my new bin, I usually have a few hours in the morning before the gym or work that are wasted that I could be doing edge finishing and deburring.

Glamor shot of my countersinking the mid spares.

 All done!

The fuselage plans only show half the airplane if the other side is mirrored so learning to read this and lay out the parts is a bit of a challenge. Here I'm trying to lay out the bearing assemblies and countersink them. I had to mock it up before I understood the orientation completely. 

Good old prep for priming!

Finished the prep for priming in my boxers as home! liking the new productivity bin

 Back to priming.

Im getting better at working with my spray gun. I have turned the air down a little and all but closed the fluid nozzle, I can see how you want it wide open when spraying large surfaced but these smaller parts I was getting too much overspray.

New tool baby! Finally got the Cleaveland Tool Sub-Structure Dimple die. It makes a deeper dimple so the dimpled skin or other part sit in it better. Im using this on all substructure parts, where another dimpled part fits into it, and the regular dimple where a rivet will go into it.

The plans say for the next step to insert rivets top and bottom to help with alignment. When I did this I noticed the top 2 rows of rivets where really close to the bulkhead flange and I wouldn't be able to set them.

It was these 2 rows, so i put rivets in the bottom holes and covered with yellow tape to hold in place. This helped with the alignment and set the top rivets.

Putting the part on the bulkhead I noticed with the rivets where still really close/touching the flange. I knew this couldn't be right and after some head scratching I noticed the dimpled BOTTOM holes of the bulkhead where facing up....Bulkhead is upside down.

Such a better fit when everything is correctly aligned.

Dodged that HUMA moment and this bulkhead is done.

Per the plans used a drill press and a reamer I got from McMaster-Carr , they have everything for cutting its great, and reamed the holes with the wing attachment brackets.

Brackets reamed and installed with temporary hardware.

Bearing brackets assembled and back riveted. This should have been easier I feel like but I made it hard and 1 of the bearing was binding after installing it on the cover rib so I drilled it all out and re did the work. Really glad I did, now it works great.

Bearings on the cover ribs.

Installing the cover ribs on the spar.

I didn't get a finally picture because we were crushing work out, but besides the 2 side angles I missed and needed to prime and prep this section is done.

FWD MID Fuselage Bulkhead 29 Hours

Fuselage Inventory and organizing the shop

RV14 Build October 2 & 4

Fuselage

Continuing the inventory and organizing the shop!

Lots of counting. In the end I was only missing a few pieces of hardware.

Still counting

Things are starting to get organized. I separated all of the different rivets, pop rivets, nuts, bolts etc into their own bags and labeled everything. Made notations on the pull sheet to reference my new categories. Everything will then get put into plastic storage separators by type. AN426, AN470, Pop Rivets, and Hardware.

Boom! All organized and nice.

Now its time to reorganize the shop to fit everything in here.

Before.

After. I moved my storage racks against the other wall because this was kind of a dead space in the shop for me and put the shipping container on top of them to store the larger longer pieces still. I covered it with shipping paper just t help keep things clean. Way up top left is the Empennage control surfaces and in the top right above the paint booth is the rear fuselage.

Inventory 6.5 Man Hours, Shop 2.0 Hours

Fuselage Has Arrived!!

RV14 Build October 1 

Fuselage

The new kit is here!!!

The crate had some damage where a forklift had punched through but luckily no parts where hurt!

So much packing paper!

All my new awesome parts!

Lots of inventory ahead!

Inventory 2.0 Hours

Attachment of the Empennage components

RV14 Build September 23 & 25

Attachment 

Finishing up the attachment, I have to mount the right elevator and drill the elevator horns, mount the horizontal stab and final drill the rear spar to attachment brackets, install the horizontal stab, mount the rudder and check all the clearances! Time to work.

Using my new toy to check the degrees of deflection to make sure I have a full range of motion. I did have trouble with the elevator leading edges rubbing on both right and left. I had in take them off message the leading edge shape and re-install a few times before it was right.

I didn't get a picture of it but the plans have a small piece of tube that "fits" into the center bearing for the elevator attachment and a #30 drill bit fits in the middle that is used to drill the pilot hole before using the step drill. Followed plans but I used emery cloth and my power drill to reduce the diameter of the tube to fit snug into the bearing and then the drill drill to final drill the center of the tube to take the drill bit. Next I stepped drilled the hole to its final size.

Time in install the elevators and figure out which combination of washers works!

This is kind of a pain because I kept dropping the washers, but in the end I needed required washers plus 1 of the thin spacer washers per side.

Done and O so pretty

Looking good!

On to mounting and final drilling the horizontal stab. I had to pull the elevators back off to do this. You final drill the top and bottom holes on each side.

My original plan was to step up the hole size and final drill it with the reamer, but I didn't have the clearances with the drill to get straight on the holes.

I bought and angle drill but it was too big and bulky so I had to go with long drill bits, I still tried to step up the hole size and finish with the reamer. This worked, but Im gonna need to invest in a tight space angle drill I think.

Thats on and drilled, now I put the Vertical Stab back on and mock up the rudder and the elevators, again, to check final clearances. 

Installing the rudder rod end bearings. I used my small ruler and micrometer to get the distances correct here again.

The vertical and horizontal stabs are on.

Boom rudder is on! This is a little tricky by yourself but it can be done with some tape to hold as a third hand

Rudder looks good, Still planning to rebuild it, but Ill fly with this one first and rebuild before I paint I think?

Checking the rudder clearances, all good.

This kit besides the fairing tips is done!! Just got the bill of lading for the fuselage kit so perfect timing I would say. Photo shoot time!!

 Attachment 8.0 Hours