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

RV14 Build Rest of December

FWD MID FUSE Side Structure

Started to work on getting the 2 halves together and the side skins on. Match drilling the center section side plate and the upper drag fitting. I am going to do all the left side task and then the right just to keep my mind straight. There is A LOT of work in this section. Lucky my buddy Travis came into town end of the month and we crushed 2 huge days of work.

You'll need a long, I used 12", drill bit to reach some of these holes.

Deburred and primed

I wasn't sure how putting a twist in the upper longeron was going to go but it was rather straight forward. Making the wood blocks was my hardest task since I don't own a table saw, why don't I own a table saw?

Putting the piece in the clamp per the plans and twisting with the help of a digital level. To get a permanent 10 degree twist I really had to twist the thing almost around otherwise the spring back would take most of it out. I was happy at 10.48, it will probably spring back more in time

Match drilling the engine mount brackets

Riveting after priming. Cherry max rivets, easy enough pop rivet to install.

Lower Longeron Assembly

Upper Longeron Assembly

Made 2 attempts at riveting together the bottom fuselage skins, One of the first steps in drilling the the lower drag fittings to #20 and clekoing as you go for the cherry max rivets. I didn't have clekos that big. Thanks for stopping by Matt sorry it was a bust.

After I got the clekos in Travis stopped in for 2 days and we drilled and riveted the bottom skin. This is the Cherrymax that when into the bottom drag fitting that got the #20 drill. Unfortunately I drilled too far and nicked 2 of the lower drag fitting bolts and ordered new ones.

View of the bottom skin riveted together, we were cruising sorry i didn't get more pictures. The proud rivets are those same Cherrymax rivets that were drilled #20.

Travis working on the bottom skins.

Putting the bearing into the control column assembly.

Match drilling and riveting. You have to trim the front edge of the bearing to match the column edge. Turns out after installing this I didn't figure out the orientation of the column and trimmed to wrong edge. I was able to grind the bearing edge down after installing it though...Thankfully.

Putting the washer stack up and shims in is kind of a bitch. Im not sure I have it how I like, the plans say no side loading, it feels a little tight so Im gonna take out a shim. I used the plans washer stack up on one side of the column and installed the washers and an extra shim on each side of the bearing on the other end of the column.

Making the cowing hinges. After you drill these in place the plans never tell you to dimple the firewall flanges it just goes straight to riveting everything together. I emailed vans and they said to dimple the firewall flanges after you match drill and debur before you rivet. See the 2 pics below.

Firewall flange not dimpled?

Dimpled skin??

Made a "special" jig to hold the skins so we could rivet on the center section.

Skin is clekoed on and ready to rivet! Had to get in and make airplane noises.

Im thinking about scuffing the skin and stiffeners before riveting so the rivets wont tear apart the scotch bright. Im 90% sure Im going to use Stewart Systems EcoCrylic for the topcoat of the interior and it uses a mechanic bond...I thinking light gray. I know I know real original. I have no idea about the paint scheme so it will give me the most flexibility.

Well only the other skin to prep and rivet both on....So much to do still.

FWD MID FUSE Side Structure 48.5 Man Hours

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