Initial Prep (Debur, Trim, Drill, and Cut) 2/5/23 - 1.3h 2/6/23 - 1.2h It is really nice to be back into the “normal” build routine with no tank sealant in sight! Working with the sealant really wasn't too bad, but it added a layer of complexity to the process, which slowed things down. This section starts with the flap and aileron gap fairings that run the length of the wing and encloses the area from the aft edge of the wing skin to the aft spar. Each wing has a flap gap stiffener that gets trimmed to shape and deburred, and the flap and aileron gap fairings for each wing are also deburred. [Hole and Edge Deburring Tools, Band Saw, Bench Grinder with Scotch Brite Wheel] Final Prep (Dimple, Countersink, and Shape) 2/9/23 - 1.2h Dimpling is a standard skill at this point in the build, but it is not without challenges if you don't pay close attention to the end goal. I have found it is a good practice to nest parts together whenever possible to confirm the orientation of all the dimples. The flap gap fairing is a good example. The plans say to dimple the fairings, and refer to a drawing of the fairing with an instruction to “DIMPLE THIS SIDE”. The figure does not mention that the dimples on the inboard edge of the fairing stiffener and the 6 inboard dimples for the rear spar doubler are opposite of the dimples along the upper skin. The orientations are not hard to figure out, but you need to take a beat and think about how the part is ultimately installed to ensure you have it right! [22” C-Frame with #40 Reduced Diameter and #30, Dimple Dies] Prime 2/8/23 - 0.8h 2/10/23 - 0.8h [Grey Scotch Brite Pads, Bon-Ami Cleanser, Dupli-Color Degreaser, Rust-Oleum Automotive Self Etching Primer (Green – Rattle Can)] Assemble 2/10/23 - 0.9h 2/12/23 - 2.0h 2/13/23 - 1.1h 2/14/23 - 1.1h 2/15/23 - 2.0h 2/17/23 - 1.2h I may be reading too much into the plans at this point. For example, the plans say to “Rivet the gap fairings to the Rear Spar Assembly and the top skins.” The plans didn't explicitly state that the rear spar rivets are first, but its mentioned first in the instructions, so that's where I started. I'm glad I started with the spar rivets, because there are a couple that are a little tricky. I also found that I could set the rear spar rivets with the wing in the cradle, but I had to take the wing out of the cradle and lay it flat to set the skin rivets. I decided to start with the longest rivets, and work my way to the shortest rivets. The six inboard rivets go through a couple layers of doublers, the rear spar, and the two inboard ribs, and are very long AN426AD4-8 solid rivets. I was nervous about working with the long rivets, since they are very easy to tip, but all of the rivets on both wings went in without any issues. The next rivets to go in were the AN470AD4-5 rivets. That's a pretty standard length, so I wasn't as worried about successfully setting them without tipping. These rivets go through the areas on the rear spar with doublers near the flap and aileron hinge brackets. The pneumatic squeezer with a longeron yoke can get to most of the rivets easily, but not the rivets on each side of the inboard aileron hinge bracket. I decided to buck those rivets. The one on the inboard side of the aileron hinge bracket went fine. The real trouble came with the outboard rivet, which ends up right next to the hinge bracket doubler assembly. I did the best I could with the edge of the bucking bar pressed up against the doubler assembly, but as you can see in the picture the rivet did not set well at all. I only managed to “set” the outboard 2/3rds of the rivet, which I was not happy with. In a moment of insanity (trying the same thing and expecting different results), I tried to buck the rivet on the other wing. I was disappointed to end up with another poorly “set” rivet. I researched some builder log sites as well as the Van's Air Force threads, and found other builders had the same issue. Van's apparently said the ugly rivet is OK, but also weighed in on an alternate solution using pulled rivets. Van's said the MSP-42, and the lower-strength LP4 pulled rivets are acceptable substitutes in this instance for the AN470AD4-5 solid rivet. I also noted that the instructions for the quick build wings say, “When attaching the flap gap fairing, use CR3212-4-6 rivets for the six inboard locations and MSP-42 rivets elsewhere.” It appears there is good precedent and recommendations for going with the MSP-42 pulled rivet, so I drilled out the bad solid rivets to give it a try. The pulled rivets worked beautifully, and I'm very happy with the final result. I sent a note to Van's to recommend changing the plans to the MSP-42, since I can't see any way to get a solid rivet to set properly with almost no clearance from the hinge bracket doubler. The rivets on the skin are all AN426AD3-3.5, which are probably the most commonly used rivets to this point in the build. I tried to set a couple of rivets while the wing was in the cradle, which essentially put me beneath the rivet and unable to see or control the squeezer on the manufactured head side on the top wing skin. The rivets went in very poorly, and it was clear I needed to take a different approach. I pulled the wing out of the cradle and laid it face up on a work surface. I had much better luck setting the rivets that way, and all the rivets for both wings went in without incident. The bad rivets were also easy to drill out and re-set with the wing out of the cradle. [Pneumatic Squeezer with Flush and 1/8” Cupped Rivet Sets, 3x Rivet Gun with 1/8” Cupped Rivet Set, Tungsten Bucking Bars, Blind Rivet Puller, #30 Drill]