Jun 15, 2020     Step #63 - Rivet the trailing edge - (1 hour)       Category: Flaps (VII)

Yeah! Using the Numatix is like a reward for all the hard bucking on these flaps! So enjoyable to watch the rivet squish!

Big day today...I'm officially done with ALL the flight surfaces (wings, elevator, horizontal stabilizer, rudder, and ailerons, and flaps)!

I started this journey about 11 months ago and 600+ hours later, I'm to the QB stage of all the wings and elevator. I'm also done with Assembly book #1 (4��nder) and one more to go!

I'm still enjoying just about every minute of the build. When it becomes stressful I just take a break for a day or so and return.

Its time to now switch to the Fuselage, which is a QB. I'll soon be joining the wings to the fuselage to see how everything lines up.

  Jun 15, 2020     Step #62 - Rivet AFT spart to Aft ribs and skin - (2 hours) Category: Flaps (VII)

Yeah...went as expected. Took a little more metal off my tungsten bucking bar to help with the fit between the two skins

  Jun 14, 2020     Step #62 - Rivet AFT spart to Aft ribs and skin - (.5 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

Started this step...will finish this flap tomorrow

  Jun 14, 2020     Step #61 - Rivet skin to upper flanges of FWD spar & aft ribs - (1.5 hours) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 14, 2020     Step #60 - Rivet upper skin to flanges of nose ribs - (.7 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 14, 2020     Step #59 - Rivet main ribs, cove ribs to spars - (2 hours) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 13, 2020     Step #58 - Rivet ribs to FWD spar - (.5 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

Flap slid off workbench when I was repositioning. Whew...nothing damaged but that was a close call! I had one end but the other hit the ground on the sheet metal. Got lucky

  Jun 13, 2020     Step #57 - deburr and corrosion proof - (.5 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

Thank you Glasair for priming everthing!

  Jun 13, 2020     Step #56 - drill trailing edge - (1 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 13, 2020     Step #55 - Position and drill upper skin - (1.5 hours) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 12, 2020     Step #54 - Drill LWR skins - (1.5 hours) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 12, 2020     Step #53 - bolt spacers flap track and deployment - (.2 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 12, 2020     Step #51 - Drill all ribs to final size - (.7 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 11, 2020     Step #52 - clamp and position assembly to bench and position skin - (.7 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 11, 2020     Step #63 - Rivet the trailing edge - (.7 hour)       Category: Flaps (VII)

This worked great using the numatix squeezer. The trailing edge came out near perfect. I used -5 rivets for this edge. I also pulled out my fixtures from the Leading edge for the wings and it worked well to hold the flap in a more upright position. At this point...the flap is sturdy and there is not much concern for twist.

Yeah....one done...one more to go!

  Jun 11, 2020     Step #62 - Rivet AFT spart to Aft ribs and skin - (3 hours) Category: Flaps (VII)

There is never any indication within the instructions that 1/8��ll rivets will be used to connect the aft spar to the main ribs. I had to drill these out to 1/8��No big deal but this would have been easier prior to installing the skins!

The modified taper on the bucking bar works well...there are just a lot of rivets to buck on this aft spar!

  Jun 11, 2020     Step #61 - Rivet skin to upper flanges of FWD spar & aft ribs - (1.5 hours)       Category: Flaps (VII)

Tight riveting here but doable. I should have just drilled out the last AFT hole on the ribs and used a pull rivet. Its very difficult to rivet this last part without pulling the two sections apart and leaving a gap. Had to drill out two rivets.

BTW...arm warmers make great protection for your arms when they are squeezed between the two skins!

  Jun 10, 2020     Step #60 - Rivet upper skin to flanges of nose ribs - (.5 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 09, 2020     Step #59 - Rivet LWR skin to Nose Ribs & Spar assy - (2.5 hours) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 09, 2020     Step #58 - Rivet ribs to FWD spar - (1.5 hours)       Category: Flaps (VII)

Made good progress on this step with riveting the LWR skin to FWD spar.

  Jun 09, 2020     Step #58 - (1 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

Set-up frame and riveted all ribs and flanges to FWD spar

  Jun 09, 2020     Step #57 - deburr and corrosion proof - (1 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

All of my parts came primed from the factory (thank you) so I disassemble everything and removed any burrs

  Jun 09, 2020     Step #56 - drill trailing edge - (1 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

All went well. I put double sided tape on one side to hold the shim in place while drilling. The only issue I have is the LWR skin is not flush with the aft side of the shim. I'm not sure how to fix this as I don't see where the extra metal could have come from. The edge margin is right at the minimum (3/16��o I'm still good with edge margin.

  Jun 07, 2020     Step #56 - Drill trailing edge - (1 hour)       Category: Flaps (VII)

I started this step but noticed a discrepancy with the parts. I think the BOM is wrong and only called out QTY 2 trailing edge shims instead of 4....2 per each flap. I took pictures and sent to Glasair support. The next day (June 8th) they acknowledged the issue and shipped out two on Tuesday (June 9th(....great customer service!

I decided to spend some time cleaning up the workshop as it was getting pretty unorganized and shaving were everywhere!

  Jun 07, 2020     Step #55 - Position and drill upper skin - (2 hours) Category: Flaps (VII)

Made a few supports and had to run to Home Depot to purchase a 1x4 for trailing edge support. The top skin takes some effort to get it to lay directly over the FWD spar rivet lines....but with some patience, it laid down nicely. The AFT spar UPPER rivet line is 5/16��The Figure 46 is not correct with regards to drill size. I drilled it the same as the aileron and the text instructions, not the figure.

  Jun 06, 2020     Step #54 - Drill LWR skins - (1.5 hours)       Category: Flaps (VII)

I'm only building one flap at a time right now. The LH flap was drilled as per instructions. AFT spar LWR skin rivet line is 13/32�?

  Jun 06, 2020     Step #53 - bolt spacers flap track and deployment - (.5 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

Made spacers from wood. Hardest part was finding some #8 bolts w/ nuts!

  Jun 06, 2020     Step #52 - clamp and position assembly to bench and position skin - (1 hour)       Category: Flaps (VII)

Took my time to ensure everything is level. I realized at this point that no dimensions were provided for the AFT spar rivet lines, I only marked the rivet lines on the FWD spar and ribs. I have no idea how to determine the AFT spar rivet lines so I decided to move forward and then document these is step #43.

  Jun 06, 2020     Step #51 - Drill all ribs to final size - (.5 hour) Category: Flaps (VII)

  Jun 06, 2020     Step #48-50 - Rivet flap deployment brackets - (1.2 hours)       Category: Flaps (VII)

Went as expected. Numatix squeezer makes quick work of this job

  Jun 05, 2020     Step #46 - 47 - Drill deployment & Flap Track nose ribs - (2 hours) Category: Flaps (VII)

Finished drilling and painting parts.

  Jun 04, 2020     Step #42 -45 Create Nose Rib Reinforcement angles & Mark rivet lines on spars / ribs - (2 hours)       Category: Flaps (VII)

Inventory all flap parts. I like how all the parts are already primed, deburred, and ready for assembly. Marked rivet lines on spars. Cut reinforcement brackets, drilled holes with ribs.