May 25, 2022     16-3: Right top skin riveting - (4.2 hours)       Category: 16: Top Skins

Starting tonight with clecoing the skins in place.

5/26 pm - got all the rivets pre-inserted into the holes.

5/27 pm - taped all the rivets. Good job for Ben to help. He was quite excited.

5/28 - My nephew Max was in town to help tackle the right wing skin. We knocked it out in about 3 1/2 hours. Then finished off the section by installing the outboard aileron attach brackets.

Was also able to go back to the left wing and buck some of those difficult rivets with solid rivets.

  May 24, 2022     16-2: Right skin final prep - (2.9 hours)       Category: 16: Top Skins

5/24 am - Got the completed left wing moved to the cradle to clear the bench for dimpling. Got the DRDT2 setup and dimpled the inboard skin.

5/24 pm - dimpled the larger outboard skin after work. Wasn't that bad. Used my steel shot bags to help hold the skin flat to the dimpling table when the overhangs got long. Supported the ends with some boxes and the other workbench. Actually did the whole skin unassisted; it can be done! Moved skeleton over to bench to do some other clean up work.

5/25 am - drilled out the aileron bracket. I had already ordered new attach angles feeling like the holes in the bracket itself would be fine. They are not. Might as well just order the whole shebang. Bracket shows as backordered though.

5/26 pm - finished up the last few items tonight to be ready to hang the skins and rivet this weekend. Was able to use my new longeron yoke to squeeze the flush rivet on the inboard spar. Then dimpled all the remaining holes in the rear spar and ribs.

Purchases: new aileron bracket and associated parts

  May 22, 2022     16-3: Left top skin riveting - (5.0 hours)       Category: 16: Top Skins

Big day for riveting the left skin. My neighbor Darren came over to help. Planned on back-riveting everything, but the double offset back-rivet set wouldn't sit well on the rivet tails. The set just wasn't centered enough on the rivet. I even sanded a flat spot in the plastic tip, but still was cleating over the tails. Plan B - rivet everything with the flush set. Darren worked the gun, and I had the bucking bar. Most of it was pretty straightforward. There we a couple tough spots on the rear spar at the aileron bracket and at the inboard doubler. I don't see how these are buckable. Going to order some pull rivets for those. Next -10 I build; I think I'll wait to rivet the aileron bracket and the inboard doubler until after skin it on. [5/25 update - got these rivets bucked with the foot end of the bucking bar.] Got all the ribs and rear spar in about a 3.5 hr session. Later in the evening, installed and taped the front spar rivets on the left skin.

I did note a couple things I wish I had anticipated. At the skin overlap, and also at the J channel overlap, there will be small gaps between the supporting structure and the skin. If you just buck these rivets normally, it will put a slight bend in the skin. This is the only "defect" in the skin that we had - otherwise flawless. Might try to buck a little more softly on the right skin, I don't know. It won't be noticeable when painted.

5/23 - Darren came over this evening and we knocked out the remaining rivets in about 40 minutes. Then I proceeded to squeeze the rivets at the wing root along with the nut plates. Made the small doubler for the area that I had to redrill - looks pretty solid.

Struggled with the inboard doubler at the flap attach bracket, right where the skins overlap. The rivets called for were a little short, so I drilled them out and installed longer ones. The combination of enlarged hole and longer rivets made them all cleat over. I will order some cherrymax rivets for those holes.

Purchases: ACS: 3/32 countersunk cherry pull rivets

8/27: I had installed the cherry rivets at the inboard doubler but wasn't happy with it. Not all cherry rivets are cherrymax, and the options for -3 are limited. The ones I got didn't seem very structural. I opted to drill them out and use -4 oops rivets instead. They look more solid, and the thicker shank allowed me to use a good length without them cleating over.

  May 20, 2022     16-2: Left and right skin final prep - (3.3 hours)       Category: 16: Top Skins

Rearranged some stuff in the shop including moving the right wing to the cradles and the left wing back to the bench to prepare for riveting. I plan to rivet one top skin this coming weekend, and the other the following with some help I have lined up. To make the most of everyone's available time, I have a lot of small tasks that need to be done in a specific order in order to make this work. I'm working on both wings at the same time in my small shop so need to be very methodical. I sat down and made a list of items for each wing so I could sequence the work.

5/2 - Pulled the skins off and dimpled the rear spar which I had not done yet. Then re-cleco'd the skins on after blocking securely to the benches. Everything aligns and looks good for riveting this weekend.

Also sanded the corners on the right skin and deburred the edges. Those are ready to prime.

5/21 - pre-installed most of the rivets and taped in place. Finally bought some actual rivet tape and glad I did. It will be much better than the scotch tape I've been using to date. Primed the right wing skins this afternoon too.

  May 17, 2022     16-2: Right top skin work and fix left skin - (1.9 hours)       Category: 16: Top Skins

Started on the right side top skins. Got the vinyl off the skins and got them cleco'd in place. Slow progress in the shop these days as it is very hot. Did buy a new fan though.

I started marking the #19 holes for the inboard fairing screws and carefully compared the holes to the locations in the plans. One stood out since it would get a one-sided nut plate. Hmm…I don't remember running across that on the left wing. Check the left wing and sure enough I had drilled the #19 hole in the wrong place. That should just be a #40 to hold the nut plate. Unfortunate mistake, but it's not structural and not worth scrapping the inboard skin for. I'm going to try to JB Weld the hole closed and then re-drill it. It only needs to hold the nutplate to keep it from rotating. I'll make a doubler for the inside of the rib.

5/18 am - Double checked holes in the right wing and proceeded with countersinking the #19 holes using my dimple coupon to check depth. Countersunk all the #40 holes common to the wing walk doublers. Spot primed the countersinks.

5/18 pm - sanded out the JB weld after letting it cure about 24 hrs. Pretty happy with how it turned out. Primed the area with some self etch and re-mounted to the skeleton. Drilled the #19 in the correct position and then cleco'd the one sided nut plate and carefully drillled the #40 hole through the JB Weld. Came out ok, so proceeded with delicately countersinking the hole. Everything looks good so far.

  May 01, 2022     16-2: Prep, prime and dimple top skins - (4.5 hours)       Category: 16: Top Skins

Got the top skins prepped and primed. Lotta work, no photos.

Remembered to roll the edges prior to dimpling. Dimpled the skins on the DRDT2. Was able to get everything by myself except for one bay of leading edge rivets in the middle of the largest skin. Had Ben help me just a bit to stabilize the piece. Not hard, just took a while.

Once the dimples were done, I cleco'd everything to the wing skeleton and stashed it away. It will sit until I have a riveting partner and a full day to work.

Going back to wing ribs for the right side. Get to do it all over again.

  Apr 26, 2022     16-2: Top skin prep - (3.5 hours)       Category: 16: Top Skins

With the rear spar riveted I had to get the top skin cleco'd in place just to see it. Started by pulling all the blueing off the big skins. Finally had a need to use the broom stick technique, or pool pole technique for me. Worked great.

Didn't really need to put too many clecos in because it is already final sized and I'll be skipping the drilling step. I just wanted to confirm every thing lines up. It's looking awesome.

Countersunk all of the inboard holes associated with the wing doublers including the #8 fairing attach screwa. It doesn't say to, but it seemed like a good idea to spot prime the countersunk holes. With a Q-tip, it is fairly discreet.

Took the skins back off and went ahead and started dimpling the remaining holes in the ribs and rear spar.

Sanded the corners of the skins at the overlap with a palm sander. Took my time and measure as I went. I think it came out pretty well. It too aggressive, but better than full skins overlapping.

Moved the skeleton and leading edge to the cradle for the first time just to get it out of the way so I can dimple skins. It's pretty big.

Deburred edges of skins with a flat file and scotchbrite. Ready to prime skins.