Apr 16, 2023     FF2: Oil cooler bracket - (1.5 hours)       Category: 27: Firewall

Based on recommendations of other builders, and common sense, I pre-ordered the oil cooler mount from Van's and I'm installing it now -prior to the firewall forward kit. Assembly was quite straightforward. The only challenge was dimpling and the subsequent riveting of the two rivets which are blocked by the air intake. I used a combination of close quarters dimpling tool and just hammering a rivet with a flush set and a countersunk piece of steel. Came out good enough.

Back-riveted everything to the firewall. The two tricky rivets used a thin steel bar backed up with my tungsten bar to back-rivet. Again, good enough.

Sealed the holes and around all of the edges with 3M fire-resistant caulk to make it air tight.

  Apr 01, 2023     27-3 thru 27-5: Tunnel assembly - (6.0 hours)       Category: 27: Firewall

Prepped and primed the tunnel ribs and attachment angles.

Startedtes clecoing to the firewall and realized I had made a mistake last week. I riveted the rudder pedal support brace to the firewall inset. I was supposed to rivet the tunnel attachment angle at the same time and put the rudder pedal brace on the outside. I had counter sunk the rudder support brace to receive the inset dimples. That's a problem. Ordered a new rudder support brace.

Proceeded with clecoing everything up and installed the scat tube support and installed all of the #8 nut plates on the tunnel ribs.

4/2: riveted the nose wheel attach brackets to the ribs. Then riveted the rib assembly lies to the firewall. Everything is done except the rudder brace. I don't know how I'm going to get those rivets in.

4/8: received my replacement rudder bracket and primed it along with some other fuselage parts. Installed using five cherry max rivets.

This section is done.

  Mar 25, 2023     27-2: Riveting firewall - (3.5 hours)       Category: 27: Firewall

Riveted the firewall stiffeners and corner hardware in place. No issues. Had to use one pull rivet in a nut plate that there was just no way.

Thought I was all done and started researching potential firewall insulation. I saw a picture of some else's firewall and noted the had riveted the recess to the wrong side. Then saw another photo where someone else had done the same. Checked the plans - turns out I'm the one that did it wrong. Wasn't too bad to drill out those rivets and fix.

  Mar 18, 2023     27-2: Starting firewall - (3.0 hours)       Category: 27: Firewall

Pulled out all the firewall parts and deburred them. Cleco'd together just to get a feel for the assembly and confirm everything is all final sized. Then disassembled and countersunk all the holes that contact the firewall. It was a lot of countersinking. Not much to show except a pile of parts.

Did rivet the inset box together. It that's not much.

Did notice than Van's sent me two right WD-1002-PCs. The left one is mislabeled. It's actually a right.

3/19: Read ahead and saw that tie of the nut plates are mounted on the front side of the firewall. Was initially thinking that is contrary to the previous direction on 27-2 to dimple everything for flush rivet in the front of the firewall. At this point I have already countersunk the stiffener to accommodate a dimple in what is maybe the wrong side. The. Realized if I can just dimple the nut plate, but backward from what I normally do, the manufactured head can sit it the nut plate dimple. Had to modify the male side of the dimple to get in there but think it will work.

Then it warmed up enough this afternoon I was able to prime the firewall stiffener parts. Once cured, I cleco'd everything together. Realized that it was going to be very difficult to rivet the rudder pedal support bracket after the firewall recess is already riveted in place. Proceeded to river the bracket in place ahead of time. Crossing my fingers that is not a mistake. [spoiler alert - it was a mistake.]