With every step it starts to look more like an airplane, however there are still many pieces missing.

We start by positioning the Horizontal Stabilizers in the center of the Fuselage as close as we can by just looking.

We clamp the Horizontal Stabilizers both on the main spar and rear spar to the aft deck.

To position the Horizontal Stabilizers perpendicular to the Fuselage, we measure the distance from the corner of the Firewall to the Horizontal Stabilizer tip.

We did this several times and also measured it with a traditional measuring tape.

Now we can drill the main spar of the Horizontal Stabilizers to the aft deck. First a small drill and after double checking increasing it to the final size.

With the main spar attached, we need to insert shims under the aft spar to set the correct angle between the Horizontal Stabilizers and the Fuselage. With the shims temporarily installed, we can drill the aft spar to the Fuselage.

ALL SET!
Now continue with the Vertical Stabilizer.

Raising the tail-wheel, so the Fuselage is level. This way we can make the Vertical Stabilizer perpendicular to the Fuselage.

The Vertical Stabilizer is attached with a plate to the main spar and to the most aft bulkhead.

Once correctly measured, we can saw the forward attach spar of the Vertical Stabilizer to the correct size.

Before drilling the Hole, we need to be sure the Vertical Stabilizer is not only perpendicular to the Fuselage, but also to the Horizontal Stabilizers. We measured it with the laser and the old fashioned way.

Woo-Hoo, It looks great with the Rudder. Only the missing Rudder Horn looks a little sad.

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets:  0/0 (2020-05-16)

Time: 6 Hours, Rivets:  0/0 (2020-05-17)

Time: 2 Hours, Rivets:  0/0 (2020-05-18)

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I clecoed the skin to the bulkheads and stringers and just like the previous aft top skin, we start at one side to enable working from the other side.

This strategy worked fine for the previous most aft top skin, but turned out useless for this one.
The goal of this strategy is preventing having to crouch into the tail cone. However with this second top skin it’s impossible to reach the rivets and in the end you have to crawl in anyway.

Turned out I also made a mistake riveting the attach angle to the top rib and the aft bulkhead. The manual clearly stated to keep it clecoed, but just before placing the skin I thought it was due time to rivet it.
Turns out it wasn’t!

After riveting the skin to the left longeron, we can safely route the static air forward.

Continuing riveting the aft top skin to the bulkheads.

The forward bulkhead just fits. It requires a little fluting.

And there I found the reason why I should have had the angle clecoed. There is no way we can reach the rivet of the skin with the bucking bar. Only solution is to crawl in, drill out the rivet and reset it. That takes at least 15 minutes.

Oh well it turns out I had to crawl in anyway to rivet the right longeron. So we continued and did both in one swoop.

And this is why you don’t want to crawl into a tail cone. It’s really small, very uncomfortable and it’s easy to break stuff.

Last few rivets in the right longeron and then I can crawl out again.

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets:  46/0 (2020-03-07)

Time: 5 Hours, Rivets: 241/3 (2020-03-08)

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It will be much harder to do this once the skin is in place. However I don’t route the tube forward yet, as it makes it really hard to rivet the skin to the longerons.
I’m getting better and better in thinking activities through.

Another task I want to finish before riveting the top skin, is riveting the Aft Deck, which keeps the alignment of the longerons. I’ve postponed this considerably, because I wanted to pull the tube for the electrical wiring to the tail.

With the Aft Deck and Static Air in place, we can now cleco the Aft Top Skin to the Fuselage. Starting from left to right.

The reason why I started on the left side is that we need to route the Static Air Tube on the left side. So this way we still have easy access.

With the left side riveted (to the longeron, we can now attach the harness cable bracket and the Static Air tubing.

We placed the connector of the Static Air higher than the left side port. This way if moist comes in, it will flow out of the port and not towards the instruments.

Now we can rivet the remaining holes and we can still reach in for the J-Channels. The last part is the right longeron rivets. Those can only be done from the other side.

With the first top skin riveted, we can also install the right harness cable bracket and torque it.

Time: 5 Hours, Rivets: 231/0 (2020-02-16)

Time: 3 Hours, Rivets:  39/2 (2020-02-17)

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I think the plans want you to work bottom up, but I don’t like it, because it feels fragile. So rivet from the bottom. The procedure is to insert the rivet, holding it with a finger from the top, place the rivet gun and then the bucking bar.

Now the Bottom is ‘fused’ and we can start with the side skins. I leave the forward bottom plate out, so I can stand there and buck from the inside.

We have prepared all the parts at length and sometimes it feels inefficient to prepare so much and then tear it down again, but you get rewarded at the end with perfectly fitting airplane parts.

We rivet from the bottom up all the way until the middle Stringers. The top part I can do myself, so we do all the parts today that require two persons.

The cart that normally is used to move crates and parts, is now used to lay on, so we can rivet from the bottom. As you can see, reaching in with the bucking bar, there is no way I could also apply the rivet gun.

Leaving out the forward bottom skin enables me to stand in the ‘leg section’ and easily reach the rivets, which rivet together the Side Skin and the outer Seat Ribs.

The skin parts that are covered by the wing-fuse fairings are AN470 (non flush), while the rest is all AN430 Flush rivets.

With the Side Skins riveted up to the middle, gives me the opportunity to finish it myself. My Dad needs a glaucoma treatment and will not be able to help me for a few weeks.

Time: 3 Hours, Rivets:  18/0 (2019-12-14)

Time: 5 Hours, Rivets: 280/2 (2019-12-15)

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I can roll the center section towards the tail section.

Both tables can roll, so it’s easier to maneuver them.

The baggage ribs need to go over the bulkhead, while the skin goes under the skin. It takes small adjustments to make it fit.

Now the longerons bend earlier can be fitted in the bulkheads. I didn’t trim the longerons yet, because I was afraid to make them too small.
Turns out the initial mark (and length in the plans) is exactly right (better save than sorry).

Fitting the F-770 side skin to the center section and the longeron. You can now check if the bends are correct.

There are several smaller bulkheads in the center section. Here I’m working on the baggage bulkhead.

The armrests are also functioning as as auxiliary longeron. They need very slight fluting before they fit.

With limited table space, I’m making a place to hold the skin, so I can bend the piece of skin that connects to the tail.

My dad helped me the next day to make the bend. Some builders indicated that this was hard, but I found it went pretty easy.

The skin requires a conical bend.

Here you can see the result (left, below middle).

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets: 0/0 (2019-10-19)

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets: 0/0 (2019-10-20)

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Many rivets at the end of the tail cone could be set with the squeezer, but those deeper in there are hard, because of he close confines.

I screwed up several rivets, so I had to drill those out. I keep a “score” on rivets I need to reset. Currently the count is 121 rivets fubared.
The good news is it is just a little over 1% and it’s going down.

Alright tail cone is finished. Let’s check the drawings on how to start with the center section.

While my dad starts dimpling the skin, I start working on the ribs. He uses the DRDT-2, while I use the squeezer.

Here you can see one of the two inner ribs of the seat center section, where the small part is sawed out.

I’ve prepared and primed all the parts, so next time we can start assembling the center section.

Time: 6 Hours, Rivets:   0/0 (2019-09-21)

Time: 3 Hours, Rivets:   0/0 (2019-09-28)

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets: 197/2 (2019-09-29)

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All the parts are dimpled, even the J-channels.

The bottom cleco’s are harder to set.

Last part is the side skins of the tail cone.

Before we can start riveting the skins, we need to remove the blue (protective) vinyl.
You could remove all the vinyl completely, but most builders will just remove the strokes that hold the rivets.

The best way to do this is using an old soldering iron, of which the point is filed smooth. Many builder use a ruler to make straight lines, but I don’t see the benefit of precision on this point.

Ready for riveting.

Luckily my dad had time again to help me. It might be possible to do this by yourself, but why try if you have an eager buddy who can help you out.

With a wider body going forward it’s getting harder and harder to reach the rivets with the bucking bar.

Time: 3 Hours, Rivets: 0/0 (2019-09-07)

Time: 5 Hours, Rivets: 386/4 (2019-09-11)

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I use the DRDT-2 for the big area’s and the squeezer for the edges I cannot reach (because of he form of the skins).

The “built-in” stiffener of the bottom skin is just far enough of the rivet holes, so the DRDT-2 can reach it.

With the curved edges of the side skin I can’t reach the outside line of rivet holes, so I’ll use the squeezer later. Luckily I can dimple the curved parts, because there is no way I can reach those with the squeezer.

The squeezer is super fast once you’re in the flow, but you have to be careful not to “trigger” the squeezer too early. It will punch a hole right through the Aluminum if you didn’t position it correctly.

After the skins come all the bulkhead flanges that need dimpling. Those are not possible with the DRDT-2, so the squeezer is the way to go.

The J-channels (a.k.a. stringers) can be done with either the DRDT-2 or the squeezer. I used the squeezer, because it was already there from the bulkheads. Had I dimpled the stringers after the skins I probably would have used the DRDT-2.

Now I can start with scuffing the non-primed skins. It is similar to sanding it, but just gentler. This really makes your hands dirty of all the Aluminum that comes of.

The last step before priming is removing all the “dust” and degreasing the material, so the primer sticks better to it.
Although I forgot a part earlier to degrease and it still came out fine. However it’s probably better to always degrease anyway.

Time: 3 Hours, Rivets: 31/2 (2019-09-04)

Time: 5 Hours, Rivets: 0/0 (2019-09-07)

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Once the Bulkheads are clecoed to the bottom skin, I can insert the J-channels (stringers) in the Bulkheads and cleco the skins to the Bulkheads. Since the J-channels are not drilled yet, the skin cannot be clecoed the these J-channels. That’s actually the main goal of this session.

It’s nice if you can turn the tail cone, to easy cleco the skin. Also the first (biggest) Bulkhead is inserted, but should NOT be drilled at this time.

Although it already looks big, it weighs very little.

Every two or three holes I insert a cleco to keep the skin firm against the Bulkheads. Now I start drilling the holes in the J-channels, every third hole and cleco the skin to the J-channel.

As always I do not use an “official” #40 drill bit, but a 2mm “standard” drill that it’s a fraction smaller and a lot cheaper. This way I keep my good drill bits in shape.

With all the holes drilled in the center of the J-channel and clecoed, I can start match-drilling all the holes to the final size.

Only to end with disassembling the whole structure, to be able to prime the parts (sigh).

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets: 0/0 (2019-08-31)

Time: 5 Hours, Rivets: 0/0 (2019-09-01)

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