That’s why I have the set of Thread taps (imperial measurements) to solve these issues.

I couldn’t reach in with the normal thread tap wrench, so I use a small ratchet wrench to tap the thread into the nutplate.

The forward baggage side panel is removable, to provide access to the Flap actuator rods to the wings. In case of some issue, you should be able to service these parts.

Now I can cleco all Floor panels to the bottom ribs and start inserting blind rivets (LP 4-3). Since it is impossible to use ‘normal’ rivets.

Some holes are just slightly of (probably from priming), so they need to be widened ever so little.

The center lines are not riveted, because the covers need to be removable. In this case for the Elevator pushrods. I use the sqeeuzer to dimple the nutplate holes.

I can now start on attaching the seat back placement on the floor with piano hinges. The pins of the piano hinges require some processing, to be able to remove them to adjust the seat back.

There are three defined places where you can attach the seat back to the floor.
I can now start on the seats itself. The material is very thin, but the side angles should provide the strength.

With a fly-cutter I create ‘lightening holes’. These are holes created to make the construction lighter, without decreasing the strength.

The seat side angles are pretty thick Aluminum profiles that need to be filed and grinded to nice curves.

Time: 5 Hours, Rivets: 0/0 (2020-01-15)

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets: 0/0 (2020-01-18)

Video

We gradually shift the Fuselage aft (to the left on this picture. The goal is to rivet the skin currently under the workbench on the right.

With every section riveted, we can shift the fuselage more towards the back (left). In the end it will only be on the extended table and the workbench will be available for work again.

According to the plans the fuselage should be upside down and you rivet down and buck up. I decided to do it the other way around, because I was not sure if I could roll the fuselage over without damaging it. Also it turns out riveting up is no problem.

Here we are shifting the Fuselage yet another few inches. I lift it at the Firewall and push it, while my Dad reorganizes the scaffolding beneath the Fuselage.

And we can rivet the next part and so on and so on. The extended table is clearly visible. It’s an old (70’s MAI Basic Four) computer table that I modified by clamping a 3 meter (10 feet) ladder on top of it (for strength) and covered it with MDF plates (for protection). I removed the original table feet and inserted wheels, so I can roll the table in any position.

Moving the last part, so we can rivet the stiffeners of the most forward floor plates. The wooden bar is there to support the ladder. It’s NOT pushing against the Fuselage directly. Turns out it was not necessary to place the bar, because the table was stable enough.

Time: 5 Hours, Rivets: 290/1 (2020-01-03)

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets:   0/0 (2020-01-05)

Video

There are three parts in the Center section: the baggage compartment, the Seats and the leg part. All three parts have auxiliary longerons.

The baggage compartment also has additional side panels. On the right side (left on this picture) they are already inserted. On the left side (right on picture) they are still on the floor (plate) and the rudder cable hole is clearly visible.

In the Seats part of the Center section, there is only the armrest, which also has the function of stiffener. I almost made the mistake of riveting both front and back of the armrest. However the front must be done later together with the cover plate of the main bulkhead.

Although a great place to stand and have access to the inside of the Center section, in the ed you need to insert the bottom plate of the leg part. This is a bit tricky, as it requires multiple points to be fastened at the same time. You can do it alone, but you have to be careful not to bend it.

The bottom logeron is made of a really thick Aluminum angle. It is attached to the steel corner of the Firewall.

The most forward bulkhead has three places where there are auxiliary longerons attached to it.

Now we can insert the Firewall. The white powder-coated corners are made of steel and will later be used to attach the Engine mount to.

The two middle Floor stiffeners required some trimming on the forward top side so to not interfere with the Firewall stiffeners.

To drill the holes of the Rudder pedals to the longeron, I loosen the top part of the Side Skin and stick a drill between the Skin and the main longeron. There is no way I can reach it otherwise.

For drilling the holes to the middle Rudder pedal assembly, I use the Firewall recess hole.

At this point I remove the Firewall (yet again) in order to remove the Rudder pedals including the longerons.

The reason is that I want to drill additional Rudder pedal holes to be able to move the Rudder pedals forward if necessary.

Before closing the Side Skin, I need to rivet the longeron to the Firewall. According to the plan it should be done earlier (before the Side Skins are attached), but I couldn’t figure out at what angle. So I loosen the Side Skins just a little bit and use the squeezer to rivet them together.

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets: 0/0 (2019-12-18)

Time: 5 Hours, Rivets: 4/0 (2019-12-21)

Video

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)

Video

The next to photo’s show the conical bend from the front side skin to the tail bottom skin.

Time: 6 Hours, Rivets: 0/0

Video

No video made.

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)

Video

Not really substantial stuff, a lot of small things and preparations for attaching the center section to the tail section.

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets:  0/0 (2019-10-12)

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets: 10/0 (2019-10-13)

Video

No video made.

First the seat ribs need to be bolted and riveted ta the aft part of the main bulkhead.

Now the seat ribs can be riveted to the seat bulk head together with the baggage ribs. There is littre room and we nee to use the rivet set with the bend ‘neck’.
Time to turn the center section on its side.

Although quite big, the center section doesn’t weigh much. Since the skin that connects with the wings protrudes, we need to use wood to lift the skin.

We use some clamps to fasten the bulkheads to the table. Now we can start riveting the bottom skin to the ribs.

Both the seat ribs and the baggage ribs are attached to the bottom skin.

Sine it’s not very easy to buck the rivets up side down, we turn over the contraption when all top side rivets are done.

Now we can rivet the rest of both the seat ribs and the baggage ribs.

With the bottom skin riveted we preview the next session, where the floor plates need to be attached to the ribs.

The center section just before priming.

Time: 6 Hours, Rivets:  412/2

Video

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)

Video

In this case it are spacers, that fill up the gap between some ribs and the seat bulkhead. The reason is that all the ribs are the same, where the distance to the bulkhead differs. Instead of making different ribs, Van’s decided to let the builder create spacers.

Since size does matter when building a plane, better use the caliper. A simple ruler won’t cut it here.

Talking about cutting, the middle (four) ribs need to be trimmed significantly, to make room for the control stick mechanism.
The first rib I start snipping with the scissors. That was not very handy.

Second one I started with drilling a really big hole and then use the scissors to remove the remaining parts. That turned out to be much easier. Hence I use the same procedure for the remaining two seat ribs.

After drilling and snipping, you can remove the jagged edges with a file.

The two center seat ribs need to be cut to insert the control stick mechanism later.
Again measure before cutting.

With all the seat ribs clecoed to the bulkhead, I can fit it to the center bottom skin.

Look how shiny the skin is beneath the vinyl blue foil.

Not sure if there is a more comfortable way of clecoing the structure to the skin. The only way I came up with (after 10 seconds of thought) is sitting on a bucket on the floor.

And this is where it was all done for, to match drill all the holes. Sometimes I’m really doubting the purpose of all this. I’m wondering if I would just drill the skin and rib holes to size separately, if that would realy be a difference. Unfortunately I do not have the time and money to do this test. So better stick to the build plan.

Fuselage Center Section ready for priming and the tail cone in the back. It starts to look like a plane.

Time: 7 Hours, Rivets: 10/0

Video