Back to building; The Baggage Floor is riveted to the floor ribs with blind rivets (better known by a former brand name: pop rivets).

However the side at the push rod tunnel consists of nutplates being flush riveted together with both the rib and the floor plate. This is a great solution and it provides the means to screw the tunnel cover (and remove it later).

The rest is all blind riveting.

The Seat Floors are fastened similarly. The side is attached together with the nutplates, the rest is again blind riveting.

While I’m working on the Floor plates, my dad is threading the push tubes for the Flaps.

Those are made of Aluminum tube and you have to thread these on both sides yourself, so you can screw the eyebolts of the Flap actuator and the flap itself in there.

Special care is taken when riveting the Baggage Floor, Seat Floor and Seat Bulkhead together. These rivets are hard te insert, as they construction might be ever so slightly different than when drilling.

A bigger problem is the gusset of the RV-7 (tail wheel) that connects the Main Bulkhead to the Forward longerons. This just doesn’t fit and checking with others it turns out to be “typical”. Takes some time and ingenuity to get it fit.

I primed a lot of parts, so we are just trying how stuff should go together in the forward fuselage.

Finishing the Seat Floors with blind riveting them to the seat ribs.

Inserting the seat backs looks great.

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets:  72/0 (2020-02-08)

Time: 4 Hours, Rivets: 114/3 (2020-02-09)

Video

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

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.