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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