Mounting the empennage to the tail cone #2

Got started tonight by drilling the rear HS spar to the vertical spar mounting brackets.  Starting with #30 drill to get a pilot hole.

Then moving up to a long #12 drill for final hole size.

Then I deburred the holes.

And installed the hardware called out in the plans.

Then per the plans I made this wood block to go between the front spar mounting tabs.  I then clamped it to the aft deck per the plans.

Checked about a dozen times for square.  It was really close out of the box.  I only had to move it 1/32 of an inch.

Once happy I used the front spar mounting tabs to drill the aft deck and the doubler underneath it.

Then I installed the hardware called out in the plans.  No problem with edge distance here!

Other side....no edge distance issues here either.

Then I bolted on the VS front spar mounting plate.  Amazing that this is all there is holding the VS front spar on the plane.

I then match reamed the top rear spar holes to the tailcone and installed the called out hardware.

Next I match reamed the lower holes and installed the called out hardware in the upper two.

Next I had to machine countersink the bottom holes to receive a flush head structural screw.

Here are the lower hardware in place.

Next I used the rudder hinge bracket as a guide to drill a #30 pilot hole in the whole assembly.

Then I punched it up to #12 for the hardware.

Deburred both sides of the hole.  And installed the called out hardware.

Next I installed the VS front spar bolt.  It is subject to rotation so they have you use a castle nut and a bolt with a cotter pin hole.  I won't do that now since it all has to come apart anyway.

Inside shot of the rudder stop/hinge bracket hardware.  Not enough threads for me showing so I will either go with a thin washer or a longer bolt at final assembly.

A ton of work in this pic!