Storing Tail Cone and Emp Parts

So yesterday I totally disassembled the emp parts from the tail cone and loaded them in the truck and transported them to the hangar for storage.

Everything made the trip with no damage or lost parts :)

When I get time, I need to hang the parts up out of the way and get a table to leave the tail cone on to help prevent damage.  The cheap harbor freight blankets will do for now.

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!

Finished VS!

Riveted the front spar to skin rivets on one side.  This is done by lifting up the skin on the aft side and sticking your arm and bar in there.  The lower part can be done by sticking arm up the bottom between the spars.

A few bucking bar scratches but overall it looks good.

The other end.

The action is riveting.....bahahaha!

Both sides done!

Next I worked on the inter spar rib by sticking my arm up the bottom in between the spars.

My youngest daughter helped me hold the VS.

She had fun for about  2minutes.

Front spar on one side done.

Middle rib done!

Finished the tip rib with the squeezer.

All done!

Decided to go ahead and squeeze the rear spar rivets since the top half of the front spar is all riveted.

Getting there!

One side done!

Other side done!

Working on the other side of the rivets below the middle rib.

Middle rib rivets all done.  Front spar rivets all done!

The inside!

Riveting on the bottom tip and middle ribs.

Lower rib to front spar rivets.  I hate thes kind of rivet jobs because of the weird angles involved and the thin rib flanges.  Let my set slip in the right one.  Had to replace it.

Bottom rib to rear spar rivets.  These were easy with the squeezer!

Finishing up the bottom rib to skin rivets with the squeezer.  Making sure to leave the holes empty that will get nutplates for the emp fairing attachment later.

The obligatory picture of me with my finished VS.  The first major sub part done!

VS Skin Rivet Time!

Started riveting the VS skin tonight.  Nothing like re-honing your riveting skills by starting out with blind bucking, long reach riveting!  NOT!  So the directions have you pull out the bottom tip rib so you can buck the middle tip rib rivets.  Not hard, just awkward!  I found the called out -3.5 rivets too long for these as they were too easy to tip, club or cleat over (whatever you call it).  The -3 rivets worked fine.

If you do this alone, you have to stick your arm and bucking bar all the way up to the middle rib and feel your way through the process.  Using the other hand to run the gun and keep it under control.  It is easy to scar up everything in there so be careful.  It is also easy to dent the skin with a wild bucking bar so be careful with that as well.

You kind of have to figure out the right way to hold the bucking bar to keep it in check and minimize any damage.

I use a tungsten bar whenever possible.  This was another one of my favorite luxury tool purchases when building the RV-7.  I wrap it in tape where I can to prevent scratches and dents.

 Side one done!

 From the outside...

 Side 2 done!  Love the durability of the AKZO.  It will scratch but nowhere near as easy as any of the other primers I have used in the past!

Now the directions have you rivet the top tip rib only to the skin fwd of the spar.  Easy peasy with the squeezer!  Back to -3.5 rivets here due to the extra control gained by using the squeezer instead of the gun and bucking bar.

 Other side!

 All done!

Next they have you rivet the bottom tip rib to the skin only....skipping the holes that are used later for the emp. fairing attachment screws.

 Side one....easy with the squeezer!

 Skip those holes!

 Done!

Next will be the blind bucking of the skin to front spar and middle rib.  The upper side has to be done by lifting the skin so you can get your arm and bucking bar in there.  That is where I stopped for tonight.  Had to attend a seminar at our kids school tonight so this work session is short!