Friday August 8, 2008
Fuel Tank Rib Riveting, Rudder Rolling & Riveting, Leading Edge Riveting
(2.0 Hours Fuel Tanks, 1.0 Hours Rudder, 4.5 Hours Wings)
7.5 Hours Total

My folks are visiting us right now and my Dad and I had planned to get some quality time in on the airplane. Boy did we.

First thing this morning, I got out to the garage and did some more miscellaneous prep work like deburring the edges of the leading edge skin.

When my dad was ready, we started in on the two remaining interior ribs of the fuel tank. Two hours later those were riveted. Here you can see the fuel tank ready to have the capacitative fuel senders and vent line installed. I'll do that later.

I never had gotten around to finishing off the rudder, so I figured it would be good for him to help me at least roll the leading edge while he was here. That took about twenty minutes...talk about a non-event. Unfortunately, I ran out of the blind rivets, so I can't call it "done".

Then, we went ahead and riveted the rudder's trailing edge. It has a 1/32" bow in the middle, but otherwise it is quite straight. I'm happy...it's kinda funny that I worried about it for so long and we banged it out in about half an hour today.

The little shop-head nubs.

Next, we tackled the leading edge. My dad dimpled the leading edge ribs and skin while I tinkered around with some fuel tank stuff.

Then we banged out all of the leading edge ribs.

No clecoes...

Finally, we got to work installing the landing light on the newly completed leading edge. Some cutting, deburring, drilling, and riveting later and the light is mounted in its bracket, with the hole cut out.

Still need to drill and trim the lens.

Boy were we tired.

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