02
Nov 07 - Primed and Riveted: Vertical Stabilizer Complete
- 7.0 Hours
Had an excellent day in the shop. I started in the morning by priming all
of the vertical stabilizer parts. The results were somewhat better than my priming
job on the horizontal stabilizer, but I still had some mistakes here and there.
I'll keep practicing.
Vertical Stabilizer parts hanging up to dry.
I had some errands to run, so I let the parts dry throughout the afternoon and then
started back up in the early evening.
I received my parts order from Avery just in time for my riveting session.
Top Row: Swivel Flush Riveting Set, 120 and 240 grit emery cloth, 2 medium 1" Scotchbrite
wheels
Bottom Row: Torque Seal, mandrel for scotchbrite wheels, 3 flute burr cutter with hex adapter (for cordless screwdriver), #30 and #40 reamer (supposed to leave
less burrs and a more precise hole when final-drilling)
I picked back up and started to rivet the rear VS spar. Everything was accessible
to the pneumatic squeezer, so it was quick work.
Rear VS Spar riveted.
After the rear spar is riveted, you rivet all of the ribs to the front VS spar.
I had to shoot and buck the rivets on the lower ribs.
Next, you cleco on the skin and shoot and buck all of the flush rivets that are
inaccessible to the squeezer.
The swivel flush rivet set is a must (
Planetools.com
has it the cheapest). I had zero smilies on the vertical stabilizer.
This thing is awesome.
Much better than the horizontal stabilizer.
After the internal flush rivets are shot and bucked, everthing else is squeezed,
and then the rear spar is attached and riveted. You will most likely need a no-hole
yoke on the rear spar skin rivets, as the rivets on the rear spar reinforcement
interfere quite a bit. It's workable.
Vertical Stabilizer complete!
Another picture for posterity.
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