Well I got one frame completed today, and a lot of the tedius stuff finished for the other frame. Basically, whenever the plans call for any sort of fabrication, I went ahead and make the parts for the second aileron at the same time... but I still need to put it all together, drill to the correct size, and debur before assembly.
Some of the fabrication looks much easier than it is... time wise anyway. Nothing has proven to be very difficult, but it's easy to put more time into something than you thought you would. 4 little spacers that needed to be made today are a perfect example. The instructions tell you simply to make four 5/16" spacers from raw stock provided. The raw stock is a piece of aluminum tubing about 2" long. Sounds easy enough doesn't it? Well, I happened to be waiting to make a run to town with my wife and didn't want to start anything else anyway... so I cut 4 pieces slightly longer than necessary on the band saw, then sat down with a file and calipers. 45 minutes later I have 4 spaces all trued to within 1/1000th of an inch of 5/16". Of course if I spent this much time on each step, I'd die of old age before I flew this plane!
Here are a few photos showing the frame, and a few of the doublers installed on the nose ribs... note that some rivets are flush for clearance. I've also included a photo of my near perfect 5/16" spacers.
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File comment: Here's how I get a nice 1" hole perfectly centered on the tooling hole.
2005_0124_113721AA.JPG [ 42.28 KiB | Viewed 36127 times ]
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File comment: The 1/4" hole at the top back against the spar is where the control rod will be connected, so the 5 rivets on the top are flush to provide clearance.
2005_0124_202333AA.JPG [ 48.47 KiB | Viewed 36126 times ]
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File comment: Here's a rib before being attached, I mark the holes that are to be counter sunk so I'm sure to get the right ones on each piece.
2005_0124_202356AA.JPG [ 36.94 KiB | Viewed 36127 times ]
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File comment: One frame all riveted together, the other well on it's way.
2005_0124_202411AA.JPG [ 46.97 KiB | Viewed 36126 times ]
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File comment: Four 5/16" spacers in a little under an hour... I probably could have driven to Home Depot and bought some in less time!
2005_0124_202506AA.JPG [ 36.5 KiB | Viewed 36126 times ]
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