Follow my Journey of building a Vans RV-8 Aircraft
Time: 2 Hours
The next step was to notch out the leading edge of the HS 404’s so that they will fit around the spar stiffeners that I finished earlier. You can see the area that needed to be removed marked in red. I used my bandsaw with a metal blade for a rough cut and finished up with the Scotch-Brite wheel.
Time: 1 Hour
Here was my first attempt at dimpling and countersinking. The 4 edge holes where the left and right halves of the forward spar needed this treatment. The dimpling creates a recess so that a rivet will sit flush with the skin. That dimple needs a recess in the underlying stiffener, hence the countersink.
Worked on the stiffeners today which took several hours, due to me measuring and rethinking every stage of the process. I’m guessing that’s a newbie thing! I was able to trim and shape the pieces and then take care of the bends in the stiffeners and that matching spar’s.
Time: 1 Hour
I spent a few days this week on the road working. When I got home I found that all the plastic gears inside of my garage(the hangar) door opener had disintegrated! So that was the project of the day yesterday. After that job was done I was able to get a little more deburring done on the rear spar and started the layout for the forward spar angle stiffeners. These two pieces have to be tapered based on the plans.
Time: 3 Hours
The first 6 rivets are done! This is the elevator hinge bearing sandwiched between the 2 brackets. The bearing is primed with Dupli-Color self etching primer, yes I decided to prime! There seams to be two schools of thought in priming, yes and no. I decided yes, for corrosion protection and how it looks. To set these rivets I used my pneumatic squeezer, I love this tool and I have only set 6 rivets!
