1079- Tailcone- p.10-15 step 4 (part 2 of 3)

Tailcone- 4 hrs 27 mins (Tailcone 42:10, Empennage 217:42, Total 238:38)
Rivet count: 0 (Total 3,686)

DEBURRING. DEBURRING. MORE DEBURRING...

All 4.5 hrs today were spent deburring. Sadly, we're not even done yet. We managed to get all the skins and odds/ends pieces done. We still have three more frames (1006, 1007, and 1008) and all the J-channel stiffeners (12 total). Otherwise, there's really not a lot to say about today. Just one of the necessary albeit unpleasant tasks that need to be done. I hear it gets worse once we start building the wings and there are many, many repetitive steps for all the structural pieces. At least we're 4.5 hrs closer!! Until tomorrow, when we continue to deburr and then move on to the start of dimpling. -M

1078- Tailcone- p.10-14 step 1-5 & p.10-15 step 1-4

Tailcone- 4 hrs 41 mins (Tailcone 37:43, Empennage 213:15, Total 234:11)
Rivet count: 0 (Total 3,686)

We started off by removing the top skins that we had just attached and match-drilled yesterday. After, we installed two anchor brackets on the longerons with a #12 drill bit, and then we attached the cover plates at the very aft end of the tailcone. We also drilled the nutplate attach holes there.

I worked ever so slightly ahead of the plans by match drilling two of the pieces in the aft end of the tailcone. The plans call for priming and assembling, and then match drilling with #30 and final drilling with #12. I didn't see how it would be possible to get the drill in there once things are riveted, so I drilled them now while it was still possible to use clecos and move the assembly away from the tailcone. We'll see if that comes back to bite me.

We then continued to systematically disassemble the rest of the tailcone. It was crazy to see the workbench completely empty and what used to be the tailcone was now a pile of parts instead of an awesome 3-D creation. We marked off the right side skin prior to removing it and had to cut a piece off of it. Creativity won by clamping the piece down and moving the grinder along the edge that needed to be smoothed instead of moving a whole part. Probably not my smartest moment from a "this is a safe idea" standpoint, but it worked out.

It was then finally time to start deburring. Edges first. Thankfully most of the edges had already been done, so only about 5 or 7 parts needed. Unfortunately, three of those parts were the side skins and bottom skin. Lots of edging after all. The dremel was key for all the hard to reach areas and corners and by opening the garage (sorry for the flooding of light) I was able to have enough space to get the big parts done. 

We finished off by taking 40 minutes just to deburr all the holes on the left side skin. Tomorrow, we'll get the other side skin, the bottom skin, and the rest of the parts (maybe) before the dimpling process begins! -M

1077- Tailcone- p.10-12 step 8-9 & p.10-13 step 1-7

Tailcone- 4 hrs 21 mins (Tailcone 33:02, Empennage 208:34, Total 229:30)
Rivet count: 0 (Total 3,686)

We started by finishing yesterday's work of match-drilling the stiffeners to the forward top skin. With a limited number of clecos, there was some creative reshuffling to have enough of them to properly match-drill. After, we match-drilled the remaining holes of both top skins to all the frames and longerons.

Next, we spent an hour and a half to fabricate two braces. No clue why it took so long, but they came out looking dang good...! The rest of the work today was spent match drilling the top deck into the longerons, and the remaining spacers, frames, and the two brackets that we just created.

This was the last of the major construction for the tailcone. The next step has us starting to take things apart... which means the arduous dimpling and deburring steps are just around the corner! -M

1076- Tailcone- p.10-12 step 1-7

Tailcone- 3 hrs 3 mins (Tailcone 28:41, Empennage 204:13, Total 225:09)
Rivet count: 0 (Total 3,686)

We started today by deburring the edges on some skins. Then quickly attached the aft-most frame to the tailcone assembly. We placed the top stiffeners in their location, and then cleco'd the first of the skins on top. As expected, I ran out of the silver cleco's so I had to do some creative re-organizing of the existing ones. After match-drilling the skin to the underlying stiffeners, we attached the second skin. That's all the time I had today, but tomorrow will be a nice opportunity to get some work in since it is a holiday from work! -M

1075- Tailcone- p.10-11 step 3-5

Tailcone- 1 hr 21 mins (Tailcone 25:38, Empennage 201:10, Total 222:06)
Rivet count: 0 (Total 3,686)

The name of the game today was to drill. Every future rivet location that is common between the outer skins and the frames or bulkheads was matched up today. The bottom skin too...
Pretty simple work today. However, I made three significant observations tonight:

1) For every hole that was match-drilled (a lot of them), there are at least 4 surfaces that will need to be deburred. So that's three hours of deburring that will take place in the future that I'm really not looking forward to.

2) Now that I'm done with the side skins, the next stage of building involves adding the top skins to the assembly!! This means more drilling and deburring, yes. However, the aesthetic feedback of seeing a project slowly coming together is what I'm really looking forward to. 

3) I'm low on 3/32" clecos. The tailcone looks like Pinhead, but I'm going to need more clecos for the top skins. This means I'll have to spend some time rearranging clecos to use less while maintaining structural strength. I'm at one cleco every third rivet, so looks I'll be going to 1 per 4. I don't mind, it's just an observation of wasted time.

-M

1074- Tailcone- p.10-10 step 1-6 & p. 10-11 step 1-2

Tailcone- 3 hrs 16 mins (Tailcone 24:17, Empennage 199:49, Total 220:45)
Rivet count: 0 (Total 3,686)

Continued work today by attaching the stiffeners that were fabricated yesterday and match drilling them in place. Then manufactured a spacer out of stock aluminum and taped it in place. I didn't have carpet tape per the instructions, but a few well placed pieces of masking tape will get the job done just as easily. Two more pieces were deburred on the edges and added in place. This is where the horizontal stabilizer will eventually attach to the tailcone. 

Lastly, we added the two longerons that were made and bent months ago. I needed to use the Dremel to file away a bit of the frames that weren't quite big enough to accommodate the longeron edge. After, the majority of today's work took place. We clamped the longerons in place to the skins, and then drilled through them using a #40 drill. Lots of aluminum everywhere and two major structural pieces are now attached and part of the tailcone assembly! -M

1073- Tailcone- p.10-8 step 4-7 & p.10-9 step 1-5

Tailcone- 2 hrs 27 mins (Tailcone 21:01, Empennage 196:33, Total 217:29)
Rivet count: 0 (Total 3,686)

Yeah! Back to building!! It's been five months since I've touched anything in the garage. Pilot training has been consuming my life with 12 hour days and our firstborn made her way into this world six weeks ago. No complaints, though, everything that has happened in the last 5 months has been worth prioritizing over.

Today we started by cutting some pieces to make stiffeners and braces for the back end of the tailcone. Funny enough, I made two braces when I only needed one, so I'll be needing to order a 7 inch piece of angle iron (aluminum) from Van's to make whatever part that extra was going to be originally. At least I screwed up a $3.35 part instead of a $100 skin. I'll take it as beginner's bad luck for getting back in the swing of things.

After, we cleco'd the last frame to the front of the tailcone, and then attached a few supporting parts. Lastly we made more stiffeners for the front of tailcone that will eventually support the plane's battery. After countersinking, and match drilling the platenut holes, it was time to call it a day. G has some beers and working while drinking is never a good idea. I'll continue tomorrow. -M