Month: December 2008

Today I started increasing the size of the holes in the right hand flap from #40 to #30. I used my soldering iron to cut away the protective film around all of the rivet holes leaving the rest of the skin protected. It worked well. Next I started to deburr the holes. I completed the first pass on deburring the skin moved on to the ribs.

Tonight I am continuing with transferring the pilot holes in the hinge to the flap skin. After completing the hinge holes I cut the mating hinge piece to length

I started today by making up the hinge for the right hand flap I was drilling yesterday. I marked and drilled all of the pilot holes in the hinge. I discovered that I made a mistake when I placed the ribs inside the flaps and they are off by 1/4 of an inch so I needed to adjust a couple of holes in the hinge to line up with the ribs. I left these for later. After drilling the pilot holes I started working on attaching the hinge to the flaps by transfering the pilot holes in the hinge to the flap. Complete the holes between the inboard rib and the next one out. I continued drilling the pilot holes for the hinge after dinner and managed to get the holes 2/3 complete.

Continued transferring the holes in the flap skin to the ribs. I\’m supporting the flap skin on a couple of 2x6s to provide room for the clecos to protrude down. The best sequence seems to be to insert the rib, clamp it in place using a spring clamp and then drill the holes in the narrowest (front facing) edge. After I get the first four holes drilled in the front edge I switch to either the top and the bottom. I\’m not drilling the holes for the hinge at this time although I have marked the hole position at each rib. I complete all of the #40 holes for the ribs. Next time I\’ll start on the left flap.

Tonight I worked on completing the pilot holes in the flap assembly. Next I started to transfer the holes through to the ribs. I worked on the most inboard rib first.

Continued laying out the holes in the flap skins. Completed hole layout on right hand flap skin. Drilled pilot holes in the top and bottom of the flap skin.

Riveted one of the drive ribs. Layed out the position of the drive plate on the second rib. Drilled pilot holes through drive plate into drive rib. Completed drill and riveted the second flap drive rib. Started laying out rib locations on right hand flap skin.