Tool Research and Skin Rivet Hole Verification

I spent just a small amount of time making sure that the holes for the skins and the ribs were already final sized. I picked a few random holes and they all were exactly the size they need to be. I spent alot of my time over the past few days reorganizing, getting some tools that will help alleviate some issues and doing some research.

First, my plans binder is getting too full. I ordered a larger one and got it split out with tabs now and with some plastic sleeves for putting pages in from service bulletins, purchased item manuals and installation instructions, etc. I’m just waiting on the bigger binder now to come in and I’ll transfer all of that work into the new binder.

Second, I ordered a few additional rivet sets that I found were going to be helpful in elevating my build quality. First was the Boeing rivet set. It is a truly flush rivet set with a polyurethane rim. My previous flush rivet set that I’d used the most had a thick rubber cup around the outside of it that solved my first flush rivet sets issue of moving around on me, but it added a new one where I couldn’t see in to make sure I was directly on the rivet and not setting a rivet slightly high in the hole. This one has the transparent polyurethane rim that will let me see through to make sure I’m on. Also, it truly looks like it is flatter than the previous two sets I had. They were just so curved that it was difficult to stay directly flat on the rivet without constant monitoring. I guess I just need to bring my boys out more often to help me rivet LOL.

Third, I ordered some 7.5″ and 10″ AN470 rivet sets. The offset rivet set is just not functional and I feel like I’m losing power to set the rivets. It took me about 20 seconds of riveting to set the rivets this last time, but without changing any air settings I could set a rivet in 2 seconds with the straight set. So hopefully this will decrease the wear on my body while trying to set rivets in those harder to reach places. I also read from a forum that if you use some tape on the offset rivet set then that is also helpful. Fingers crossed this works.

And fourth, and the most expensive of all was that I bought a 3D printer. I bought a Bambu X1C which will be coming in February. I’ve seen from Allan Glen’s build logs that he has printed many parts, jigs, and tools that help him be accurate with his build and make things function properly and look cleaner. I’ve already used some of his prints but I was having a friend print them. I didn’t want to bother him too much so I decided to get my own. This way I can print tools or jigs and if they are slightly off and need reprinting I don’t have to bug anyone and I can have it redone in a short amount of time. I picked the X1C because it was reviewed to be easy to use with little tweaking and it could also print in polycarbonate, fiberglass reinforced, as well as carbon reinforced materials. Fingers crossed this will not be a waste of money, but my friends at work and at church have all said that they’ve been printing so many things to fix things in their life or to make a solution that doesn’t exist. I also have my son, Andrew, who has been taking a CAD class in high school for the past year and a half so he should be able to show me the ropes in the CAD software.

I also found through Allan’s page that there is an avionics wiring class from the Aircraft Electronics Association called “Avionics Installation for Experimental Aircraft” that they host in Kansas City that is basically a three day course on how to plan, design, and implement your avionics solution. I really want to take that course and since it is fairly close to home, we might just take a small family vacation up there this summer so I can take the class and the kids can go around and have fun.

And finally, one thing I don’t want to forget is Allan mentioned using this 3M Scotch-Weld DP2216 Epoxy Adhesive for things around the airplane where you don’t want to use the ProSeal. I’ll have to see where I might use it instead but I at least want to document it in a post so I can reference it again in the future.