Finished the end cap installation and fitted the seats - 3 hours

 I am ready to start riveting the seat mod end caps to the F-705 bulkhead. I was kind of dreading this as the location and the configuration isn’t the best for getting great rivets. However it turned out to be not a big deal. I started bucking the rivets using the extra long rivet set and then finished setting using the alligator squeezer. The process was slow going, but the result is excellent.

 Now that the end caps a partly riveted in place. I temporarily installed the crossbar for the seat mod and installed the seat backs. I fashioned up some crude hinge pins, but I will make a second (better set). Looks pretty good. The clearance is good on the sides of the fuse.

 

 

 

 

 

Started riveted the almost an RV-14 mod - 1 hour

Small build session today. I riveted the gusset plate onto the end cap of the Almost an RV14 mod. I then fitted the assembly to the fuselage. Looking good.

 

Finished fabricating the F-638 seat back brace - 2.5 hours

I need to drill the holes in the F-638 seat back brace. The plans call for 2 1/4" holes but I don't have that size of hole saw. I do have a 2" hole saw that cuts holes a tad larger....more like 2 1/8". So for me this is good enough. Using scrap MDF as a backer plate. I located the center of the holes and drilled to #40 and clecoed the brace to the MDF. 

 I now have a stable platform to drill the large 2" holes and not have to worry about the pilot bit 'walking'. 

All holes are easily drilled. Next I drew out the dimensions on the ends of the seat brace and cut them according to the plans. Used aviation snips for a rough-cut and then used the sanding station to finish cuts up to the line. Final edge cleaning by 3M wheel.

Finished drilling the F-742 seat floors - 4 hours

 Now that I am set up with the aft seat floor hinges its time to drill. I started placing and drilling the mount holes in the hinges to the aft floors using a #40 bit. Then I opened up the holes to #30 

So, its not till I actually drilled the hinges to the seat floor that I noticed the hinge covers the hole that mounts the seat floor to the seat rib. It scared me at first, but I soon realized that this hole falls right in the middle of the hinge. I drilled this hole out and will allow be to still install the #8 screw to attach the floors to the seat ribs (remember I made my seat floors removable).

 

I finished the build session be opening up the #40 holes in the seat back brace to #30.

 

More work on the seats - 5 hours

 Lots of time was spent carefully measuring the seat bottoms and the hinges that will eventually be riveted to the seat bottoms. First I marked out the dimensions on the seat bottom pans. 

 I then drew centerlines and required dimensions on all of the hinges. Im careful to label all pieces so that once they are drilled, they end up getting riveted onto the correct place/orientation. 

I took a bit of time with drilling the hinges on. The hinge rivet locations come very close to the seat ribs, so I double checked clearances were going to be ok and not interfere with the seat ribs. 

Next step I fitted the hinges onto the F-638 seat back brace. 

Started on the seat backs - 5.5 hours

 Feeling like fabricating and not riveting today😛. I decided to tackle something new. I dug out angles and hinges and cut all of the parts for the seat backs. 

  A groove is required to be cut into the seat back angles to allow the hinge to nest. I've seen lots on the build log use files to do this, but I found that a router works extremely well on aluminum (yes, dulling the bits to no end but its worth it). 

Still have the router out, using a round over bit I put a radius in the angle that crosses the top of the seat back.