Started work on the Wing tie-down brackets - 6 hours

 I started in on fabricating the W-726 Spacers for the wings. I drew up a template on autocad and transferred it to the spacers.

I marked the 1" hole center point and started with a #40 pilot hole to start. Then I opened up the hole to 1/4" Then I used a #5 unibit to open the holes up to 1" diameter. I double checked my dimensions and then cut the pieces. I was slightly larger than 2" so I ran them through the sanding station till I was satisfied.
 
 Then I got to work drilling them for the spar. I marked out lines on the spacers to ensure that they would be centered with respect to the holes on the spar web. I taped the spacers onto the web and used a hand drill with a 3/16" bit to start the holes. Once the holes where deep enough, I took the spacers over to the drill press and completed the 3/16"' holes. Very nice. Too tight for an AN3 bolt though. I then set up the Tie-down bracket according to the plans.

I drilled the first hole on the tie-down bracket with the drill press but I just could not fit an AN3 bolt in. So I upsized to a #12 bit. This time the AN3 bolt would fit through the tie down bracket allowing me to bolt it to the spar. I taped the spacers back down again and began match drilling the holes.

The left side turned out great, so I moved on the the right side. After the right side was drilled. I noticed that one of my holes was slightly oblong. My stomach jumped to my throat. Shoot.
This must have happened when I taped the spacer back down to the spar. The tape had held the spacer just slightly off and good enough to let the drill bit dig into the spar. At its widest point its 0.207" across. Enough to raise my eyebrows.




Another look






The holes in the Tie-down and spacer are good. With good bolt fit through them.



 
I'm hoping that I will be ok as-is, and that I haven't done anything serious. Truly a silly mistake. The thought of going up a bolt size crossed my mind, and I double checked if a K1000-4 platenut will fit on the spacer but it won't. I might have to buy a special compact or one lug platenut if I have to go to and AN4 bolt.

Update. Van's recommends up-sizing to an AN4 bolt here. 
Note to self for future....Drill these holes with the drill press!

Finished counterskinking the Wing Spars - 6 hours

After finishing the HS#2 (My big goal) I was happy to jump back onto the wings and keep moving forward. I continued on with the #6 access plate countersinks. Satisfied with the 0.300" diameter of the countersinks, it took no time to finish the job.




I then moved on to the #8 screw Tank attachment holes. Reading the forums and the blogs I decided to go right in the middle of the recommended countersink diameter at 0.370" Took a while to dial it in, but once I did...I was off and running.




After that was finished, I did the 8 holes for the K1000-4 nutplates. Checked, checked and re-checked to make sure I was countersinking the correct side.

Finished riveting the HS#2 - 3 hours

I woke up this morning excited to get going on finishing the HS. Just a couple of quick hours of riveting and I am done! Ready for the pre-close inspection....Again.


 In retrospect I am way happier with the second HS. Its extremely clean, not a single oops rivet (Although I still have to rivet it closed after inspection - Knock on wood), Once I have completely riveted though I will weight it against the first one. I suspect the first weighs considerably more due to the 2-part epoxy.

Started riveting the skin on HS#2 - 4 hours

Took a bit of a slow day today. I cleco'd the skins to the HS-707, HS-708 and HS-706 ribs. I then proceeded to rivet the skin to HS-707 both L and R sides.

I then deviated from the plans slightly as I riveted the HS-706 to the front spar assembly. The plans have to do this step after the skins are riveted and the first go around was really tough for my to get a good bucked rivet in that tight space. I then set the assembly into the skins and re-cleco'd everything.
 
Began the long, but quite enjoyable task to rivet the skins on. Managed to get a ways through before I called it a day.

Started riveting the HS#2 skins - 2.5 hours

I dimpled the skins (which actually takes a bit of time) on the DRDT-2 and then set starting to rivet the skins. So far....So good.

 

 

Completed riveting the HS#2 rear spar - 4 hours

Started riveting the HS#2 rear spar. Decided to go up a rivet size from the plans (like I did on the first HS) as the rivet callout is short. The longer rivets are the correct length (AN470AD4-7 as opposed to 4-6) according to the rivet gauge and are a bit more tough to set straight. It went extremely well and I did have to drill out about 8 rivets total and reset them. Had a bit more tough time setting the rivets for the hinge brackets, but in the end I'm very pleased with how it turned out. 

Riveted HS#2 00005 & 00006 ribs to Spar - 3 hours

A bit of a frustrating evening. Riveted on the HS-00005 and 00006 ribs to the front spar. After my first empennage leaving these ribs off for the Canadian Inspection makes it extremely tough to rivet after pre-close. I decided to install the rivets now and I will not rivet the skin to HS-00006 if the inspector wants to check the rivets inside the HS.

I tried to squeeze as many of the rivets as I could. It's slow and painful. However I had to buck half of them as the longeron yoke was not able to catch them all. It's a bit difficult as I had to buck the rivets and I haven't bucked in some time, so I'm a tad rusty. I bent the ribs out of the way enough to allow using the straight rivet set. (I really wish I had a long rivet set for this). The first few were good. The last couple where not. Had to drill out and try again, and again. Fortunately my rivet removal techniques are top notch and when punching out the rivets with my handy tools the holes are left in excellent condition. I was finally able to set the last tricky rivet. Then I had to go and buff the ribs and re-prime where the tools scuffed the original primer off. Lots of frustration tonight but I got the job done well.