Monthly Archives: June 2015

Weeknights I started on assembling the smaller parts (brackets, angles, frames, bulkheads). On the weekend Eric came over to start riveting stiffeners on the bottom tailcone pan.  This action will be the last in the bonus room for the tailcone, as final assembly will have to take place in the shop – assembled parts are simply to large to get out the door and out of the house.

Here riveting the Bellcrank Assembly together, and the final result.

For the rearmost frames and bulkheads I used some spare mixed primer to cover the rivet heads. I had not done this with all parts prior, but found the DP40LF primer will hold for some days if sealed properly in the mixing cups.  Maybe if I have some extra material after future priming sessions, I will go back to the VS, HS, and rudder parts to cover the still accessible rivet heads.

Here the angles are riveted to the Bellcrank Assembly brackets, then the final results.

Bottom pan stiffeners being bucked into place – I buck while Eric drives. He has gotten quite good at this and the results are excellent.  We started the pan trying to back rivet, but had to drill out the first four attempts.  We found bucking the rivets to produce better results, and actual was faster.

After vacation in Germany, I spent the next few weekends preparing the tailcone parts for assembly.  As usual this involves dimpling, washing, scuffing, brightening, alodining and priming parts. Because of the variety of shapes and sizes of tailcone elements, multiple batches over different weekends were needed.  This is tedious, hot work, especially when temperatures outside are near 100 degrees! However, the outcome is worth the effort.

Oddly the right side skin needs to have a triangular shaped piece removed, while the left side stays intact.  I am not sure the reason, as the plans for joining the tailcone to the forward fuselage section will only come when the quickbuild kit arrives.

Some parts needed to be countersunk prior to prepping.

Others are dimpled beforehand.

Washing and scuffing …

Brightening …

Alodine the small parts …

The product of one weekend’s work.

Brightened stiffeners and longerons go in the long tank, come out alodined.

The product of another weekend’s work.

Here the stiffeners, longerons, and small parts are ready for assembly.  One more weekend is needed to prime all the skins.

Mid-June and this is the third straight weekend prepping tailcone parts.  Unlike alodine treatment for the small parts, I use Pre-Kote to treat the large skin surfaces while scuffing. After drying, they are ready for a primer application within 24 hours.  I used lint-free shop cloths and Rita’s hair dryer to make sure no moisture remained on the surface.

After hanging in the shed I also wiped the surfaces with PPG 303 Degreaser for good measure.  Finally two thin coats of DP40LF were applied.