I got the rudder cables and fuel vent lines installed (for the last time). I can’t tell you how much fun it is to be able to basically just take parts off the shelf that have already been fully test fit and just do final install.
Assembly continues.
- flap control weldament
- canopy latch weldament
- canopy latch side skin brackets riveted on
- canopy latch linkage almost complete
I also spent a little time playing with my new (way overkill) digital soldering station.
I got the garage cleaned up after the painting session this weekend. The fuselage is unmasked and painted parts are slowly being put away. I’m quite happy with the finish. It is about what I expected.
Then, on to the fun part. Assembly! Yeah! I riveted on the instrument panel attach brackets on the side rails. Some were squeezed with the longeron yoke and others had to be shot (Tanya helped). Then I decided to bolt up the tip-up canopy strut attach brackets. Chugging along, I attacked the static system tubing. I used a pot of boiling water to soften the tubing to push onto the plastic T. That worked great. I also used the boiling water to relieve the storage crimps in the small 1/8″ tubing that attaches to the ports. The static line was run through previously fabricated (at this point, just about everything has been “previously fabricated”) tubing clips along the left longeron all the way forward.
I figured out that I didn’t have all of the assembly hardware for my TruTrak autopilot so I called them and got that on its way.
