Enlarging the tooling holes for wire runs in the seat ribs

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bruceh
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Enlarging the tooling holes for wire runs in the seat ribs

Post by bruceh »

Best to do this step before you rivet the seat ribs to the bulkheads and the center section floor skin.

Just happened to catch the little note on the plans about this. Now I have to figure out how the heck I can get a 5/8" hole drilled down in between there. My unibit won't fit in the tiny angle drill chuck. I don't want to have to buy a couple of drill bit extenders (I need more than 12" to hit the center ribs).

Suggestions?
Bruce Hill
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dons
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Post by dons »

I do a lot of things the hard way, so take this for what's it worth. I would likely buy a cheap unibit and modify the shank one of two ways.

1) simply put it my drill press upside down and file the shaft down so it would fit in the right angle chuck

2) do sorta the same thing as above, but to the size where a thread could be cut on the shaft so it would screw into the right angle drill (this would likely slip less than using the chuck and provide more clearance.)

Either that, or use the drill extender trick. I have never used more than one, but with a unibit it may not be so bad.
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bullojm1
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Post by bullojm1 »

Bruce,

I forgot to drill those holes until the center section was attached to the fuselage. What I did was buy some cheap unibits from Harbor Freight (I think they have a 3 pack for $10). I used a file to reduce the size of the shank that fits into the drill so it was small enough to fit into the 90 degree drill but adapter. Worked perfectly!
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bruceh
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Post by bruceh »

That's exactly what I did. Got a new unibit from Harbor Freight with a 1/4" hex shaft, then hit it with the bench grinder until I could get the bit inserted in the small chuck of the angle drill adapter.

I'll wait until I roll the canoe to get down in there to drill the holes.

Thanks!
Bruce Hill
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Spike
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Post by Spike »

Ya know, it might make sense to do it before you roll it from a logistical point of view. It might be easier to do it sitting under the fuse, on a chair, comfortably taking your time rather than bending over trying to get through it while your back is mad at you.

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