Status Brantel #72823

BSwayze · Post by **BSwayze** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:06 am

[quote="Brantel"]Don't you hate it when you are about to finish the last rivet on the rear deck where the HS mounts when all of a sudden you drop your heavy bucking bar!

Hey Brantel...

I know exactly how you feel. I did the same thing when riveting my left wing's leading edge together. Had it in the cradle, and dropped my new little tungsten bucking bar... left a nice "outie" dent in the very front of the leading edge. Fortunately, I found a heavy cylindrical piece of metal that matched the curve of the skin, laid it in, and gently hammered the dent with my flush rivet set in the gun. Took most of the damage out; what little remains will easily be filled and smoothed prior to paint with some Evercoat Rage, or something similar. <whew!>

From now on, when riveting above a surface like that, I'm putting a shop towel, some bubble wrap, or something similar down underneath the bucking bar for a "safety net" in case my hands slip again. Lesson learned.

Bruce

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:57 am

This weekend I got the rear baggage compartment bulkhead cover completed, the baggage floors and side walls installed, and the rear seat floors fabbed with the hinges and installed.

The girls after getting ready for bed, came down to give their daddy a good night kiss. Well they just had to get a "ride" in the airplane. I guess I should have started building a 10.

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:48 pm

Sure looks like your gonna need a 10 from those smiles.

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:00 pm

Nice looking crew you have there Brantel!

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:51 am

Blew an entire evening build session on this little baby...

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:10 am

After helping my friend Tim get airborne for the first time in his RV6A, I returned to my pile of aluminum to finish my seat backs.

Also be careful not to build any twist into these units. Lay them on something flat while drilling and keep checking them while riveting or they can twist.

I used a table saw with a carbide blade to cut the relief in the side angles underwhich sandwiches the hinge. This worked better than trying to use the 1" belt sander to make these reliefs.

I squeezed the side angles, bottom angle and hinge. Shot the top angle and used the C frame tool on the angle adjuster hinge.

I now have seats!

These things are simple but take some time. Also when drilling the skin to the long side angles, be careful and drill both ends first and cleco. The problem is that the corregations in the skin will allow it to flex and this can cause it to shrink or grow in relation to the angle. If you just start on one end and work your way up, it can cause the skin to be longer or shorter than the angle.

weezbad · Post by **weezbad** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:16 am

slow down, i want to finish ahead of somebody

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:16 pm

Just ordered the following for my standard dual brake RV7. I am also using these instead of the VA-118 supplied in the finish kit.

2pcs -3 St to St w/clear @ 36” (from Lft to Rht) $19.00 ea.
1pcs -3 St to St w/clear @ 18 (Rht side up to Tee) $12.75 ea.
1pcs -3 St to90° w/clear @ 18 (Rht side up to Tee) $13.50 ea.
8pcs 822-3D (master cyld to -3 nut adaptors 90°) $5.00 ea.
1pcs 826-3D (This replaces the plastic Tee) $7.70 ea.
2pcs -3 St to -4 St w/clear @ 24” (from Lft master to #4 firewall bulkhead fittings) $17.?? ea. (special -3 st nut on one end -3 hose w/clear -4 st nut on the other end)

All from Bonaco. Anyone else buy from them and if so are you happy with what you got?

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:19 pm

I got my brake lines from them, and am pleased with them. Unfortunately, they came out with the protective clear coating on the lines about a week after I got mine...

You'll like what you're getting.

weezbad · Post by **weezbad** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:14 pm

ive heard nothing but good stuff about them.

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 9:33 am

Sold some tools I did not need any longer and replaced them with some I did!

New tube bender, flaring tool, washer wrenches (sure hope these are worth the cost), debur bit from Avery's (wore the original out), new 3/32 countersink cutter (broke the original's pilot off), and a new #19 threaded bit. Also got some more torque seal, a really thin flat set, and the hex flap rods.

I finished the flap motor, mechanism and covers this weekend complete!

Now it is time to mate the wings!

1:1_Scale · Post by **1:1_Scale** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:42 pm

weezbad wrote:slow down, i want to finish ahead of somebody

You'll finish ahead of me

Looking at all of these progress pics makes me really jealous

weezbad · Post by **weezbad** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:56 pm

1:1_Scale wrote:
weezbad wrote:slow down, i want to finish ahead of somebody
You'll finish ahead of me Looking at all of these progress pics makes me really jealous

alright

thats one

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:42 pm

Brantel wrote:washer wrenches (sure hope these are worth the cost),

Trust me, they will become "worth it" when the time comes to insert washers into hard to reach places. Elevators, Elevator push rod bell crank area, ailerons, etc.

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:26 am

Washer wrenches are WELL WORTH THE MONEY!! The guys here at work showed me their version of a homemade washer wrench, and while it works, the one's we purchase are perfectly suited for making inserting the washers for the ailerons a snap! You'll use them for the control column, push tubes, bellcranks, etc.

They are one of my favorite tools!

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:43 am

Received my hoses from Bonaco and I am more than satisfied with the results.

They put together exactly what I needed. They also did the wierd -3 on one end and the -4 on the other hoses.

The clear coating is very nice.

Now to get them installed....

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:37 am

Well after 8 years, my emp finally was mated to the fuse!
No matter how long it takes, this plane will fly one day!
Never give up! Even if life does cause some periods of delay!

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:43 am

Awesome Brian!! I always forget that you have been at this longer than almost all of us!!

Post by **Spike** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:10 pm

So do I. I don't feel so discouraged now

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:24 pm

Yep it has been a while since I started this adventure around 8 years ago.

I finished the emp kit in about 6 months and it sat there untouched from 2000 till I started the wing kit on 09/18/06 and here it is 2/25/08 and it finally found its home on the fuse!

Total active working time to date is around 1 year and 11 months. Of a couple hours a day on 3 out of five days a workweek and 5 to 8 hours a weekend out of 85% of the weekends.

Have no idea when I will finish, only that I will finish!

RivetBangers.com

Status Brantel #72823

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