Re: When to rivet lower fwd fuselage skin?
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 7:20 am
NWade wrote:So all you guys who waited until your DAR inspection: You rigged the wings with all of the F10 & F09 parts (all the bits aft of the spar tunnel) just cleco'ed in place? You can't rivet in the tunnel until you rig the wings, and those F10 & F09 parts all connect to either the spar tunnel or the lower rear horizontal cross-member. They can't really be riveted into a stable configuration without the bottom skin in, right? As strong as a well-cleco'ed bunch of parts seem, I think things can still wiggle into a different alignment when you put weight or torque on a series of cleco'ed parts...
Thanks,
--Noel
Noel
You are correct the aft spar tunnel cant be riveted before the wings are rigged.
From memory, it was 7 years ago. I prepped all the lower section parts to deburred stage,including the floor panel before rigging the wings. I rigged the wings with only the forward sparbox and firewall riveted. The engine mount and wheels were installed. I didn't have the glareshield installed.
After that I riveted the aft sparbox, contols, seat brackets etc leaving the void forward of the spar box open.
To confirm things were all still lining up, I clecoed the floor in place a few times along the way. It never moved at any point. I would definitely recommend having the floor clecoed in place when squaring things and riveting the firewall and forward spar tunnel. Obviously the floor defines a lot.
NWade wrote: Did you essentially stop fuselage work at F09 and work on the canopy, fuel, electrical, and engine pages; then return to finish off the lower fwd fuse afterwards?
Thanks,
--Noel
No. I rigged the wings first then did all that other stuff later.
If you are still worried? Just rivet it now.
Steve
Sonex 892
235hrs
2016 RAA Aus best kitbuilt and amateur built aircraft.
Here is a pic of the floor going on just hours before the inspection