Cotton Waiex 191 - N191YX

[Bryan Cotton]

Thanks Mike! We appreciate the encouragement!

[Bryan Cotton]

Left hand tail tip is drilled to the skin and the rib in the aft part of the tip is riveted in.

[Bryan Cotton]

First, I have to confess I am jealous of the fast guys, who got their kits close to the same time I did and seem ready to fly by spring. You guys are amazing.
I made my fairlead blocks tonight. Made a template out of a piece of steel sheet as I posted in the tools area. I whipped out a 3/4" holesaw for the first big hole. I was unhappy with the fit, just a bit too loose. Fortunately I am both the Holesaw King and I have a good reamer collection. I went down to a 11/32" holesaw and then reamed to .750-ish. Very nice fit. I used the stop feature on the drill press to set the depth of the 1/4" counterbore.

It is a shame I need sleep.

[Bryan Cotton]

I meant an 11/16" holesaw, not 11/32".

[fastj22]

I hated working with those phelonic pieces. Especially the rudder pedal and flaps actuator bushings.

[Bryan Cotton]

I didn't mind working with it, though it smells bad. The holesaw/reamer approach minimized the smoke and fumes.

[Rick524]

Don't forget to put the rudder cables with the pre-swaged ends in before you
mount them. ;)

Rick
Sonex 524

[Bryan Cotton]

Too late, I already forgot. But I was just following the plans. It is a good way to keep the parts together.

[Bryan Cotton]

We should do the Chicagoland brunches after 10PM. Then I could make them.

Stayed up and finished F28, the aft fuse verticals and rudder stop plates. It was mostly an edge finishing exercise except vertical #5 has to be modified with a big notch to make it a Waiex part. I used a trusty 1 3/4" holesaw - I think I mentioned I am the holesaw king. Then I went and found the parts for F27, the side skins, splices, and longeron angles.
Photos deleted for quota

[Rynoth]

Looks good Bryan, you're approaching one of the first truly rewarding parts of the project. After you've made yourself a big shiny pile of parts and side panels, that initial cleco of the aft fuselage box is a wonderful feeling.