When to Rivet Forward Floor?

[Andy Walker]

Hey All...

I'm approaching the part of the plans that says to rivet the forward fuselage floor in place. I know you don't want to rivet the bottom skin on the aft fuselage until just before the DAR arrives, so you can still get to things. It seems like the forward floor needs to get riveted though, since I'm rapidly approaching the point where I just can't reach stuff from outside, and I don't want to get inside with just clecos keeping things together...

What's the general wisdom/consensus on when to rivet the forward fuselage floor?

[MichaelFarley56]

Hi Andy,

I riveted mine in place when the plans called for it because you won't be able to rivet the carry through in place, and then later the aft seat and lower assemblies in place until the floor is on. Looking back now I'd say go ahead and rivet the forward floor in place but like you said, leave the aft one off until later. Also, if I were doing mine over, I finished my forward lower assemblies (where the seat attaches), and then went on and installed my glare shield and fuel tank. If I would do it over I would leave the windscreen and glare shield off until everything is mounted on the firewall and most of the electrical system wiring is done.

[Andy Walker]

Hi Andy,

I riveted mine in place when the plans called for it because you won't be able to rivet the carry through in place, and then later the aft seat and lower assemblies in place until the floor is on. Looking back now I'd say go ahead and rivet the forward floor in place but like you said, leave the aft one off until later. Also, if I were doing mine over, I finished my forward lower assemblies (where the seat attaches), and then went on and installed my glare shield and fuel tank. If I would do it over I would leave the windscreen and glare shield off until everything is mounted on the firewall and most of the electrical system wiring is done.

Thanks Mike, that's kind of what I figured. I was planning to cleco but not rivet the glareshield and panel until very late in the process. Had not even thought about the windscreen yet... :?

[sonex892]

Andy
Rivetting the floor skin was the very last job I did on my plane and I mean the very last job. It was the day before the airworthiness inspection. I'm not saying there is a right or wrong way to do it just that it can be left till last and if I were doing it again I would do the same. It allows easy access to do all the internal work by just sitting on a floor creeper without laying upside down in very awkward and painful positions.

Leaving the floor till last would make a lot of your future jobs quite a bit easier. ie Rigging the wings, installing the fuel tank, the plumbing, the wiring, rudder pedals. When the time came to properly rivet the skin home all the holes lined up as I was hoping. I prepared the skin months earlier, deburring and polishing etc. To maintain the alignment during the build I just clecoed the skin in place a each time before I rivetted other stuff in. Like the rear spar tunnel / seat crossmember / controls framework seat belt bits etc. The only parts apart from the floor skin that could'nt be installed were those small spacers under the floor crossmember that get sandwiched in there under that 090" gusset.

I tried to add a photo from my computer of my almost complete plane with the floor not installed, but couldnt work out how to insert in the image :oops: I'll keep trying

Cheers
Steve Woodham
Sonex 892 VH-ZSX TD 3300
83hrs

[Andy Walker]

Thanks Steve, that sounds like it makes sense. So now I'm back to being not sure what to do. :lol:

[N111YX]

Andy, I riveted the floor when called and can't recall any time that I wish I had not. Of course, I forget a lot of stuff....:)