F12 - Fwd fuselage side panels

[samiam]

I have one side panel laid out and pilot drilled - I am wondering if anyone has used one side panel as a template to drill the other side, so that I don't have to go through laying out all the pieces again (I have all the CNC machined parts so they should match).

I was thinking about transferring 3-4 holes per angle/longeron so that I could just cleco the pieces right in place.

Anyone do this, or can you think of any reasons not to?

[Rofomoto]

I guess if all the channels are predrilled the same and lengths are the same it would work.

[Rofomoto]

Also the predrilled hole are the same distance from the edge of the channels

[lstinthot]

I would use the one panel as a template for the opposite side. If you have the machine angle parts, the holes are going to line up just fine. You can actuallty take the extra angles and test fit them before you drill if you are worried about it. Get the two sides lined up good and clamped down so they don’t move and Cleco as you go it should be good to go. I am a scratch builder so my angles did not have the pre-drilled holes and I used one side as a template for the other. I do that a lot for my parts.

[Darick]

Hey Mike, Bryan Cotton documented a lot of his building progress so I recommend you read his photo album entries. Page 42 saved me from making a mistake on the seatbelt attach area. He also writes with humor and is entertaining.

[samiam]

Thanks Darick! I'll hold off on the seatbelt angles until later in the build.

[samiam]

For anyone reading this thread later, I want to post some follow up results. Bottom line: I do NOT recommend that you go about doing the side panels this way.

The amount of "time savings" was very minimal (in fact, it was quite disruptive to stop and disassemble the side panel in the middle of building the first one). Additionally, I had some migration of the holes. NO less than 1/64", but enough to make me want to take the time and fix the issue, which took more time than just lining up the angle parts on the skin to begin with.

I was hoping for some of the match-drilled magic to happen on the opposite skin, but it didn't really play out that way. Stick with the Sonex method (as usual).