Author Archives: pclifton

Forward side skin prep

So this actually covers work done last night and tonight. Somehow I managed to forget to even write a blog post yesterday… Yesterday I left work a bit early, just so I could shoot paint on the forward side skins. … Continue reading

Posted in Fuselage | Hours Logged: 2.5

Tailcone complete(ly clecoed)

Not the most productive weekend – had a lot going on yesterday, and then I apparently somehow injured my ankle and could barely walk this morning, so I spent half the day in bed. But it got better enough for … Continue reading

Posted in Fuselage | Hours Logged: 4

Tail bulkhead assembly

Last time out, I started riveting the aft most bulkhead in the tail to the aft bottom skin. Tonight, I worked on finishing up riveting that bulkhead in place. It’s a bit of a pain working inside the tight curvature … Continue reading

Posted in Fuselage | Hours Logged: 2.5

Tail stuff

So I’ve reached a point where I’m satisfied with systems work inside the cabin, and I’m ready to get back to assembly. Technically, the next task ought to be adding the forward side skins, but that requires back riveting some … Continue reading

Posted in Fuselage | Hours Logged: 1.5

Pedal adjustment mechanism

Tonight I went to work on the mechanism that allows the pedal to be adjusted. The main part of the locking mechanism consists of six thin aluminum spacers, two steel lift levers, and a center aluminum piece to which the … Continue reading

Posted in Fuselage | Hours Logged: 2

Pedal assembly

Today started with some general cleanup. I still had the pile of tubing scraps from yesterday’s photo op, in addition to all the tools and various other related stuff lying around. So it took about half an hour to get … Continue reading

Posted in Fuselage | Hours Logged: 5.5

Brake lines

Welp, looks like I’m done bending and flaring tubing, at least for a while. Actually, I don’t think there will be any more hard lines to bend until I get around to attaching the wings and hooking up the fuel … Continue reading

Posted in Fuselage | Hours Logged: 4

Last fuel line

Today I got my shipment from Spruce, which included a new stock of 3/8” tubing for that last remaining fuel line. I decided to work on that and continue punting on the whole brake line issue. I hacked up my … Continue reading

Posted in Fuselage | Hours Logged: 1.5

Indecision and time-wasting

Well, I didn’t get a lot of useful work done tonight. I’d vaguely intended to muck around with the brake lines and/or fuel vent lines. I didn’t have the fittings I ordered for the brake lines, so I decided to … Continue reading

Posted in Fuselage | Hours Logged: 2

More fuel lines

So, it turns out that bending hard lines is…somewhat challenging. I kind of knew that would be the case, but I was maybe a bit too buoyed by the first line I made a couple days ago. Suffice it to … Continue reading

Posted in Fuselage | Hours Logged: 6.5