Section 18 - Fuel Tank (finished and leak-tested right fuel tank); Section 20 - Bottom Wing Skins (ADAHRS bracket/harness; lower skins finished; Gretz Pitot mount)

Had to attend a 5 day work conference this past week, so I did not get to do as much on the build as I would have liked - nevertheless, the major milestone of finishing and leak-testing the right fuel tank was completed this week ... and good news, I now have two leak-free tanks! Well, leak-free with air - not oozing 100LL is a different matter, and that won't be tested until I move everything to a hangar.

The following was also completed this week (from this point forward, I will cut/paste detailed tasks from my MS Excel log sheet, to make posting on this blog a little easier):  riveted right tank baffle, installed fuel finger strainer and plug, and, installed fuel drain CAV-110 (all with Permatex #2); installed fuel cap; deburred long and short j-channels - lower; deburred holes in ADAHRS mounting bracket; dimpled j-stiffeners/channels; drilled and deburred nutplate attach holes; deburred edges of both lower skins; deburred holes in inboard and outboard lower skin; finished fabricating GMU-22 9pin ADAHRS connector; tapered and primed overlapping corners on forward part of lower skins; dimpled inboard and outboard lower skins; worked on Gretz pitot mount (made hole in skin, drilled skin, final holes drilled, dimpled, primed); riveted ADAHRS mount assembly together and to the j-stiffener.

Right fuel tank, nearly completed:

Section 18 - Fuel Tank (left tank attach; right tank near-completion); Section 19 - Wing Systems Routing (Gretz mount for pitot/AOA); Section 20 - Bottom Wing Skins (finished gap fairings; started ADAHRS bracket)

I worked on 3 different sections in the wing kit this week, and got a lot accomplished:  Fuel tank, wing systems routing, and bottom wing skins.  Specifically, I did the following:  riveted j-stiffener and attach bracket; Prosealed (4th cartridge) inboard aft rib and bulkhead union and nut, encapsulated shop heads of rivets in j-channel and attach bracket; finished attaching left fuel tank (screws and final-torqued bolts and applied torque seal); worked on Gretz mount for Garmin AOA/Pitot - planned, cut, drilled, deburred.  Fabricated L-bracket (Gretz mount), drilled, deburred, and it is ready for priming and installation on rib; riveted inboard aft rib to skin, attach bracket, and inboard forward rib; installed and tightened fuel vent line; installed fuel float; Prosealed (5th cartridge) fuel level sender, checked continuity; prosealed & clecoed baffle and z-brackets to tank; wet-installed pop-rivets; finished and installed flap gap and aileron gap fairings to top skin and rear spar; and, match-drilled ADAHRS mounting plate to lower j-stiffener - short.

Riveted attach bracket to right skin:

Section 18 - Fuel Tank (Riveted ribs; prosealed attach bracket, j-stiffener, shop heads; leak tested left tank; left tank mounting); Section 19 - Wing Systems Routing (ran WH-00011 and WH-00012 harnesses)

This week, I took a little time away from my project to help a friend, Ken B., attach the main gear and nose gear to his RV-14A; it was an all-day experience, but well worth the effort (see pics below). It was motivating to see what is nearly the end of his project, and thus when I returned home last week, I continued working on my wing kit with renewed gusto:

Riveted 7 ribs to skin, prosealed (3rd cartridge) j-stiffener, attach bracket, 11 stiffener shop heads, 5 internal rib shop heads - just enough to cover everything; prepared, scuffed and dimpled baffle; scuffed z-brackets; marked places where proseal is needed on shop heads (mostly stiffeners); cut and flared vent tubing; and, final leak-tested LEFT tank (no leaks!), and partially installed the left tank onto left wing.  I also had some time to run the WH-00011 harness (lights) and the WH-00012 harness (ADAHRS), and crimped and installed the wire to stall horn switch prior to installing the fuel tank (easier access to stall horn switch).

Pics from Ken's gear-attach party:

Section 18 - Fuel Tank (left leak test; right ribs etc. prep)

Completed the first-pass leak test for the left tank, as well as a number of odds-and-ends on the right tank.  A couple hours each day can get a lot accomplished ... even when my 80 year old mother visited (her nap time was a great chance to go back into the shop).

Prepped parts for first Proseal event for right tank: