29 - Fwd Mid Fuse Side Structure (designed and built fuselage cradle; installed control column assembly; working on side skin and longerons)

The fuselage is very large, and only getting larger, and thus working on a table was started to get unwieldy.  Moreover, I was interested in a device that would help with the eventual "big join" to the aft fuselage, and afford the ability to install the canopy next year.  I therefore decided to design a cradle that would hold the fuselage 16" off the ground, which enables me to work on the fuselage without a step stool, and most importantly, enables the eventual joining of the aft fuselage.  The 16" height (floor to base of fuselage) was chosen in part because of the finishing kit, in which I'll have to attach and fully open the canopy in my 8' 2" garage as part of the canopy installation. Ideally, I would have liked a 20" height for the cradle ... but then I wouldn't be able to open the canopy completely.

Specifically, I did the following during the last week and half:

- designed and constructed a cradle for the fuselage; riveted last 7 rivets of bottom skins; placed fuselage on cradle; cleaned workspace for next part of section
- installed control column assembly - torqued bolts, but one side bound a tiny bit (add a washer, below); trimmed L and R longerons; started deburring edges of longerons
- finished deburring longerons; twisted longerons 10deg each (permanent twist); match-drilled upper engine mount bracket; primed upper longeron assembly; trimmed lower longeron
- riveted upper engine mount brackets to upper longerons; drilled, deburred, primed, and riveted lower longeron assemblies; clecoed upper and lower longeron assemblies to left skin; match-drilled #30 holes in upper engine mount bracket and upper drag fitting and center side section
- removed left skin and center side section and longerons; countersunk side section and longerons; deburred edges of skin; added a thin washer to the control column assembly - NOW it moves perfectly with no binding, with all bolts/nuts torqued to spec
- dimpled left side skin; radiused outboard edge; put break on 4 edges; prepped stiffeners
- prepped a bunch of other ribs/brackets/stiffeners/arm rest and roll bar angles; primed roll bar angles


Here is a picture of the completed cradle, minus carpet padding.  Note that the aft horizontal 2x4 piece is angled slightly (using shims) to match the upward sloping angle of the back part of the mid fuselage.  The front of the fuselage (i.e. firewall) would rest on rightmost 2x4:

28 - Fwd Fuse Lower Structure (completed); 29 - Fwd Mid Fuse Side Structure (mated forward and center sections)

The past week and a half were fairly productive.  I also received a couple major shipments of parts, including the WH-000125-3 fuselage wiring harness from SteinAir, and fuel and brake lines from Aircraft Specialty.  Both companies produce top-notch products that I would be unable to duplicate in my humble home workshop.  Items that were accomplished include:

- countersunk, primed and riveted tunnel angle (F14132); joined muffler and firewall assemblies; riveted tunnel sides and cover bases to forward bottom skins; riveted and bolted center section bulkhead to firewall/muffler assembly
- back-riveted cover ribs to forward bottom skins (with my wife); riveted cover base webs to cover ribs; prepared firewall penetration fittings (waiting for another section of proseal, so won’t waste tube); cut and polished stainless steel vent hinges
- drilled and dimpled hinges for vents; deburred and primed vents, sides and arms; riveted vent door assemblies and inlet assemblies and cable brackets to firewall; countersunk and riveted battery box to firewall
- installed cover panels and nutplates on cover panels; broke down the fuselage crate for trash (still need to proseal and attach the firewall penetration fittings)
- prepped and primed the skin overlaps between center bottom and forward bottom skins
- joined front and middle fuselage halves; removed bulkhead bar assemblies; primed lower gear braces; attached brass elbows to gear braces (for brake fluid); attached gear braces, lower and upper drag fittings with bolts; clecoed center section side plates; final-torqued bolts in upper and lower drag fittings
- match-drilled #40 holes in upper drag fitting; removed and deburred center section side plates; re-clecoed side plates
- fabricated wooden stand to put fuselage on its side; prepared workshop for fuselage move to floor
- moved fuselage to floor (standing on side); clecoed every hole; riveted all holes (except for muffler shroud) with my wife helping with all parts that were back-riveted; prosealed muffler shroud and firewall penetration fittings; attached two nutplates

Here are the main wiring harnesses from SteinAir (doesn't look like much for $1300 ... but this would have taken me forever to make, and I'd probably screw up multiple times);