Finished bucking the skeleton

Did the last few rivets on the skeleton of the HS. Had to drill out two rivets that were bad, but it is remarkable how fast one learn using the rivet gun. Also riveted on the 404 spars, and this results in using pop-rivets on the 407 spar/skin interface. Pop rivets doesn't look so nice as flush solid rivets, but it will be easier to get it properly done, nice and straight and good riveting. I think I will chose that path as a general rule in the future as well - higher probability of succeding with a good solution the first time before beauty, he he.

Found out that the HS-410 was a mm or so too large in the ends so it would interfere with the skin. Should have seen this long ago, but didn't, so had to file down the ends, polish and prime (with Zinc Chromate).

Bucking for the first time

Started to rivet together the skeleton and found out that some of the rivets must be bucked on because the rivet hand press just did not fit. Did some practicing on scrap metal.

Clamps for the HS

Made clamps to use when skinning the HS, 3 pieces. Hmm, looking at them, the largest looks a bit too large...

Preparing to skin the HS

Temporary hinges are installed in the rig as well as a new member for the skinning. Read through the skinning procedure, but how to hit the center of the ribs and at the same time between the fluting, is still a bit of a puzle. I also have to decide if I should dimple or countersink.

A lot of thinking to do and decisions to make. In the mean time I have to make some wooden clamps and rivet together the skeleton.

The P05 Strontium Chromate epoxy primer is also ordered and should come within a couple of weeks. It is yellow in color.

HS ribs primed

Deburred and primed the ribs for the HS. Fixed the sligthly conical shaped HS-406 by strightening out the ribs. The HS-406 ribs had an oval shape when looking from top to bottom making them point outward when riveted on to the spar. Just by making them straight made them parallel by approximately 1 mm.

Now I have to decide if the HS-407 spars are to be riveted on now or later - solid flush rivets or pulled rivets on the skin on the HS-404, hmmm ....

HS skeleton ready for deburring and priming

Lots of hard to reach drilling and difficult alignments (3 pieces needs to be aligned simultaneously horiz, vert and in angle before drilling). Still need to check the angle of the 406 ribs, they shall be perpendicular to the aft spar and parallel, but no tolerances are given. Mine have a slight angle outward so I may have to make new flanges on the fwd spar, but when the 406 ribs are not a perfect shape, and I do not know the tolerances, this may be unnecessary?.

HS skeleton

The skeleton is coming together. Lots of very hard to reach drilling. The angle drill from Averytools comes in handy.