Forward Fuselage Construction

Earlier this summer, I started assembling parts of the firewall along with the other station bulkheads.

I marked the fuselage center line and the horizontal reference line (HRL).   I also located all the aluminum angles and clecoed them in place.

I needed to complete the firewall doublers.  The firewall had pre-drilled holes for the doublers.  I located the holes and then drilled them out for a 5/32 cleco to hold them in place.

I am using the #40 silver clecos to hold everything together prior to final drilling.
(#30 drill will be used for AN470AD-4 rivets.)

On the back side of the firewall I need brackets that tie the motor mount & firewall to the aircraft structure.  M-Aero supplies 5 engine mount brackets with the kit cut from an extruded aluminum channel of 6061-T6.  Very rough cut.  Probably made on a large toothed band saw.

Here I am filing the cut edges.  I started with a very rough file then a finer file and finished the edges in the 6" diameter 3M wheel.

Below are four of the five mounts at varying stages of completion.  From left to right, as sent by M-Aero, first pass with rough file, second pass with fine file, and buffed on 3M wheel.

 After clamping the firewall in place, I started to try to align and hold everything in place.  Very frustrating.  (I ran out of clamps!)  I will need to seek advice in the usual places.

Mustang Aeronautics, builders group, EAA Tech Counselor, and other builders in the area.

All of these parts go in the front somewhere.  So much to put together.  I'm getting a headache thinking about it.

Time to take a break.  I'll contemplate a little on these issues before I resolve them.

Later,
Brian