Baggage Floor Assembly

Happy Easter!

I continued on with the assembly of the baggage compartment floor this weekend.  I corrosion protected all of the parts and started thinking of the order of operation for assembly.

I've been finding that once a part is drilled and deburred a light reaming operation really rounds out the rivet holes and makes it easier to push a rivet through.  I generally Cleco the parts together and ream the holes with the proper size ream.  (#30 for 1/8 inch rivets & #40 for 3/32 inch rivets.)

Once reamed, I started riveting by using solid rivets (AN470AD-4-4) to connect the left & right baggage support angles.

The Main Squeeze made short work of the 4-4 rivets.









For the left & right baggage floor supports I wanted to try something different.  When I constructed the flap, it had similar triangle parts and they were pretty hard to rivet in place.

So, I decided to use T-88 Structural adhesive and Cherry Max rivets.  The T-88 sets in about 60 minutes with a full cure in about 24 hours.  It is easy to mix.  1 to 1 parts of resin and hardener.

I mixed a little up and spread it evenly over the floor support angle attachment areas.

I very carefully aligned the rivet holes and Clecoed them in place.  Next, I pulled some Cherry Max rivets.

Even though I had spread the adhesive very thin, the excess adhesive oozed out of the edges of the floor supports.  After setting the rivets I wiped off the excess adhesive with an old rag and denatured alcohol.

I've used many kinds of epoxies.  All of them can be cleaned up, prior to curing, with denatured alcohol.

Even the Clecos can be cleaned of wet epoxy.  Denatured alcohol is very safe to use.  Just keep it away from flames or sparks.

I also use the alcohol to wipe off Sharpie Marker lines and prep for painting.

During the week I will rivet the flap hinge and hinge support to the rear of the center section.  I'll use the Main Squeeze, some AN426AD-3-4 flush rivets and about 70 Cherry Max rivets.

By the weekend I should be able to complete the baggage floor area.

BWW

MII Elevator Bell Crank

I had some problems with my apple computer and had to take it in to a dealer for updates.  While it was out I discovered more stuff to assemble on the Mustang.  Now that it is back here is what I worked on last weekend.

 Just behind the baggage compartment there is an assembly for the elevator bell crank.  The prints show a couple of angles, rudder cable pulleys, and the bell crank.

The assembly rivets to the bottom on station 114.75 bulkhead.  Kind of weak.

In the instruction book there is a drawing of an update for adding a gusset to beef the assembly up a bit.

I was able to find all the parts and start laying them out.  With the gussets providing support I am sure the elevator bell crank will go no where when it is really pushed to it's limits.

Here is one side roughed in and almost ready for deburing.  Now to make another......

Here it is clecoed and clamped to the bench.  Next week I will fit it in place behind the baggage compartment.

Right after I debur, dimple and corrosion protect the baggage compartment parts.

BWW

1st Weekend Of March

 As I progress on the plane, I find I have made a lot of headway by building some parts very early in the project.  This weekend I spent time going back through and completing some of the parts.

I cut and drilled the tail cone bottom skin stiffeners last summer.  They were tucked away in the overhead waiting to be completed.  So, I located and matched drilled them to the bottom skins.  Next, I deburred, dimpled, and corrosion protected.

I also corrosion protected the bottom seam between the two skins and Clecoed it all up for riveting.  Looks pretty good.

Very early in the construction of the center section (CS), I drilled the holes for rivets to attach the flap hinge and flap hinge reinforcement.

Kind of scary to do at the time.  I had to butcher the reinforcement plate to fit over the landing gear mounting bolts, seatbelt bolts and other stuff that protrudes from the CS rear spar.




Today, I completed the parts by, you know.....deburing, dimpling, and corrosion protection.

I have a lot of parts I have made that just need to be added to the main project as I go along.  Some I have just forgotten about and need to get them in place prior to final riveting.

I ordered some Cheery-Max rivets to rivet the flap reinforcement to the CS rear spar.  I will use some flush (426AD3-??) rivets for the hinge, reinforcement, to CS bottom skin.  The Main Squeeze will work great here.

Once I have the flap hinge reinforcement in place I can work at getting the rear baggage floor in place.  It is nearly ready to go.

I just have to match drill to 1/8th inch rivets in some places and then debur, some dimples, and corrosion protection.

When that is complete I should be really ready to drive some rivets before finishing the tail cone.

I still have a lot of parts all over the garage.  Some boxes are emptied and tossed to make room.  But, the more room I make the more room the plane takes up.

Hopefully, it will warm up enough to open the garage doors and do a spring clean.  I have a lot of chips on the floor that need to be swept up as well as other debris to toss.

Sooner or later the plane (aka Alice II) will end up at a hanger at ENW for final construction.  I just need to keep plugging along to completion.

Later,
Brian