During the week I completed making my inspection hatch in the right side tail cone skin. When I finished making the access hole in the skin I needed to make a cover from some .032 aluminum. I laid a piece behind the hole and traced it out with a fine sharpie pen.
I trimmed the access hole cover with a sheet metal shear. Cutting close to the marker line without removing it. I used a bench top belt sander to size the cover to the hole, careful not to remove to much material. Looking from the outside of the skin, a nice tight fit.
Next, I needed a way to hold the cover in place so, I cut a frame of some .040 aluminum that I will rivet the hatch cover to, use some nut plates and 6-32 machine screws to secure the cover to the side skin.
Looking from the inside-out of the tail cone, I have the hatch cover Clecoed together ready for final preparation work. It took me a week of evenings just to make this hatch cover! YIKES!
(I have a smaller one to make in the left side.)
I completed final prep work on the right side tail cone skin today, along with the inspection hatch cover. I will need to complete the left side skin. I'll be starting on that tomorrow. Should have all the skins ready by end of next weekend. (Maybe.)
Once the skins are ready, all I'll have to do is get bulkhead 114.75 deburred, dimpled, and corrosion protected and I'll be able to start riveting. Just a couple more weeks of prep work.
BWW
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