N114KB Project Updates

Vertical Stabilizer Priming

Priming can be a contentious issue amongst homebuilders. Whether or not to do it in the first place, how extensively to do it, what materials to utilize in the course of doing it, etc.

On my first RV many years ago, I primed nearly every interior surface with zinc chromate. Over the years, I’ve realized that my old approach was complete overkill. I’ve seen many airplanes over a half-century old with little to no corrosion. Consequently, my new RV will be primed (with self-etching, rattle-can primer) wherever I think appropriate. I won’t be doing most skins or other large, Alclad surfaces, but will be doing small components, non-Alclad parts, and (of course) any non-powdercoated steel.

The first parts to be primed about to receive their coating…
Let the priming commence!
Vertical stabilizer components primed!

Vertical Stabilizer Progress

Vertical stabilizer assembly continues…

Vertical stabilizer skeleton drilled and clecoed together.
Vertical stabilizer skin drilled and clecoed to the skeleton.
My camera-shy wife holding the fully-drilled vertical stabilizer assembly.
Yours truly (considerably less shy) holding the fully-drilled vertical stabilizer assembly.
Now that it’s all clecoed together, it’s time to take it all apart for deburring, priming, and final assembly.
Disassembly about to commence…