Spinner front bulkhead bolts torqued and safety-wired.
Spinner plate assembly and front spinner bulkhead nutplates riveted.
Yes, there’s a little oopsie on one of those holes (a locating magnet failure to accurately locate that pre-drilled hole), but the nutplate isn’t compromised, so I’m not concerned. Onward!
Spinner is done and clecoed in place for the moment. The manual says to install it now with the permanent screws, but a few pages later (in the cowling instructions) it has to come off again, so best to leave the screwing until later. So to speak.
Left empennage gap cover bent and clecoed in place.
Waiting for epoxy to set up after each operation caused some delays this week (plus, my compressor died and had to be replaced), so there are several days of progress represented in today’s update.
All three empennage tip fairings are shown here having received their initial internal flox fillets and fiberglass layups.
One of the spinner gap fillers shown here with its flox fixes in place. They came out pretty nice and should look fine once they’re primed and painted.
The other spinner gap filler shown here with its flox fixes in place. They came out pretty nice and should look fine once they’re primed and painted.
First post-sanding pass at fitting the left horizontal stabilizer tip fairing to clear the elevator counterweight arm.
First post-sanding pass at fitting the right horizontal stabilizer tip fairing to clear the elevator counterweight arm.
First post-sanding pass at fitting the vertical stabilizer tip fairing to clear the rudder counterweight arm.
Taillight installed and Molex connector fitted to the wiring harness.
Lots of micro slathered on in this (hopefully final) step. Some sanding tomorrow and another coat of filler primer should see these puppies ready for riveting. Hopefully.
First attempt at supporting prop for installation of spinner plate assembly. I didn’t like it – way too precarious.
We wound up setting the prop on the hub with the rear face extended off the table’s edge. With two people holding it in place, that was sufficient to get the spinner plate bolted in place and torqued. Afterward, we just set it on its bolts.
Ring gear and alternator belt loosely in place. Yes, the paper towel was removed from the crank.
Lift strap wrapped around the prop hub and awaiting the engine hoist.
This worked even better than anticipated. Only a little manipulation of the hoist was required to get the bolts started. After that, it’s just a matter of doing a little on each one and continuing around the circle as the bolts draw the prop onto the crank and ring gear.
All snugged up and awaiting the arrival of the special prop wrench for final torquing and safety-wiring of the prop bolts.
All snugged up and awaiting the arrival of the special prop wrench for final torquing and safety-wiring of the prop bolts.
Front spinner bulkhead temporarily in place and, though it’s impossible to see here, the alternator has been positioned (tensioning the belt) and its bolts torqued and safety-wired as appropriate.
Conehead Ken. My wife was amused and it’s not for me to argue!
