Rudder cables 2 hrs

Tonight I dropped the location of the holes through the rear of the fuselage to give the rudder cables a straighter shot to the control horn. I also put the spindles in the cables and hooked them to the pedal and attached the springs.

Rudder. 6 hrs- 361 total

Today I worked on my rudder. This was very time consuming to ensure that the rudder didn't have a twist in it. If I have to do it again I would build some sort of jig. I am please with how it turned out though. It has all been deburred and all I lack is forming the fairing and riveting it

Instrument panel 6 hrs

Today I worked on the instrument panel and skin above. I decided to make a removable panel. I am doing this by cutting the middle of the bulkhead out and leaving about a 1" frame. I will make another solid piece that will mount around the 1" frame and allow me to remove the acorn nuts and pull the panel off of the studs on the bulkhead that has the frame. I cut the forming blocks for the panel and then I cut my bulkhead blank. After forming I mounted the uncut frame on the fuselage and started forming the skin above it. I wanted to wait on cutting the middle out so it would be easier to attach it to the skin and keep it straight and true. After I drilled my holes I cut the middle out and files the edges smooth and deburred. Now when I install the skin above it will pull the bulkhead to where it needs to be. I also installed a stiffening angle on the underside of the frame. Next, I will deburr the top skin and fabricate another panel that will have my instrument cut outs in it. I also formed the bottom cap piece of my rudder. I am ready to cut the skins and start skinning the rudder

Riveting vert stab, rudder prep 2 hrs

Tonight I drilled the rest of the holes in the vertical stabilizer and riveted. I also made some cut out a doubler that is part of the rudder and got it filed smooth and ready to bend at work tomorrow. I cleaned the shop up a little bit.

Vert stab closure. 2 hrs

Tonight I formed the vertical stab closure out of a piece of 5/16 tubing. I made a drilling jig to ensure I hit the center of the tubing. I drilled the skin and tubing then clecoed. This method works much better than the bent and crimped piece of 020 aluminum.

Put wings on

Today I decided to get the wings out of my pole barn, so I put them on the fuselage so I could see it. Looks awesome! I took the wings to my hangar after a few photo ops

Vertical stabilizer. Misc. 8 hrs

Today I worked on the vertical stabilizer. I cut the skin and clecoed it to the spar and ribs. I did the top of the stab. per the plans and against the advise of other builder and will go with the other builders. A lot of people are using a 5/16 tube at the top of the vertical stab vs the bent piece of metal. I tried the metal and don't like the looks; so I'm going to try the tubing. I also took care of a lot of odds and ends. I had my son, Luke, crawl back into the fuselage to run the other tube for the rudder cable. I also reinforced the rib where the trim control pivots to make it a bit sturdier. I drilled the bottom of the side fuselage skins where I had been waiting on a right angle drill and deburred all of the holes. I also riveted some nut plates on the removable back of my luggage box.