Fuselage - Center Section

2005-10-23 - Drilled the longerons. (4.0 Hrs).

It was a great day in the shop, today. I managed to do the bend for the right side skin, drill the longerons, and match-drill the center section to the aft fuselage. This is really starting to look like an airplane. Ok, so there is still lots to do, but this did feel like progress. Everything is starting to feel a lot more solid.

I tried this bend on the right side skin, with the clecos on top. Again, this just does not work because the forward cleco hits the angle. So, I reversed all of the clecos again, and finished the bend.

The right side fit a lot better on the first try.

Time to drill the longerons. With the air drill, it took about 16 seconds to drill each hole, plus another 15 seconds to insert the cleco. Then I tried the electric drill, and it only took about 10 seconds to drill the hole (faster drill, and different bit). When I was about half done, I broke down and used a new drill bit. The new bit with the electric drill took 5-6 seconds. Don't be cheap, use a new drill bit, there are a lot of holes (about 180 per side).

I had to move everything over so I could drill the right fwd holes. This required everything to be leveled again.

Right side done, half of the left side to go.

I went ahead and drilled the center-to-aft holes now.

Dufus came by and insisted that I take his picture, now that it is starting to look like a fuselage. I told him if he started making airplane noises, I would kick his ass.

Longerons are drilled and the AFT section is drilled to the center section.

	I tried this bend on the right side skin, with the clecos on top. Again, this just does not work because the forward cleco hits the angle. So, I reversed all of the clecos again, and finished the bend.
	The right side fit a lot better on the first try.
	Time to drill the longerons. With the air drill, it took about 16 seconds to drill each hole, plus another 15 seconds to insert the cleco. Then I tried the electric drill, and it only took about 10 seconds to drill the hole (faster drill, and different bit). When I was about half done, I broke down and used a new drill bit. The new bit with the electric drill took 5-6 seconds. Don't be cheap, use a new drill bit, there are a lot of holes (about 180 per side).
	I had to move everything over so I could drill the right fwd holes. This required everything to be leveled again.
	Right side done, half of the left side to go.
	I went ahead and drilled the center-to-aft holes now.
	Dufus came by and insisted that I take his picture, now that it is starting to look like a fuselage. I told him if he started making airplane noises, I would kick his ass.
	Longerons are drilled and the AFT section is drilled to the center section.