Fuselage - Forward Section

2006-01-22 - Preparing to rivet the side skins. (3.5 Hrs).

Today, I discovered a little problem with dimpling the holes in the AFT section just behind the F-706 bulkhead. The bulkhead is way too wide to be able to get a squeezer in there. So what did I do? Read on.

We're back to the AFT Fuselage, by itself. Now, we can take care a few of our mistakes.

Like this one.

And this one. Yep, these rivets were installed when I riveted the AFT Fuselage before attaching the Center Section. So, I just drilled right through them when I match-drilled the Center Section to the AFT Fuselage. Now, we can fix them.

Ok, here is the problem with the holes behind the F-706 bulkhead.

Up close.

This was my solution. I drilled a hole in the end of a large closet hanger dowel and inserted the female dimple die. I used a few blocks under the dowel to fit up against the bottom of the AFT fuselage.

Then, I could dimple the holes with the C-Frame rod. Wait a second, C-frame rod, hmmm... What if I turned the fuselage right side up.

Yep, that works, also. The C-frame just barely cleared the F-706 bulkhead. I had to use a very low profile male dimple punch, but it worked.
So, am I proud of this brilliant idea to turn the fuselage right-side-up and dimple these holes? No, that should have been obvious. The point is that whatever the problem is, there is always a solution. Some solutions are better than others, but there is always a way. The coat hanger dowel worked. It was a solution. There just happened to be a better one.

Fortunately, all of the rivets on the side can be reached with the squeezer by pulling back the side skins.

AFT Fuselage, deburred and dimpled. Now, we can take care of countersinking those long erons.

	We're back to the AFT Fuselage, by itself. Now, we can take care a few of our mistakes.
	Like this one.
	And this one. Yep, these rivets were installed when I riveted the AFT Fuselage before attaching the Center Section. So, I just drilled right through them when I match-drilled the Center Section to the AFT Fuselage. Now, we can fix them.
	Ok, here is the problem with the holes behind the F-706 bulkhead.
	Up close.
	This was my solution. I drilled a hole in the end of a large closet hanger dowel and inserted the female dimple die. I used a few blocks under the dowel to fit up against the bottom of the AFT fuselage.
	Then, I could dimple the holes with the C-Frame rod. Wait a second, C-frame rod, hmmm... What if I turned the fuselage right side up.
	Yep, that works, also. The C-frame just barely cleared the F-706 bulkhead. I had to use a very low profile male dimple punch, but it worked. So, am I proud of this brilliant idea to turn the fuselage right-side-up and dimple these holes? No, that should have been obvious. The point is that whatever the problem is, there is always a solution. Some solutions are better than others, but there is always a way. The coat hanger dowel worked. It was a solution. There just happened to be a better one.
	Fortunately, all of the rivets on the side can be reached with the squeezer by pulling back the side skins.
	AFT Fuselage, deburred and dimpled. Now, we can take care of countersinking those long erons.