Fuselage - Cabin

2006-11-05 - Installing the front deck (slider only). (5.0 Hrs).

Continue to put off fitting the wings by working on the instrument panel.

We bought 3 yards of headliner material yesterday, which I plan on using for the interior of the cabin. I just had to cut a piece and glue it to the right arm rest. I figure I can leave this here for the next two years and see how it holds up. This is a good spot to test because the material has to wrap around the edge of the arm rest. I should get a good idea of how the glue will hold. The headliner material is super light because it's mostly foam. It should help quiet the interior, but mostly, it will keep your arm off of the cold aluminum.

Finished deburring the FWD section ribs and cleco'd the FWD fuse framework back together. Obviously, I have a fixation with the IP, because I should be fitting the wings right now. Oh, well, it's my airplane, I'll work on what I feel like working on.

Ok, if I'm going to work on the IP, I might as well start following the instructions. First step for a slider is to fab the F-7103C-L/R attach angles. The left piece is longer than the right. These are made from AA3-032x3/4x3/4. That's those small angles with the white vinyl that we have been wondering about.

Need to clamp the angle to the IP and mark the holes for the nutplates, so we can figure out where to cut the notches. Actually, the plans look like notches, but say to flute the angles. I'll try fluting first. If that doesn't work, I can always cut the notches.

No surprise here, fluting worked just fine. Notches, what was I thinking?

The F-7103C-L part drilled and fluted, nutplates installed. However, after looking at the holes in the F-7103B attach angles, it may be better to install the nutplates later. They may interfere with setting the rivets in the top skin. I guess that's what pop rivets are made for.

The 11" piece of 063 marked for the F-7109 plate, ready to cut. Let's hope that new bandsaw blade can cut straight. In the past, I would have had to cut this with the hacksaw.

So, how did it cut? Well, excuse the cliche(s), but "like a hot knife through butter", "slicker than mule snot", "faster than a rattle snake attacking a rat", "quicker than an armadillo crossing a road", well actually, that last one, not so right--sorry, this is Texas, it's required.
Of course, after this cut I spent a half-hour getting the saw properly adjusted. The blade was locking up when it stopped, but I figured out what was wrong. So, I can now say that it is possible to get a cheap-assed HF Ohio Forge 10" bandsaw to cut aluminum straight. Damn, I wish I had spent $6 on a new blade three years ago. A properly adjusted bandsaw really does the job.

	We bought 3 yards of headliner material yesterday, which I plan on using for the interior of the cabin. I just had to cut a piece and glue it to the right arm rest. I figure I can leave this here for the next two years and see how it holds up. This is a good spot to test because the material has to wrap around the edge of the arm rest. I should get a good idea of how the glue will hold. The headliner material is super light because it's mostly foam. It should help quiet the interior, but mostly, it will keep your arm off of the cold aluminum.
	Finished deburring the FWD section ribs and cleco'd the FWD fuse framework back together. Obviously, I have a fixation with the IP, because I should be fitting the wings right now. Oh, well, it's my airplane, I'll work on what I feel like working on.
	Ok, if I'm going to work on the IP, I might as well start following the instructions. First step for a slider is to fab the F-7103C-L/R attach angles. The left piece is longer than the right. These are made from AA3-032x3/4x3/4. That's those small angles with the white vinyl that we have been wondering about.
	Need to clamp the angle to the IP and mark the holes for the nutplates, so we can figure out where to cut the notches. Actually, the plans look like notches, but say to flute the angles. I'll try fluting first. If that doesn't work, I can always cut the notches.
	No surprise here, fluting worked just fine. Notches, what was I thinking?
	The F-7103C-L part drilled and fluted, nutplates installed. However, after looking at the holes in the F-7103B attach angles, it may be better to install the nutplates later. They may interfere with setting the rivets in the top skin. I guess that's what pop rivets are made for.
	The 11" piece of 063 marked for the F-7109 plate, ready to cut. Let's hope that new bandsaw blade can cut straight. In the past, I would have had to cut this with the hacksaw.
	So, how did it cut? Well, excuse the cliche(s), but "like a hot knife through butter", "slicker than mule snot", "faster than a rattle snake attacking a rat", "quicker than an armadillo crossing a road", well actually, that last one, not so right--sorry, this is Texas, it's required. Of course, after this cut I spent a half-hour getting the saw properly adjusted. The blade was locking up when it stopped, but I figured out what was wrong. So, I can now say that it is possible to get a cheap-assed HF Ohio Forge 10" bandsaw to cut aluminum straight. Damn, I wish I had spent $6 on a new blade three years ago. A properly adjusted bandsaw really does the job.