Ch 6 Begins: Time to Start Making a Fuselage...

Well it's been a couple of weeks since I finished the fuselage sides and although things have been quiet here, I have been working...just not as fast since I'm back at work now.  Unfortunately, I'm just now starting to have something to show for it.  Over the last two weeks I've...

- Performed some clean up of the fuse sides:  I had some areas I needed to smooth out with micro so it will look better when painted and I had some dry spots left over from some glassing I needed to repair.

Lowered table w/firewall mounted upside down ala Wayne Hicks style

- Spent a really annoying afternoon trying to level the blasted work table:  After lowering it to prepare for fuselage assembly, I shimmed it level, came back to check to see if it had settled any, leveled it again, etc.  I went through this a few times and then noticed that my level that had just told me the table was high on one end, now told me it was low on that same end...and I hadn't changed anything.  After doing some checking, I finally realized my level was bowed!  Not much...but enough to affect the SMART Tool digital level...how frustrating!  I ordered a new one which came four days later.  PS: The SMART Tool digital level is a great tool...but be prepared.  If you're as anal as I am, you'll spend whatever time it takes to see 0.0 degrees level on the scale.  It doesn't have to be that precise to build the Cozy...but I should have a very straight airplane to for my trouble.

Stir sticks used to secure the final longeron positions

- Finished the Ch 4 temporary firewall by cutting the holes for the longerons:  I started by establishing the 23" Water Line and a centerline and then cut the main longeron holes per the paper template.  I left some side-to-side wiggle room to make adjustments on assembly.  Then I cut the other holes leaving both vertical and horizontal wiggle room. During the dry fit of the fuselage and after the positions were established, checked, rechecked, adjusted, and checked three more times, I glued some epoxy stir sticks on the back of the firewall around the final position of the longerons.  The thought is that this will provide an accurate template for mapping the holes to the real firewall and minimize any accidental oversizing.  We'll see how well this works out.

- And of course I did start the dry fit of the fuselage.  Onward.

cab