Things that go VROOOM in the night

I wasn't going to post tonight but some things have transpired that I feel its necessary.  First, I have been busy working on the right fuel tank but there hasn't been much picture taking going on.  So I will just update you with words.  The tank is almost ready for sealing up and pressure testing.  I am quite amazed at how much work goes into building a leak proof tank.  I am finding that following the plans that have only the left wing drawings is a bit of a challenge when it comes to working on the right wing.  I have no problem converting the image in my head, but I do have a problem remembering that I have to convert it when working on the right wing.  Sheesh.  I will have some pictures in my next post I promise.

Now on to the exciting news for the day.  I have come to agreement on an engine purchase.  This is a very new engine with a new top end.  I spoke to the guy who is selling it on the phone tonight and oddly enough I was quite comfortable chatting with him and making the decision to buy the engine.  The engine is a Lycoming IO-360 which for those of you who don't know that means 4 cylinders and fuel injection.  There are a number of upgrades to this engine which is why I am excited about the purchase.  The engine produces about 200 horsepower which should ensure I have more than enough power to climb over those pesky Rocky Mountains.  This particular engine is an angle valve which means it is newer but a little heavier than the parallel valve engine.  With the RV-9 I think that will actually help me since the CG is so far aft in this airplane.  Neither Amy nor I are big people so gross weight was never really an issue.

The thing about this engine that really interests me is that I get to put it together.  The case is sealed with a new technology (rubber o-ring) but I get to do the rest.  Jim, if you read this you wanna come over and help?  :-)

Now I need to order my new prop!  Catto tri-blade, here I come!

Sheesh, this is getting expensive!

My new engine

Speaking of fuel

So I mentioned yesterday that I was going to discuss my progress this weekend on the wings so here we go.  Yesterday before the awesome day of flying I was able to get the leading edge sections of the main wings assembled, cleco'd and put on the main wing spars.  I ran into a problem where I was not able to get the holes to line up on the top side of the ribs no matter how hard I pressed down with my hands.  So, I created a nice little 2x4 molded to the same curvature of the leading edge and then used it with a clamp to press the rib down enough to get some cleco's in.  It worked out nicely.

Unfortunately I did run out of cleco's today.  So I posted on one of the EAA Facebook pages and a very nice fellow RV builder sold me a bag of 100 for $20.  A great deal for me!  Thanks Russ.

My clamping jib that allowed me to get the cleco's into the ribs.

And here they are, the leading edges cleco'd to the main wing.  The area that is still open is my next task.  The fuel tanks will sit here. 

This is another little contraption that I created.  This is a wood workers marking gauge that I created a  little aluminum pen holder.  This allows me to mark a line parallel with any edge I like at any distance I like.  This came in very handy today and I'm sure will many times in the future.

Amy took a picture of my wearing my cleco bibs and dressing the edge of the aluminum skin.  That skin needs to be smooth so I don't cut myself.

Fuel for the fire!

Yesterday started like most Saturday mornings with me in the hangar working on the leading edge of the main wing.  I will post more about that in my next post because I struggled with getting the skin cleco'd on to the ribs.  I did find a neat way to make it work but I don't have any pics.

Anyway on to the main subject for today.  Jeff called me while I was out working an asked if I would be interested in going flying with him and Harry in their RV's.  Sheesh that took all of about 3 milliseconds to come up with my answer...

Jeff's panel as we are rolling out for takeoff from Thun field in Puyallup.

Harry's rocket as he approaches for some formation flying.

Jeff's RV-7A at our first stop in Hoquim.

Harry and his rocket.

This is the best pic I had of Harry on the left.

Spruce Goose Cafe where we stopped for some pie a'la mode.  That's Jeff on the left and Harry on the right.  Jeff tells me that you have to get here early in the morning on the weekend because it gets VERY busy with people flying in.

A line up of RV's

This is the best pic I have of Jeff's RV-7A from Harry's rocket.  The sun was getting pretty hot by this time and there was a lot of glare for my iPhone to handle.

One more neat thing happened yesterday that I thought I would mention.  As I was taking all of these pictures Dropbox was (unbeknownst to me) uploading them when data was available.  I got a text about 2 hours into the trip from Amy who said "I'm getting your pictures on the computer at home!"

I could gush for hours about how much fun it was to spend the afternoon flying around the pacific NW but I will just say this... I am so glad I decided to get back into flying because this is the life I wan't to live.  The people are superb and you wont find a friendlier group anywhere.

On my knees

And it ain't in prayer.  Tonight I was able to get the J-stringers installed in both wings.  This turned out to be an interesting puzzle since I was not able to open the garage hangar door high enough to slide the stringers into the wing.  The wing stand posts prevented the door from rolling up high enough so I ended up unbolting the top section of the door and folding it down so I could roll the door up high enough.

After the stringers were installed, drilled and cleco'd I moved on to mounting the lower skins.  I had to "borrow" a few cleco's from the top wing skin to have enough to sparsely hang the lower skin.  I ended the up spending most of the night on my knees clecoing the wing to the frame.  My knees are sore!

Oh, one more thing, I got a delivery from Vann's today with a few parts I ordered that need to be installed in the wing while its in the build stage.  Deluxe fuel caps (come highly recommended), Fuel pickup lines, and the flexible conduit that will hold the wiring in the wings.

Lower skins cleco'd to the wing frame.

Picture of the J-stringer cleco'd to the wing skin in its angular channel.  You can also see all the way down the inside of the wing lightening holes.

My new parts!

A little skin in the game

Tonight I managed to get the top skins for both wings cleco'd on and drilled.  That took me a lot of time...about 4 hour actually.  So, not much to show but the weather outside is amazing!  I'm working with the hangar door open and lovin' it!

The wings with the top skins all cleco'd on ready for match drilling.  I know I have said it before but I am absolutely amazed at the quality of these kits.  All that real estate and every single hole is perfectly aligned.

A slightly lower view of the same thing....also something we don't see in Seattle very often.  If you look at the right side of the picture you can see some bright stuff...I think they call that sunlight.

More Wings and things

So I decided its time to update the blog with all the recent work.  I took Monday off and spent the whole day in the hangar working on the wings.  First, as usual progress was slower than desired but at least things are progressing.  First a tip for anybody who may be reading this and find themselves at the point where it time to rivet the wing ribs to the main spar.  The instructions dont give any kind of required order I opted to start with the 4th rib in from the inboard edge.  In doing so I was able to remove the other inboard ribs and had lots of room to work as opposed to having to work between the closely spaced ribs where we will be walking on the wings to get into the airplane.

Main spar with the ribs cleco'd on.  Notice the medical tape I used to protect the spar itself from my destructive bucking bar skills.

Right wing with ribs riveted onto the main spar and getting ready to rivet the trailing edge spar.

Right wing sitting on the wing jig I built last week and left wing almost fully riveted together.  This is the point where Amy drug me kicking and screaming out of the hangar to spend some time with her.

Both wings fully riveted together and the top wing skin with doubler plates getting ready for attaching.  I had to stop a little early tonight to go to the local Home Depot aircraft parts store and get some threaded rod to build the wing span supports so that I can level the wings on the jig.

Dem's alotta ribs

Today I did a marathon run.  The plan was to get the wing ribs sanded, straitened and fluted.  After that I would drill the mounting holes and finally do a little priming.  Well let me tell you, this priming stuff is for the birds!  I spent the majority of the afternoon up until 9:30 tonight just getting half of the ribs ready to prime.  Sheesh,  and I didn't even get the primer applied.  Oh well I am ready to begin the priming process in the morning after I get back from Tahoma Ridge.

Drilling the 3/4 inch hole that the wiring tubes will run through.

Look at all those ribs!  

My old priming rack wouldn't hold even half of the ribs so tonight I built a new one.  This one spans the entire width of the two car side of the hangar.