Alex's Vans RV-10 Build Log

There are a couple more tasks I needed to finish before I start riveting the forward fuselage assembly together including Dimpling the firewall Installing tunnel access panels to make future inspections inside the tunnel easier Firewall recess flange holes dimpled. Here you can see that I had already started thinking about control cable pass-thrus and had made some markings in the recess. I'll talk to this in an upcoming post Dimpling the firewall with the DRDT-2. Stainless steel dimples very easily and the dimples appear crisp Holes near the flanges of the firewall were dimpled with the squeezer For a few holes right next to the flanges, I used the rivet dimpling technique Firewall dimpled as seen from the forward side... ...and the aft side I test fit all the angles and brackets to make sure everything aligned I also decided to redimple the scat tube support as I wasn't fully happy with the attempts earlier. To get a crisper dimple I pulled the flange out about 20 degrees usi...

Continuing on in section 28, with the fwd fuselage bulkhead subassembly clecoed in place, I finished test fitting the landing gear mounts to determine if any additional trimming of the exit hole in the bottom skin was required. I ended up enlarging the hole slightly with a needle file to ensure a perfect fit to the landing gear mount with zero rubbing. Landing gear mount fits well after small adjustments to the skin exit hole Minimal filing was required around the exit hole, but some was necessary due to the hole being slightly too small in places Same trimming was done to the hole for the left landing gear mount At this time I also decided to dimple the called-out holes in fwd cabin floor panels so that they would be ready for priming. I also countersunk the holes in the bottom flange of the center section side plates to accommodate the skin dimples.   Floor panel holes dimpled and panels are ready for priming Side plate bottom flange holes countersunk, with special attention for ...

I decided to make a start on section 28 prior to riveting any firewall parts. This will allow me to assemble much of the bottom forward fuselage, and then figure out mods that I will need to make to accommodate things like the SDS EFI system that I am planning to install. Forward fuse rib and bulkhead parts The first steps in this section require separating angles and assembling the forward seat rail supports. Forward seat rail supports clecoed after countersinking nutplate attach holes as required Screw holes and nutplate attach holes being countersunk in the bulkhead side channels Next I began working on the control column mounts. these require match drilling bolt holes into the mounts and trimming away a fair amount of material. First bolt hole being drilled into the control column mount at the required position using the drill press Initial bolt holes drilled into both mounts. Here you also see the material removed from the mount on the left, and prior to removal on the right The b...