Alex's Vans RV-10 Build Log

I continued on with the tail cone by deburring all parts, starting with small parts. I had already deburred all edges and a fair number of holes in previous work sessions, so the majority of deburring now was just the remaining holes. It still took a while! Using the saw horses to support the skins while deburring the remaining holes The square aluminum tubes add additional support to prevent skin sagging Next I drilled the 11/16" hole on the aft bottom skin for the tie down with the drill press. Drilling the aft tailcone skin on the drill press with a unibit Tie down hole done! I cut off the previously marked triangular portion at the front of the right side skin using a dremel with a cutoff wheel for the initial rough cut. I then used a vixen file to clean the cut to the marked line, and needle files and a scotchbrite pad to finish the cut. Using clamps to hold the right skin while cutting off the triangular portion with a dremel and cutoff wheel Triangular piece removed and cut...

It was now finally time to begin match drilling the aft deck to the tail cone frame. I began by making sure that the center line on the F-1010B spacer was still visible through the aft deck holes, and then drilled those 4 holes using a 1/8" bit followed by a #30 reamer. Next I match drilled the side holes of the aft deck into the longerons. I first made sure the clamps were keeping the longerons in line with the edges of the aft deck. I added an additional clamp at the longeron bend because I saw that the longerons were being pushed out slightly, so the clamp helped bring everything into alignment. I drilled the holes with a 1/8" bit, alternating between left and right, forward and aft sides to avoid imparting a twist, and clecoed each holes as I went. Once all holes were drilled to 1/8", I finished them with a #30 reamer. For the 2 holes at the forward most end of the aft deck, and the 2 holes next to the Horizontal Stabilizer attachment bars, I used a 6" #30 bit t...

It was now time to work on attaching the top skins to the tail cone. I began by deburring and clecoing the F-1009 bulkhead frame to the aft deck. I left the aft deck clamps in place to keep it tight to the longerons. Aft bulkhead section clecoed to aft deck I then fluted each of the bulkhead tabs sitting above the longerons that had two holes, adding a heavy flute evenly spaced between the holes. Tabs with 2 holes heavily fluted Next, I inserted the 3 top J-channel stiffeners into the bulkhead slots, ensuring that the stiffeners were lined up with the tabs as directed in the plans. Top stiffeners put in place, ready for the skin to be attached Top stiffeners, view from below I then proceeded to cleco the aft top skin in place. I worked from the center of the skin, down each side of the tail cone as suggested in the plans. Then skin was somewhat difficult to bend, especially around the F-1008 bulkhead, but it came together nicely and all holes lined up without too much trouble. After I ...