Prior to attaching the top skin to the tail cone, I took some time to work on the static ports and lines. I am using the Dynon static ports and have decided to epoxy them to the side skins. The epoxy I am using is Scotch-Weld 2216 Epoxy Adhesive.
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| Epoxy adhesive attached to dispenser gun |
I temporarily attached the bulkhead fittings to get a better idea of how they fit, and left those in place while I attached the static ports.
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| Bulkhead fittings temporarily held in place with clamped bolts |
I started preparing the static ports for installation by scuffing the attachment surface with 150 grit sandpaper. I also scuffed the side skin surfaces around the static port holes with the same sandpaper, and wiped off any residue with acetone. I then attached the elbow joints to the static ports as I felt it was easier to screw those in now than when the port was attached.
Working on each static port in turn, I applied a thin bead of adhesive to the static port, and used a popsicle stick to spread it evenly. I did find the adhesive to be a little less viscous than proseal, but was much easier to wipe away using a shop towel if needed.
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| Static port with epoxy adhesive applied |
I carefully placed the static port against the skin, and gave it a twist as I pushed slightly to make sure the adhesive was spread evenly. I then lightly clamped some wood against the static port to make sure it was held in place.
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| Static port attached and clamped from the inside of the skin |
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| Static port protruding from the skin exterior. I made sure that the port protruded evenly all the way around |
For cleanup, I wiped away any adhesive squeeze out using shop towels, and then left the ports to cure for at least 12 hours.
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| Nozzle is left attached to adhesive tube, and will then be replaced when I need to use the adhesive again |
15 hours later...
The following day, I removed the clamps and checked to ensure the static ports were securely held. Everything was solid, so I taped over the port holes to ensure they stayed clean.
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| Right static port (left port in background) |
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| Left static port (right port in background) |
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| Static ports from inside the tail cone |
Two weeks later (following a short family vacation)...
I temporarily reattached the bulkhead brackets for the static lines using clamps to hold them in place, and then proceeded to measure and cut the static line pieces that connect the static ports to the 3-way adapter.
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| Using clamps to hold the bracket bolts through the bulkhead |
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| Measuring and cutting static lines. These were easy to cut to length using the provided cutting tool |
After cutting the lines to size, I test fit the aft top skin to check for riveting clearance with the static lines in place. With adequate clearance available for riveting, I then went ahead and attached the static line brackets and adel clamps permanently, and torqued all the bolts to spec.
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| Static lines and fittings bolted to the F-1008 bulkhead |
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| Adel clamp supporting the static line along the bulkhead |
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| 3-way fitting bolted to bracket with static lines attached |
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| Torque seal applied to bolts for future inspections |
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| Adel clamps bolted to brackets along stiffener |
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| Adel clamps supporting static line along left top stiffener |
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| Static line attachment in rear of tail cone complete |
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| Remainder of static line wrapped and zip tied to F-1007 bulkhead for future routing |
This completes work on the static ports and lines for now. All that remains on the tail cone is to attach the aft top skin.
Build Hints
- Epoxy adhesive is not as viscous as proseal. This makes for easier clean up, but next time I will use slightly less than in the photo above. I had a little too much squeeze out especially on the inside which had to be wiped with shop towels.
Time Taken: 3.0 hours
Dates: June 6 - June 7, June 26 - June 27 2023
Tail Cone Total Time: 155.2 hours
RV-10 Build Total Time: 411.2 hours
Priming Total Time: 42.5 hours (not included in build time totals)
