Alex's Vans RV-10 Build Log

Back at the end of June 2023, I was finally getting close to the end of the tail cone assembly, just having to rivet the aft top skin in place. I began this by clecoing the skin to the stiffeners, leaving the sides unclecoed.  Aft top skin clecoed to stiffeners and bulkheads I was then able to easily buck all the skin to stiffener rivets as well as rivets along the top of the F-1008 and F-1009 bulkheads. Aft top skin after riveting to stiffeners and top of bulkheads I was able to push the static lines slightly to the side to get the bucking bar against the rivets on the top left stiffener, being careful not to damage the static lines or attachment brackets Next, I clecoed one side of the top skin all the way down to the longerons, and bucked the remaining rivets along that side of the F-1009 bulkhead by reaching through the opening with the bucking bar. Skin riveted to right side of F-1009 bulkhead The remaining rivets in the top skin required a helper, so I temporarily (for almost...

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. 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. 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...

Moving on to a new page in the plans, I squeezed the rivets attaching the bellcrank angles to the bellcrank ribs, leaving open the two holes at the forward end of the right rib. Squeezing rivets to attach the bellcrank angles to the ribs All rivets set (except for 2 as directed). The nutplates did not interfere with rivet setting I then clecoed the bellcrank ribs to the bottom skin and bulkheads, and was able to buck the rivets (long arms helped here). Bellcrank ribs clecoed in position, and ready to have rivets bucked Next, I worked on the rivets holding the bellcrank rib flanges to the F-1007 bulkhead. I am attaching the Garmin Yaw Servo mount at this point because it needs to be riveted through 4 of the same holes, but I am using AN470 4-5 rivets in those holes, rather than the plans specified 4-4 rivets. I had attempted to squeeze the top two 4-4 rivets first because those are not attached to the servo mount, but quickly found that this will not work because there is a nutplate ver...