KitLog pro

Powered By Kitlog Pro v2.0

RV-7 Construction Log
' style=
Date:  8-4-2012
Number of Hours:  6.80
Manual Reference:  p 7-7
Brief Description:  Left Fuel Tank

Well, my goal of finishing the left tank the weekend was thwarted. The sealant on the last three ribs I sealed and clecoed yesterday has not quite set enough. I even had a little trouble riveting the second due to the sealant being a bit on the wet side.

Another problem of my own making was that just after starting the second rib, I noticed the shop heads looked a bit too thin, even with very short bursts on the gun. I stepped the rivet length a half size, but then noticed I was breaking off the shop heads of about every other one. WTF? I finally noticed that my regulator right at the gun was set at 80 psi rather than the 50 - 55 that I normally use on short #3 rivets. DUH! After setting the reg properly and going back to the plans-specified rivet length everything looked fine. I wasted a LOT of time fixing bad rivets and figuring out this problem.

Since I couldn't finish riveting the interior ribs, I thought about installing the end ribs. I got the reinforcement plate sealed and riveted to the outboard rib, but I thought it would be easier to install the vent line and get the ends bent into the proper positon in the outboard bay before installing the end ribs. I cut the vent line to length and got the inboard bend roughed out.

Rivets Today: 71
Rivets Total: 2982
' style=

First two outboard interior ribs riveted and cleaned.

First two outboard interior ribs riveted and cleaned.

' style=

T-410 reinforcement plate and outobard T-403 rib scuffed and cleaned, ready for sealant.

T-410 reinforcement plate and outobard T-403 rib scuffed and cleaned, ready for sealant.

' style=

Reinforcement plate and outboard rib sealed and riveted.

Reinforcement plate and outboard rib sealed and riveted.

' style=










Copyright © 2001-2024 Matronics. All Rights Reserved.