Matt’s RV7 Build Log

Tasks Completed:

• Started QB wing inventory 

My friend Ryan and I took the train down to Portland and then picked up a Uhaul truck and drove it over to the factory. Barbara and co. were ready with a my QB wing crates. Technically I could have picked them up uncrated but I thought $300 is small price to avoid any dents during transport. After a great lunch at Pho Van outside Portland we drove back to my house. Fellow builder Jason met us there and the three of us unloaded the wings directly out of their crate on the truck and into the wing cradles I got from Dave Parsons. Thanks Dave! We unloaded the second box and stashed it in the garage. It’s pretty crowded now in my build space but it’s nice to be surrounded by so many airplane parts! Pics to come soon.

With the size of the prefab’d center sections I just used the air drill to create the 5/8″ wire pass throughs in F704A and B. Actually I made the first one with the airdrill and almost screwed it up because of the high RPMs of the airdrill. I went back to the cordless at lower RPMs combined with some Boelube and got much better results.

Task Completed:

• Drilled wire pass throughson F704A and B
• Clecoed 704 assemblies together

Tonight I started drilling the wire pass throughs in the center section parts. This requires expanding a small hole into a biggerhole using a unibit. I just purchased a benchtop drill press that should help with the smaller parts.

Tasks Completed:

• Drilled F704C and D wire pass-throughs

NOTE: The unibit in the drill press worked great except for shaving of a bit of the flange when the unibit got too close. Van’s says, “buff, prime, build on.” So I will.

I went ahead tonight and started gathering all the parts for the center section bulkhed.

Tasks Completed:

• Prepped parts for center bulkhead

Tonight Annabelle helped me finish the dimpling on the stainless steel firewall.

Tasks Completed:

• Finished firewall dimpling
• Final test fit of firewall parts before priming

I finished all the countersinking tonight on all the stiffeners and gussets. The hard wood jig I use to hold the part while using the microstop in the cordless drill is working great. I started to dimple the firewall, but after a few holes trying to holding the part and dimple by myself I thought better of it. I’ll get Annabelle to help out later this week.

Tasks Completed:

• Finished countersinking stiffeners and gussets
• Started to dimple firewall