Matt’s RV7 Build Log

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 

Tasks Completed:

• Finished drilling stiffeners and gussets to firewall
• Drilled spacers, doubler and L/R F601J
• Disassembled firewall structure for deburring and countersinking

Tasks Completed:

• Fabricated F601E stiffener
  
• Started match drilling stiffeners and gussets to firewall

Tonight I snuck in an hour fabing the rest of the firewall parts. I fit and clecoed everything together in preperation for match drilling tomorrow.

Tasks Completed:

• Fabricated the brake line doubler and spacers.
• Deburred the remaining parts for the firewall skeleton.

I made the rest of the firewall parts including the right F601J. The sequnece of parts is pretty straight forward but it looks to be challenging to get everything lined up to drill–especially the two gussets behind 601J. Another hour of parts prep and then I can drill everything.

Tasks Completed:

• Made F601J-R
• Made the right spacer and brake line doubler 

My how time flies. Work has been killing me. We are hitting the spring cleaning hard in the basement. On top of it all, I got sick last week. So this is my first post in a while but I am happy to report that I have started the firewall this weekend. As the picture shows, I am in the middle of prepping all the support structure.

I built a rack to hang the tail pieces from. Plus I have made major strides in clearing out an area to hold the wing racks when they get here in April. My goal is to have the bulkheads done by then, but its not looking likely.

Tasks Completed:

• Deburred  firewall pieces
• Made F-601 J-L

I need to source a 1/4″ metal tube in order to drill the elevator horns. Time to search some builder websites.

Tasks Completed:

• Finished trimming HS skin to fit elevator counterbalance