Matt’s RV7 Build Log

Tasks Completed:

• Primed left and right stiffeners
• Back-riveted right elevator skin
• Bent right elevator skin
• Clecoed right elevator skin 

–Removed jig from trailing edge
–Trimmed excess Pro Seal
–Cleaned holes with a #40 bit by hand
–Started the double flush riveting 

–Drilled back most holes in ribs to 7/64″ and installed pop rivets.
–Started prep work for trailing edge riveting

So after doing some punch list work on the rudder riveting so far, I began to set up the aluminum angle for completing the trailing edge.

Note 1: Drilled out bad rivet on ride side forward most bottom rib hole.

Note: 2: Need to find a way to squeeze rivet in 2nd most rear hole of right top rib for symmetry. 

–Continued Riveting rudder skin to skeleton

Tonight I worked on the the counterbalance skin and right side of the bottom rib and spar.

–Installed counterbalance lead
–Installed tip rib 

–Riveted stiffeners on the right skin
–Assembled rudder
–Match drilled skins and spars 

–Primed stiffeners
–Riveted stiffeners to left skin

I used Tempo Zinc Chromate on the stiffeners because I couldn’t find any self-etch locally. I does not seem to adhere well at all compared with the 7220. It’s good enough for these stiffeners but I won’t be using it again. 

The first few rivets for the left skin stiffeners were poorly driven because I couldn’t get the back rivet set to fit well against the stiffener flanges. I ground down the plastic on the back rivet set to get clearance against the stiffeners. After this the riveting work much better. 

–Finished dimpling skins and stiffeners

Note: Some holes in the skins look enlarged after dimpling. They are large enough for an oops rivet so I am going to move ahead with the 3-3 rivets.