Tank access covers, tank stiffeners and skins
Started off the morning with the intent to cut my new skins to length. I tried using my jig saw with a metal cutting blade but that wasn’t going to do it. The blade is too flexible and you can’t cut a straight line with it. I put that aside and played with the fuel tank access cover and reinforcement ring. Deburred them on the 3M wheel, countersunk the holes in them. Then I read the directions and discovered that the reinforcement ring gets riveted to the rib, so I’ll have to countersink the holes a little deeper to accept the dimple in the rib. (I really haven’t been reading the manual much... just kinda going with things.)

Made a run to Home Depot to grab a router bit, some 1” conduit and a 1x6x12’. Dropped the stuff off at home and then headed over to Ray’s house for a visit. I needed to return his edge roller and borrow his angle drill attachment do-hickey. I also wanted to see how he was progressing. He’s finishing up the firewall stuff and prepping to paint the interior. The next time he bolts the engine on should be the last. Came home, ate and watched the tube for a bit and then headed out to the garage.

The router bit worked FANTASTIC! I cleaned up the edge I cut with the jig-saw, then cut the other end so it was the proper length. I clamped my long level to the skin to act as a guide for the router. In the process of moving the first skin around, I managed to knock off a metal clamp which landed right on the skin I just cut putting a nice ding in it. &(**@#(!!! Can’t

(Time: 5 hours)
- posted by Matthew @ 9/1/2003 07:36:49 AM