Baffle work...
Lots of progress today. Started off by finishing the countersinking of the skin-to-baffle holes on both sides.

Countersunk holes

I also mounted one more z-bracket to the spar. Once that was complete Sandi helped me put the tank on the spar. Using Dan's fuel tank mount instructions, I needed to match drill the baffle to the attach brackets. Problem was that it was a long ways in to reach the rib and the 90 degree drill attachment I have is very wobbly. Not sure what I was going to do, when a solution presented itself.

My tank baffle is about 8" to long on the outboard end. I intend to trim it off but haven't yet. What this allowed me to do is clamp a spare z-bracket to the end and drill up from the bottom through a lightening hole. Then I could cleco the holes to hold the baffle in place.

Tank on spar
Looking in from the outboard end
Look up in to the lightning hole

Once that was accomplished, I removed all the cleco's attaching the skin to the baffle and also the inboard rib. This allows you to pull the skin off, leaving the baffle exactly where it needs to be. I think just match drilled the brackets using the holes in the baffle. Prettly slick. I unbolted the brackets from the spar and then marked each bracket for it's location.

Result

I stopped by Lowe's on the way home from breakfast and picked up some "Proseal Supplies"...

Supplies

(Time: 5 hours)

- posted by Matthew @ 10/26/2003 10:10:26 PM