Brief Description: Begin fuselage jig and disassemble wing jig
I am planning to build a fuselage jig per Van's plans even though my kit is fully prepunched. I believe the jig will make a better work surface than assembling the fuselage on saw horses or on existing workbenches. Following construction of the fuselage, I plan to use the fuselage jig as a low work table to rivet the bottom wing skins (should allow me to sit while bucking and allow Connie to comfortably reach the rivets from a standing position). It may be necessary to shorten the legs some for use as a bench for riveting the wings but that can be easily accomplished.
I began the fuselage jig by fabricating six of the eight legs. I had some scrap 4x4s in the shop so these were notched to accept the 2x6 rails. The notched areas were also drilled for deck screws that will attached them to the rails. The final two legs at the firewall end of the jig will be made from 2x4s and a couple 1x4s per the plans. After removing my port wing from the jig (installed some final rivets, fabricated/installed fuel sender electrical lead and reinstalled the tank), I disassembled the wing jig. The 2x4s will be reused in construction of the fuselage jig. Two 1x12 boards from the wing crate were also set aside to be ripped and used as braces on the new jig.
