|
|
|
|
Jims RV-8
|
Date: 9-25-2013
|
Number of Hours: 3.60
|
Manual Reference: 7-7
|
Brief Description: Left tank interior ribs pro-sealed
|
|
Tonight, knowing I was going into pro-seal battle mode, and that I was committed to getting the interior ribs of the left tank pro-sealed and clecoed. I needed to seal them today so that the sealant can set up for a few days and then I will rivet them on Saturday.
I started off by drilling the vent holes to 7/16” in the inboard ribs where the vent fitting attaches. Then I washed all of the left tank interior ribs and skin in MEK to remove any dust/dirt or ProSeal. All of that took about an hour – then it was time to mix the pro-seal and get busy. I used a fellow VAF-er’s method (Rick Galati) for applying pro-seal. He has 1,000’s of hours working with ProSeal on the “big iron” (commercial jets) so he knows what he is talking about and many people have used his method with great success. It’s the same steps as the plans – but it allows time for the ProSeal to set up just a bit before riveting to lesson the mess.
Link : http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=7602
Following the guidance, I spread the ProSeal on the faying (joining) surface of the rib flange and stuck the front 3 clecos in to temporarily hold each rib while I got all 5 interior ribs in. Next I placed the rest of the clecos, working my way up, so that the ProSeal was spread along the surface and some was pressed out along the rib/skin joint. I used this seepage and additional ProSeal to make an uninterrupted fillet seal along the joint so that (hopefully) no fuel can get out. This part took me another 2+ hours as I am a slow and messy pro-seal worker. But like I have heard before – “ProSeal is cheap, use a lot of it” I probably overdid it on the ProSeal but I REALLY don’t want a tank leak…initially, or years from now…
So, after I got the ribs clecoed and the fillets done, I put the baffle on and clecoed it – so as to help keep the proper form. And now I will let it sit for 24 hours – when I will go back and make sure all of the holes that are supposed to be in the interiors ribs, are still open
|
|
with various clecos installed
|
|
closed up - with baffle on too
|
|
a view of the fillet
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2001-2024 Matronics. All Rights Reserved.
|
