Brief Description: Drilled and riveted canopy slider spacer & rail.
Today we finished the slider spacer by riveting the rail to it. The slider rail allows the slider block that is attached to the rear of the canopy frame to slide the canopy back and up over the aft top fuselage. Making the spacer/rail was a little more involved than I thought it would be. The 1"x0.063 sheet of aluminum must be attached to the spacer. It is double-fush riveted to the spacer so that it sits flush on the aft top fuselage skin and allows the the slider block to smoothly slide. The aluminum spacer and sheet are both countersunk as well as the screw holes. There are six srews that attach the assembly to the aft top fuselage through the skin and F787 rib.
The drilling and countersinking took most of the time. The aluminum sheet must be bent over the spacer. I drilled the screw hole on the 45 degree part and then used clamps to bend the sheet to the spacer. I had previously marked the hole spacing and drilled the spacer, therefore, after clamping the sheet I match drilled it using the spacer as a guide. After deburring, I reassembled the spacer and rail and then back riveted on the steel plate on my workbench. My shop heads on the 426AD3-6 rivets filled in the countersink, although the countesink was a bit too deep. I think it will do just fine.
Slider spacer and rail riveted.
Slider spacer/rail showing screw holes and rivets.
Slider spacer/rail on top of aft fuselage but not yet installed.
