Brief Description: Tail Skid Bracket Work and Bulkhead Assembly.
Continued with fabrication of the Tail Skid Bracket. Cut off 1/4 inch from the side of the tapped hole and sloped the thick part on the opposite end. It was not as hard as I anticipated. Thanks to an electric multifunction tool with half-moon cutter and Scotch Brite wheel. Deburred the edges and match drilled #30 holes. Final drilled #30 the holes in the F-1211C Hinge Brackets, VA-146 Flange Bearings and F-1211 Assembly. Final drilled #12 holes in the assembly. Separated the parts and deburred the holes. Primed above parts prior to riveting.
Riveting the parts of the assembly (Bulkhead and Doubler) is very complicated, requiring several different rivets. Started with the pulled rivets and then with the solid rivets. After squeezing several solid rivets, my muscles became very sore. The long D4 rivets were particularly hard. Even when I put all of my body weight on the squeezer against the work bench, the rivets were still not fully set. I used the rivet gun on one rivet but it just put a "smiley face" on the head. There are still many solid rivets to put and I don't think I can stand more pain at this time. I plan to get a pneumatic rivet squeezer before continuining with the assembly.
