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Dan's Web Site
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Date: 5-24-2003
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Number of Hours: 5.00
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Manual Reference:
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Brief Description: Proseal End Ribs / Baffle - Close Tank
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What a wonderful day! I got up early and unloaded everything from the Van and got everything ready in Ben's shop. When Ben got up, he started making breakfast but had to drop everything to take Lorelei to the hospital. Her due date was last Saturday but today was the day. Mom ended up watching Casara and Nathan and I finished cooking breakfast. Ben called Matt and told him to come over right away so he could help me still get my tank sealed this weekend. After breakfast I headed out to the shop and started cleaning everything with MEK while I waited for Matt. After a while more of waiting for Matt, I decided to mix up some proseal and rivet the inboard and outboard ribs on myself. This wasn't difficult since I brought my pneumatic squeezer with me. It was a little messier doing everything myself but I actually took my time and enjoyed it. I had the radio cranked up and was listening to the rain outside. Matt still wasn't here by the time I was finished with the end ribs so I started wiring and installing the inboard capacitance plates. The 2 spacers that Van's sent me this time were white plastic while all of the other ones in the original package were black. Strange. While I had all of the spacers now, I realized I had forgotten the lock nut for the small bolt that secures the wires to the inboard plate. Damn. I also realised that the AN470 rivets that I brought to rivet the fuselage attach angle were too short. I searched all over Ben's shop and basement for the rivets that came along with our old RV-6A empennage kit that we bought a couple of years ago. I couldn't find them. Matt finally showed up around 2:30 in the afternoon and said he had all of Ben's rivets at his and Jesse's place - about an hour away. He also had some extra lock nuts. He had brought lunch from Bill Gray's to apologize for being so late. I guess he had to clean Jesse's house before coming over since Jesse was expecting some guests. Anyway, after lunch we headed back to his place, picked up the rivets and lock nut, and then headed back to Ben's. I got the inboard capacitance plate installed and then it was on to a large proseal session to rivet the baffle and Z-brackets to the tank. Note - Do not prime the brackets before riveting. We had a tough time fitting the pop rivets into the holes because of the primer. We were able to wiggle them all in though without having to drill again and risk getting filings inside the tank. Riveting went very quickly with two of us working and with the pneumatic squeezer. Also, forgot to mention, we had to buck the fuselage attach angle to the inboard rib before putting the baffle on. No problems there now that I had the right length rivets. It's done!!!! And at 5:30pm Casara brought a note in from Mom that Ben had called. They have a new little boy - Tyler Daniel Reeves - 8+ lbs, 21+ inches. Mom and baby are fine. What a great day for everyone!!! I cleaned up the tank with MEK and then rushed to the store for some flowers, balloons and a card. Ben had just gotten back from the hospital when I got back. Proud father....
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Matt showing off our finished product
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Right tank strapped in for the ride home
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Clean tools once again.
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