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Stevens Web Site
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Date: 1-15-2006
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Number of Hours: 2.50
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Manual Reference:
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Brief Description: Riveted first two tank ribs
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I finally got back on the project after what seems like months. First, the Christmas holidays were very busy with the kids visiting and all of the parties. Then, the first two weeks at work have been a whirl. Last Saturday, I left for Sao Paulo, Brazil to take a deposition in connection with a helicopter crash in Brazil. Although I have a few aviation cases from time to time, I have never had to leave the country for a deposition before. It was great fun and Sao Paulo was facinating.Back in the shop, I was ready to start riveting the tank ribs. Jamie Painter told me that I should get a riveting partner for the job because it is too difficult to rivet the tank ribs by yourself. Jim Anderson came to the rescue. We spent a little time carefully preparing for the proseal riveting adventure. We even shot 4 practice rivets in some other aluminum to get back in the riveting groove.When the time came, we mixed the proseal (in a smaller cup this time) and fabricated some stiffer applicators our of 1/8 inch flat aluminum strap. We also tried acid brushes, but they were not quite up to snuff.The first tank rib took about 1.5 hours. The second took only 1/2 hour. After a while, we got a rythm going and could rivet pretty fast and consistently. It is all but impossible to get the rivet gage on the shop heads of the rivets, so we had to go by eye to determine if they were acceptable. With Jim riveting and me bucking the rivets, it went well. After a while, it is not so bad to work with proseal. You just get used to it. It is stiff, smelly and stickey, but it is what it is. You simply learn to work with it. After doing two ribs, we spent some time cleaning up and then Vicki and Cathy (Jim's wife) joined us for dinner. What a great night. It feels good to be back working on the plane and I had a great time working with Jim. JIm says he will help me put the rest of the tank ribs in, possibly next weekend.
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Yours truly in Sao Paulo with Teresa Bishop, our court reporter, and Don Andersen, a friend and atty.
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First two tank ribs riveted in
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Close up of the first tank rib
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