Forward Fuselage

Once I had installed the brakes, plumbing, fuel pump, etc. I figured it was OK to rivet in the forward ribs and bulkheads. Some of it required a helper (I grabbed my buddy the lawyer who lives down the road) but most of it was solo.

In order to make sure that the skin (with it's pre-drilled holes) eventually lines up with the holes in the ribs, I had to make sure the fore-aft ribs and the left-right bulkheads (known as the subpanel in Vanspeak) were in the right relative position.

Using the skin's holes as a drill guide, I made an alignment tool out of a piece of scrap sheet. I then cleco'd the tool to hold the rib and the subpanel in the right position before I drilled, cleco'd and riveted them together.

This stuff went together easily.

This stuff went together easily.

This wire goes from the Main (left) battery to the Hot Battery Bus.

Don't know why I mangled these rivets, but I was pretty sure I'd make it worse by drilling and replacing them.

Now that my subpanel is in, I can start attaching stuff to it.

Young Michael came by so I put a tool in his hand. Here, he's attaching the Main Bus regulator to the subpanel.

He did a fine job, and now I can run wires to it. You can also see the Essential Bus regulator on the right subpanel. They're identical B&C parts.

In order to make sure that the skin (with it's pre-drilled holes) eventually lines up with the holes in the ribs, I had to make sure the fore-aft ribs and the left-right bulkheads (known as the subpanel in Vanspeak) were in the right relative position.	Using the skin's holes as a drill guide, I made an alignment tool out of a piece of scrap sheet. I then cleco'd the tool to hold the rib and the subpanel in the right position before I drilled, cleco'd and riveted them together.
This stuff went together easily.	This stuff went together easily.
This wire goes from the Main (left) battery to the Hot Battery Bus.	Don't know why I mangled these rivets, but I was pretty sure I'd make it worse by drilling and replacing them.
Now that my subpanel is in, I can start attaching stuff to it.
Young Michael came by so I put a tool in his hand. Here, he's attaching the Main Bus regulator to the subpanel.	He did a fine job, and now I can run wires to it. You can also see the Essential Bus regulator on the right subpanel. They're identical B&C parts.