Tail panels

More slow progress today, I was supposed to go flying today behind the new Don's (pipe) Dream motor but the wind was really kicking out of the SW so we bagged it. While at the airport I got the original C85 that came with the project up on the engine stand. I will use this engine for a mock up to check all the plumbing and control routing. Today I checked the fitting of the eyebrows and will make some new brackets next week.

After lunch I made the actual fuel shutoff bracket from the pattern I made yesterday. It's made from 0.090 T3 aluminum.

I then started working on the tail inspection covers. I used the old beat up panels for patterns to make a new set from 0.016 aluminum. I marked the original panels when I had the tail on last weekend.

Here are the new covers. The right one still has the light gray primer I use to make the markings show up good enough for an old guy to see.

Since I don't have one of those edging tools I "brake" the edges using a aluminum bar and a block of wood. I then push over the edge with a block of scrap nylon I have .

I finished the corners with an old worn out set of duckbill pliers I have. These came out pretty good, much better than what I had. I then made the two panels that cover the elevator horn.

The original of these had a really nice round bead rolled into the edge, I did not have the tool for this so I just bent the edge free hand using my duckbills. They have some slight "wucka's" but should look and fit OK.

Tomorrow is supposed to be cool and dry, so I'll move the fuselage outside and fit the horizontal stab to check final fit on these before painting. Sure does not look like muck progress for a day's work! The UPS man is coming tomorrow with airplane parts and I should be able to finish a few items.