Drilling out rivets

I spent some time last night and tonight drilling out rivets on the old boot cowl to get some of the supports off for re-use.  In the process, I realized the old firewall had another piece sandwiched on top of it, making it twice as thick.  Several of the rivets were buried under one layer, so I had to cut it away to access the rivet heads.  Just another weird thing found on 98K. 

I also removed the data plate and moved it to the new firewall.  There are a few more reinforcements to remove from the old cowl, so that should keep me busy another night or two.

The triangle piece is what I was removing. 

 Here it is 80% loose.

You can see the two layers of firewall and where I

cut one layer back (not elegantly either) to access

the rivets heads.

Pieces removed

Data plate re-installed on new firewall

Gear fairings on

I have spent a few hours here and there over the past several days and now have a few more things completed.

I trimmed the carpets and installed the snap screws to hold the carpet down.  I also used my soldering iron to melt the trimmed edges to keep them from fraying.  I anchored the new fuel lines on the left and right side, which run from the tank exit to the fuel selector valve on the firewall. 

I also now have the landing gear leg fairing and the fuselage to gear fairing installed on both sides.  I dreaded this task, but eventually got motivated.  The right side definitely went faster than the left.  Other than the new aluminum pieces for the boot cowl to install and re-installing the headliner supports, I think I am about ready to cover.

A naked right gear leg

Fairings installed, right gear

Fairings installed on left gear

Fuel line routing in cabin

Christmas in October

Jean and Jim Stock came to Benton from Topeka today with the finished interior panels for the Stinson.  You may remember from a post a few years ago they have previously recovered the seats (July 2010, appropriately titled "Christmas in July".....am I consistent or what).  I work with their son, Jeff, at HBC. 

Everything looks great....these pictures don't do the work justice.  There is some extra material on a few edges to wrap around door posts, so if you see any wrinkles, these will smooth out in that process.  Yea!  Merry Christmas to me!

The Stocks with the right door panel

Nathan holds parts in place to give the big picture

We added a seat to the picture. 

Note the map pocket on the forward

kick panel, complete with map!

Right Wing Done, Interior Closer

I had some free time this evening so I decided to clean up the gasket area on the right wing fuel tank where the fuel sender goes.  After that, I went ahead and installed the sender with a new gasket.  Being on a roll, I installed the tank and tightened down the straps.  To wrap up the activities, I glued the finish tapes to the tank and then Poly-Brushed them to the wing.  Below is the finished product.  Now I will turn my full attention to the fuselage! 

In other news, my interior panels are finished in Topeka.  I received a photo from a camera / phone.  The picture isn't the greatest as far as color detail, but the panels look great from what I can tell.  There is gold carpet along the bottom, black leather in the middle, and "Citation Light Caramel" leather at the top.  The Stinson logo is embroidered in the door panel.  There is also a map pocket in the pilot's forward kick panel! 

Right Wing Tank in Work

Most of the weekend was spent doing things not involving 98K.  Yesterday, I managed to get new cork glued to the front and back edges of the right wing fuel tank tank.  I also installed the reinforcement ring on the inside of the tank and the associated fuel filler neck and new gasket.

After mowing the grass tonight (maybe for the last time this season?), I turned my attention to the hangar for awhile.  I trimmed the cork and then placed the tank in the wing.  That allowed me to mark where the fuel quick drain valve will protrude through the fabric.

I then removed the tank and made a metal reinforcement for that area.  The last steps for tonight were to glue the metal reinforcement in place and then put a doilie over it, on the inside. 

The next steps are to clean the area where the fuel sender gasket goes and then install the fuel sender.

You can see the cork along the back edge. 

The front is still clamped in place.

Metal reinforcement for the quick drain valve

glued in place with a doilie on top.

Left wing finished...really

The last remaining activity on the left wing before paint was to cut open an inspection hole and attach a bracket to a rib.  The bracket holds the pitot & static lines in place.  When we replaced that rib earlier this year, I missed attaching this bracket.  Once covered, we could hear a noise when you pushed on the bottom of the rib.  That noise was the lines rubbing on the rib.

This afternoon, Nathan helped me fix this.  He used his Dremel and reached in there and drilled a hole in the rib.  This was quite a feat.  He has a lot more patience than I do.  To feel like I did something to help, once Nathan had the hole in place, I reached in with a stub screwdriver and attached everything.

We finished everything off by putting a new doilie over the hole.  So, we are good to go!

Nathan up to his elbow in activity

New doilie in place

Left fuel tank installed

I have been out of town most of the week so today was the first time in October I had a chance to do anything on 98K.  I finished cleaning the left wing tank where the fuel sender goes, getting all the old bits of gasket off and polishing that area up for a better seal.  I installed the fuel sender and then worked on the opening where you refill the tank. 

Wade had made me a custom nut plate ring (see previous May post) for this opening.  I needed to cut the screws I had a little shorter, but other than that, the installation was straight forward.  At least until I put on the fuel cap and found the vent did not point straight ahead.  So, I removed everything and got it all in the right place and re-secured it.

Finally, I decided to install the tank after attaching a new fuel sender wire on the bottom.  Everything seemed to fit well, so I tightened the steel hold down straps.  Then I used Poly-Tac to secure fabric to the tank and Poly-Brush to secure it to the rest of the wing - this is to cover the gap between the tank and the wing.  Tomorrow I will iron the gap and tighten everything up.

Fuel tank filler support and cap installed

Tank strapped down

Fabric tapes cover the gap between

 the tank and the rest of the wing