Today I worked on several things. I took the fuel tank back out to the
hangar. I also did a couple of other
things. I discovered that the switch I
was able to get from OTTO is not going to work.
It needs a power source to illuminate the green light on the
switch. I suppose I could get someone to
help me tap into a power source but instead I went to Standard Electronics
Supply and purchased an ON/OFF rocker switch.
I installed it in the fuel pump power line and it works just great. I will mount it in the instrument panel below
the ELT switch after I have my DAR inspection and certification. For now it is installed in the line and is
under the map box so the system works like it is supposed to. To turn off the electric fuel pump you must
pull the fuse. That is per Van's
design. So, if you need to power up the
electrical system, in order to not run the electric fuel pump you must pull the
fuse. After the inspection I will be
able to turn the pump on or off from the instrument panel. I also framed the airshow poster I took down
the other day to install the white board.
I had a gold colored frame I had purchased years ago. I went to Rueles and purchased a piece of
glass a some red matt board. While at
the hangar I put it together. I need
some picture hanging wire and I will be able to hang it in the hangar. Maybe I can do so tomorrow.
After that I tackled the fuel tank. I used my holesaw to make a hole for the
Moller fuel gauge. After cutting the
hole I used the reinforcing ring to layout the screw holes. I drilled and then deburred all of the
holes. I also drilled a hole for the new
fuel tank vent.
I
used my shop vac top clean the debris from inside and outside the tank. I then began drilling out the rivets in
preparation for installing the forward lower corner tank reinforcement plates
called out in the fuel tank service notice. It is a real challenge to get the rivets
drilled our correctly. If the mandrel is
still in the rivet it doesn't drill very well.
These are solid back blind rivets so the mandrels can't be punched out
very easily. So far I have been able to
get them out. Now the challenge is
removing the Pre-Seal from the inside corners of the tank. I really gooped them up when I built the tank. Now I am paying the price for doings such a
good job.
I turned my
attention to the stabilator tips. I
finalized the layout and drilling of the left tip. I bent the tabs on the right tip bracket and
attached it to the stabilator. I then
test fit the right tip. It fits pretty
well.
I went through the same layout procedure on the
right tip because it seemed to work so well on the left tip. I put tape around the stabilator and marked
the centerline of the holes in the tabs onto the tape. I then put tape around the tip and slid it
onto the bracket. I transferred the
marks from the stabilator to the tip. I
then determined the location of the holes and marked them on the layout
lines. I drilled the holes in the tip
and installed it on the bracket with clecoes.
I am impressed with how well the tips fit on both sides. I am planning to have the tips painted with the
Maroon color. I will also have the wing
tips painted Maroon so they wings and stabilator are similar. That is all for today. I will be back tomorrow.
