Fuselage, FWD Lower Structure (Part 15)

Fuselage, FWD Lower Structure (Part 14)

Fuselage, FWD Lower Structure (Part 13)

Fuselage, FWD Lower Structure (Part 12)

Fuselage, FWD Lower Structure (Part 11)

Tonight’s session was kinda short, but I was able to complete the Proseal application in the muffler area.  To start, I cleaned the area with isopropyl alcohol and then marked off where the proseal would be applied with orange tape (this helps in the clean up of excess proseal).  I applied beads of proseal in the seam created by the Muffler Shroud Ramp and Muffler Shroud Sides and used a popsicle stick to smooth out the bead of proseal.

After allowing about an hour for the proseal to dry, I pulled the orange tape off.....here is the result.

An overall picture looking forward.....

.....one side.....

.....and the other.

Turned out pretty good and I’m happy with the results.  The orange tape helped with the clean up of the excess proseal and the popsicle stick made a smooth fillet on the parts.

Fuselage, FWD Lower Structure (Part 10)

After letting the Proseal dry from yesterday’s session, it was time to install the F-01454 Muffler Shroud Ramp to the Shroud Sides.  This step will actually “connect” the Left and Right Forward Bottom Skins to each other.  The picture below shows the Shroud Ramp installed and riveted to Shroud Sides (minus six rivets).  

It initially appeared I could squeeze the 38 rivets required to install the Ramp.  However, due to the angle (and probably the head of the yoke on my squeezer) I wasn’t able to squeeze the AN470AD3-3 rivets.  As a result, I wasn’t able to get the rivet set directly over the manufactured head of the rivets.  So, I had to shoot them with my rivet gun and bucking bar.  There was a lot of room and access to the manufactured and shop heads, so it was pretty easy to do it myself.  However, there are six rivets that I would like to have help with.....so, I’ll wait for assistance.

Here is a view down the right Shroud Side to Shroud Ramp rivets.....

.....and down the left side.

Tomorrow, I will get help with the remaining six rivets and continue on to the next step.

Fuselage, FWD Lower Structure (Part 9)

Tonight’s session concentrated on attaching the F-01453-L & -R Muffler Shroud Sides to the F-01483-L & -R Forward Bottom Skins.  To start, the bottom side of the lower flanges of each Muffler Shroud Side was cleaned with solvent (I used isopropyl alcohol).  Then, a small 1/16th bead of fuel tank sealant (I used Flamemaster CS 3204) was applied to the bottom of the Shroud Sides where the flanges rivet to the Forward Bottom Skin.  Finally, it was clecoed and riveted.  The two Shroud Sides used 44 AN426AD3-3.5 rivets (22 on each Side).

Pictured below is the left Forward Bottom Skin with the left Shroud Side prosealed and riveted.

Here is a closer shot of the inside (or upper) portion of the Skin.....

.....and the opposite side (or lower) portion of the Skin.  You can see the rivet line at the top of the Skin.

Pictured below is the right Forward Bottom Skin with the right Shroud Side prosealed and riveted.

Here is a closer shot of the inside (or upper) portion of the Skin.....

.....and the opposite side (or lower) portion of the Skin.  You can see the rivet line at the bottom of the Skin.

Once each Bottom Skin and Shroud Side were riveted together, I used MEK to clean up the excess proseal and make it “pretty”.