Update to Rear Torque Tube Modification
In my last post, I documented a problem I found when joining the center and rear fuselages. The modifications I made to the rear torque tube didn’t account for the clearance needed for the rudder conduit fittings, which are mounted very near the torque tube, and were butting up...
Rear Fuselage Structure
I took a short hiatus from building the Sling to work on a few adjacent projects. One of my other interests is 3D printing, and given some of the parts I made recently for my plane, I decided to make a few upgrades to my 3D printer. I’m completely...
Bundling Wires with Lacing Cord
It’s a minor detail that you don’t usually see, but I like the finished look of neatly-bundled wire harnesses. While zip ties are convenient, they can damage the wire over time – under vibration, the edge of the zip tie chafes the Tefzel jacket, and eventually can cause intermittent...
Fuel System Routing
Now that I had all the parts I needed, it was time to begin routing the fuel system through the center fuselage. I am deviating from the TAF instructions, the following is a summary of the changes: Relocating the fuel valve body to slightly below and behind the dash,...
Center Console Work
I’ve been pretty quiet with blog updates for the last 2 weeks as I’ve been doing a lot of research and planning for upcoming tasks: running wires, fuel lines, and brake lines. I wasn’t planning to have this all figured out by this point in the build, so this...
Rear Elevator Torque Tube Modification
I decided to modify how the rear/short elevator torque tube is held in place on the floor ribs. After spending hours in previous weeks fiddling with the floor ribs, I just couldn’t find a fit that allowed the tube to turn smoothly. The floor ribs that support the torque...
Flush Rivet Process
EDIT 8/5/2020: the AK41H rivets identified below won’t work. See my later post regarding the side skin install. Among other things, this past weekend I came up with a tool to dimple the holes where I intend to install flush rivets. I received my supply of AK41H countersunk rivets...
Acquiring Hardware
I haven’t posted in about a week, but I’ve been pretty busy acquiring a bunch of stuff that I’ll need in the coming weeks. I decided it was high time that I think about wiring – so I did, coming up with a few diagrams, wire lists, and connector...
Updated the Paint Booth
Now that fall has arrived, I have fewer opportunities to prime parts outside, especially during the week, so I occasionally need to prime a part inside my garage. I decided to update my paint booth a bit, adding a suction fan and a filter to control the dust and...
Research into Flush Rivets and a Nice Workshop Upgrade
EDIT 8/5/2020: the AK41H rivets identified below won’t work. See my later post regarding the side skin install. Last winter my garage was far too cold to work in, especially during January and February, and the garage doors were too leaky to justify heating the space, which is about...