Bulkheads from Front to Rear

[dons]

Seems like I have been working on bulkheads for months, hmm, I guess I have.

• Firewall
• Main Spar
• Rear Spar
• All the rest

Doing the fluting sure was easy after doing the all those wing ribs, making sure you don't miss something on the drawings, that's another story, especially when I keeping wanting to know 'why' a rivet is left out, or 'why' just leave it with clecos.

[bullojm1]

Looks great as always, Don!

[cjensen]

<sniff> Brings back memories Don! Lookin great man!!

[Spike]

Great progress!

[captain_john]

<sniff> Brings back memories Don! Lookin great man!!

It sure does Chad!

That fifth bulkhead with the seatbelts and stuff gave me fits! I just couldn't get it all figured out. Must have been the rum?

CJ

[dons]

Thanks, I'll be glad when it's remembered as the good ol days (means I'll be a lot closer to being done).

[airguy]

That fifth bulkhead with the seatbelts and stuff gave me fits! I just couldn't get it all figured out. Must have been the rum?

CJ

LOL! You're so right on that one - I love a good Crown and Coke and have been in the situation a couple times already when I'm doing some mundane task like deburring or dimpling, listening to the radio and enjoying a good drink while working away - only to proceed to the next step and recognize instantly that it's WAY past my ability in my current condition. Put away the tools, turn off the compressor, mix another drink, we're done for tonight.

Step away slowly from the squeezer, nobody has to get hurt...

[captain_john]

hahahaha...

Greg, that is sooo right. Suddenly you realize that it is time to put the tools down and "ponder" for a while!

CJ

[Bob Barrett]

For most of the years of my adult life, I have had a variety of projects to keep me busy, I usually computed the number of beers to complete the project or at least the days work. When I started on the airplane, I decided that all the beer would be consumed after I put the tools away and usually after I locked up the work shop. I had visions of wings or other assemblies falling off in flight, if I imbibed while building. Of course aluminum is less forgiving than 2"X4"-s, or bricks, or pouring concrete! The tolerances are a little closer also on Van's airplanes that much of what I have previously built. There are times I think I should have had a couple of stiff drinks, things didn't go well sober
I have been on the Honeydew list this Fall and I can have a beer once in a while again. After working with aluminum for 10 years, I found that sheet rock has sure gotten heavier during that period of time!

[BSwayze]

Doing the fluting sure was easy after doing the all those wing ribs

Don,

Don't do like I did while fluting and bend all those bulkhead flanges to a perfect 90 degrees, like we do on the wing ribs. The flanges on the bulkheads don't need 90 degrees, because of the widening tailcone. You probably already thought of that, but I thought I'd mention it.

Nice work!

[dons]

Doing the fluting sure was easy after doing the all those wing ribs

Don,

Don't do like I did while fluting and bend all those bulkhead flanges to a perfect 90 degrees, like we do on the wing ribs. The flanges on the bulkheads don't need 90 degrees, because of the widening tailcone. You probably already thought of that, but I thought I'd mention it.

Nice work!

Thanks Bruce, yeah I put my best guess angle on them to start with and will be doing the final tweak as required. A very good tip as the angles are quite a bit off 90, especially close to the tail, luckily not a lot of fluting in that area since most of the flanges are short tabs on the curves. I can imagine the grumbling to ones self after spending good time on getting them to 90 degrees only having to change them.