Not a lot of exciting things to show at this stage. I'm just continuing to rivet the side skins in place. I finished most of the areas I could easily reach in the forward fuselage section. I'll finish the other holes when I flip things back over (although a lot of the upper holes will stay open until the top skin is attached.
I figured attaching the center floor stiffeners to the firewall and bulkhead brackets would be easier before the bottom skin goes on, so I did those next.
The right floor stiffener gave me some trouble where it attaches to the bracket on the bulkhead. It is extremely tight in there, especially with a bolt head in the way. I got the left stiffener in place okay, but I tipped the rear rivet over pretty bad on the right side, so I had to drill it out to try again. The only thing harder than getting a rivet gun in place for that rivet was getting a drill bit centered on the rivet to drill it out. I had to use a 12" drill bit that I flexed to get it into position. Long story short, it didn't work all that well. I got the rivet out, but I enlarged the hole way too much in the process. I decided to just upsize the hole to 3/16" for a bolt instead of trying to figure out how I could make it work with a rivet. The bolt is overkill of course, but it's the common solution that Van's provides in cases like this. This whole area will get a cover that goes over it since all of the fuel and brake lines route through the area, so it'll eventually be covered and forgotten about.
The last rivets to do in the forward section were the universal head rivets around the spar/bulkhead opening. While I was there, I also drilled a 5/8" pass through for pitot/AOA lines. I only need that on the side with the pitot, but I drilled the same hole in both sides of the plane so I could use it as a wiring route in the other wing. I may have to drill a second hole in the left side since there are two tubes - one for pitot and one for AOA. I'm not sure if they'll both fit through one hole or not, so I may have to separate them and drill another hole.
I started putting the bottom skin back in place to get ready for that riveting. It's easier said than done to get that skin lined up! There are a lot of stiff layers to deal with. I'll have to convince Rose to help with some back riveting for most of what remains. I won't be able to reach the rest by myself. I need to rivet the forward bottom skin to the firewall, stiffeners, side skins and seat area bulkhead. Then there are some remaining rivets for the seat ribs to side skin, and the baggage compartment bulkheads and bottom skin connection. Lastly, the center section riveting to the tailcone. I'll have Rose help with everything I can't reach when I roll the fuselage over, then I'll finish up with things like the armrests and all of the upper sections that are easily done alone once things are upright.
