Time-Lapse Test

I got to try out my Christmas present yesterday; my wife got me a Brinno TLC200 Time Lapse Camera.

 

It's a pretty cool package, and automatically converts the images into a video. I'm hoping to supplement photos with this as it keeps my hands free to work & includes me in more of the shots (essential to proving to the FAA that I did at least 51% of the work).

The settings aren't quite right, so I have to play with the time between shots & playback rate. I'm also a bit worried about the file sizes slowing down the blog...let me know what you think.

Motivation

I have a couple things hanging in my shop that I'd like to highlight.

 

The first is a note that my eldest daughter gave me this autumn; I foresee a fair bit of lonely time ahead during construction, but these words from my then-4 year old daughter will help drive me: "i like you to[o] and can we build a airplane today?"

The second is a gift from my wife this Christmas; I'm not sure it shows a lot of confidence on her part in the airplane build!

(The medallion is St. Therese of Lisieux, a patron saint of aviators; perhaps not coincidentally, she is also known for advocating doing "little things with great love." I couldn't ask for better oversight or intervention.)

All kidding aside, I'm blessed to have the family I do. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.

Horizontal Stab Skins

Had some extra vacation days so I got to spend some extra time with the girls. Also got the shop cleaned up from finishing the table & set back to airplane mode.

I had some help fluting the horizontal stabilizer ribs.

Got the skeleton clecoed together! Starting to look like real airplane parts. 

Match-drilled the end ribs, deburred & reattached.

Girls got taken to cleco school, got to help clamp & drill some aluminum. I think they liked it!

Back to work - got to install the first skin. I was really tempted to throw on the second, but wanted to limit my mistakes to a few components this early in the build.

Still, it's a real motivator to see widgets take shape into actual assemblies!

Drawing the centerline on the HS-405 & HS-404 ribs was a bit tricky with the curve, but that's what an eraser is for (in this case, mineral spirits).

After a lot of agonizing over whether I was going to wreck the project, I finally bit the bullet and match-drilled the first hole in the skin!

I was particularly concerned about the overlapped HS-405 rib/HS-702/skin joint; I must have measured it 15 times to verify 2D edge distances on each - it's close, but within tolerance.

The first hole was the hardest; after that, I jumped in & finished match-drilling the skin on top & bottom. My friend Josh stopped by to help; hopefully he'll become a regular victim - his fault, really, for letting me move in next to him.

 

It was a long, slow day, but very productive. I'm hopeful that speed will pick up as I get more confident about my skills. The SportAir Workshop in 3 weeks ought to help, too.

 

Empennage: 6 hrs