Riveting the tailcone

It took 3 sessions of priming parts to get all the tailcone pieces done.  Then a TON of dimpling.  The side skins have a curve and getting them dimpled with the DRDT-2 was a puzzle but after some time I got it.  Could have used a helper there but I managed.



During final assembly, there's an error in the plans.  The rivet I show here does not go on the AFT lower skin.  It should be the forward skin.

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I also wondered why the huge hole for the tiedown ring.  Turns out there's a nut on it you can snug up.  Still seems big to me.

Then starts the LARGE task of riveting on the side and bottom skins.  Its a whopper!  Some folks will say you should put both side skins on at the same time to avoid twist.  I didn't think it was an issue since everything is match-drilled and dimpled, if there's a twist its already in.  And also, when I had all the bottom and side skins done the cone would still twist quite a bit with just a small effort.  Not till the rear deck hardware went on did it get rigid against twisting along the longitudinal axis.












Then you put the aft deck on, a few pieces of heavy angle and bolt it all tight.  If you have all 3 yokes for your squeezer, you can get all of the AN470 rivets in the aft deck except for this one (and corresponding one on the other side) with your squeezer.




For the AFT top skin, I learned a trick from Ed's blog.  Thanks Ed, I owe you a beer.  You rivet on the 3 top J-Channel stiffeners before putting that top skin on the plane.  I did a test run to make sure you can get those stiffeners in the frames with it all assembled.  It takes a little persuasion, but sure enough it works.  Saves you a bunch of uncomfortable riveting from inside the tiny tailcone and I find backriveting on the bench makes the best quality rivets.

I riveted in the little hangers I made so adel clamps can be used to fasten the static lines.  I used the middle stiffener, I see others use the left side one.  If I had to do it again, i'd probably do left also.

Sure enough it works.

Similar?  Yes? No?

Here's a small gotcha.  Its in the plans but easy to miss.  Don't dimple the back corner holes of the AFT top skin.  They become fairing attach holes.  The corresponding side skin and longeron holes aren't dimpled/countersunk.

And done!!  There are two more sections in the paperwork, one for assembling the empenage and another for the fiberglass fairings.  I'm going to defer both of those for various reasons.  Bring the wings!