It begins! (Dimpler arrived)

Today I received the very first shipment related to building the plane - no, not the first kit yet, since I really need a shop set up first - but my first tool, a DRDT-2 dimpler:

60lb box from Aircraft Spruce
The parts that come in the box
The assembled dimpler

Even better for me, I didn't have to pay for it - a friend gave it to me as a gift for hosting him while he was visiting the area :)

EAA RV assembly course

Haven't updated the blog in a while, but I've been studying and doing research this whole time.

Back in July, I took the very nice SportAir RV Assembly course at the Flabob airport in Riverside, CA. It was a 2-day course where I learned all the basics - drilling, deburring, dimpling, countersinking, many riveting techniques, bending, etc.

Getting to Flabob the night before

My first-ever riveting job. It sucks, of course, but better to play on some piece of scrap metal than on the real plane :)

Wing section project parts (before anything was done)

Deburring

Course workspace

Course workspace

Dimpling (hammer it, put down the hammer, chase the dimple die which fell out, put it back, repeat)

Middle structure of the section ready to rivet

Main wing section spar assembly

Back of the main spar structure

Riveting the spar

Drilling holes

Skin cleco-ed for riveting

Half of the skin already riveted

Heading back to Palo Alto the same night