Now that my #10 dies are here, I can proceed with the counterbalance skin and preparation for riveting.
This is how #10 dimples are supposed to look.
No cracks!
After beveling the exterior of the counterbalance skin, drilling the two fairing attach holes (that will be doubled up with the elevator skin) to #28 and dimpling to #6, I threw the counterbalance skin and the little trim riblet up on the priming table, opened the garage door, got the respirator out, and shot these two with primer.
Primed.
After that was done, I clecoed the counterbalance skin in place and riveted the two rivets on each side that can’t be reached after the skeleton is inserted.
There's a nice lap joint there that could have used some edge-rolling, except I FORGOT TO EDGE-ROLL, EVEN THOUGH I JUST BOUGHT AN EDGE-ROLLING TOOL!
The two rivets in question on the top.
Nice shop heads.
And two more on the bottom.
Then, before inserting the skeleton, you loosely place the counterweight in position and partly insert the two screws.
Okay...
Then, I riveted the little riblet I made to the trim spar.
Skeleton, ready to be inserted into the skin.
Closer look.
Of course, I then realized that I needed that area open so I could attempt to buck the four rivets outboard of that point. Drilled out that rivet.
At least I remembered to put some RTV along the back edge of the stiffeners.
After that, I got the skin clecoed on.
It's looking like something that slight resembles an airplane!
Another angle.
I’m kicking myself for not edge-rolling that one lap joint. I only remembered that I didn’t when I woke up in the middle of the night. My two options are to leave it, or drill out 4 rivets and edge roll. Maybe I’ll rivet the rest of the joint (two more rivets), then decide whether it is bad enough if the edge picks up at all. I don’t think it will, but I’ll start there so if I have to take it apart, it will only be a few rivets.
1 hour. 4 rivets, one drilled out.
Andrew's RV-7 Build Log 