Okay. I’m writing this the next day, and you’ve already seen all these steps, so the description that goes along with the pictures is going to be a little sparse. Of course, that’s better than the opposite, where there would be lot’s of description, but no pictures. (Except then, you get puppy pictures, so it’s kind of a win-win all around, right?)
Okay, stop blabbering, Andrew. Let’s get to work!
First up, let’s get those reinforcement plates onto the spar.
3 rivets on each side, plus two for the nutplate...
Then, a couple blind rivets on the nose ribs-to-counterbalance pipe.
The Main Squeeze making a cameo!
Then, They have you rivet the nose ribs to the spar, and cleco on the leading edge skin.
My right skin kind of bent like that too, but when you cleco it to the spar, it all straightens out, I promise. 6 more rivets here.
Then, even though I was sure I’d forget…I remembered to put some RTV at the aft end of each of the stiffeners.
Had to use the flash for effect. Sorry.
Of course, I needed to get both sides of the aileron skin riveted for the rtv to set up at the right angle (probably not that critical), but nevertheless, I was comitted.
I got the assembly up on my previously-built 2×4 stands…
50% clecoed, with rivets and tape in the every-other holes.
In case you didn't believe me, I took another picture. (Really?)
I guess this picture is after I got the 42 top skin rivets done. I did this the exact same was as last time….see the link from above.
No dings, scratches, dents, etc.
Umm, this next picture looks like it’s after I squeezed some nose rib and main rib to skin rivets.
That would be 5 rivets on the nose, times 2, plus 8 rivets for the main skin to main rib, plus two flush rivets on each side...then the whole thing gets flipped over an weighted down.
Next, let’s do the counterbalance pipe to skin rivets.
Nice dimples, nice rivets.
Then, the main ribs rivets (no pictures), and last, nut not least, the 42 blind rivets across the skin on the bottom side of the aileron.
O.M.G. my hand is so tired. 7 more to go...
All done!
(Oh, I also hand tightened the aileron brackets on with the AN3-4A bolts and associated hardware. I still need to buy an in-lb torque wrench…
Pretty left aileron!
I love days like this. I feel like I accomplish a lot.
2.5 hours. 166 rivets… (and my rivet count on the left matched the rivet count on the right. That’s a good thing.)
Andrew's RV-7 Build Log 
Hey started following your build log a week ago. Really cool man looks great. Keep it up!!
Cheers