It has been some time since I last worked on the RV. Other commitments have gotten in my way in the last year (or two). I finally got the RV back out in the garage and am slowly trying to figure out where I left off. You wouldn’t think that it would be that hard, but...

Nothing substantial here, just proof the fuselage is back in the garage.

I started looking at the F-680. On Drawing 33, it shows that the block needs to be notched to eliminate interference with the F-742-L aft seat floor. The drawing shows that the notch is 1/16”. After I notched it to the drawings specifications, something didn’t look right. Usually the UHMW blocks have been cut to exact dimensions. However, on the F-680, I noticed that the block dimensions did not match the print. Overall width of this block is supposed to be 2 5/32”. However the block was wider than that. So I cranked up the CNC Mill and milled the F-680 down to dimension as called for in the print.

The final dimension of the F-680 block. Not shown in any pictures, you also have to drill two holes in order to mount the flap bearing block. Be sure to reference dimensions in drawing 33. All I have left is to cut this in half so the flap actuator can be mounted inside the block.

I also cut the F-623A-FWD and F-623A-AFT attach straps. They are cut from 0.032” aluminum. Dimensions are listed on drawing 22.

Here I started cutting out the F-792 rudder stops.  I am getting fairly proficient in drawing up simple shapes in CAD and generating the G-code to get them cutout with the mill.

I am not sure why Van's has you trim the one end of the angle like this, but I am sure that it will be become clear later in the project.

Cutting the angles in the angle....

What is great about the mill, is that dimensionally, I can get it more accurate than I can by hand. Additionally, once I draw it up, I can cut each one out the same as the next.  The left and right rudder stops are essentially the same.

I sometimes get distracted when I go shopping... Tami and I ran to Omaha with Katelynn and I started looking at a larger HDTV for the aircraft workshop.  I ended up spending some cash on a 46" Sharp 1080P LCD TV that was on clearance at Best Buy.  Man, that thing is cool.  I spend a lot of time out in the garage when Katelynn lets me.  If I am not working on the fuselage, I am playing with the Mill.  Every guy needs to have their "Man Cave."

Anyway, I put the TV on a wall swivel mount so that I can move it around depending on where I am in the garage.

Katelynn is mesmerized by large screen TV's, so it may serve as a valuable enterainer when I am trying to work on the plane.  She was watching Back To The Barnyard and ended up taking a nap while I was working in the garage.  GOOD GIRL!!!

The other item I upgraded on the Mill computer was added a second screen.  This way when I am drawing RV parts up in CAD, I can have an pdf version of the print on one screen and the CAD software on the other screen.  Man, that works great!!!  Now all I need is to upgrade my desk for that.  I have my eye on a desk / bench that will work great for that too.

I am trying to get out in the garage when I can (which isn't much these days).  Katelynn is taking a lot of mommy and daddy's time (its worth it though!!!)

Anyway, I used today's time to do more fuselage fabrication. Today, I drew up the F-712D Up Elevator Stop in CAD and had the mill cut it out.

Here the mill is cutting the AA6-125x1x1 1/4 angle. I initially cut the angle to the longest length called out by the prints (4 3/8") as this angle gets a couple of angle cuts making it narrower (by 1/8" at the angle and on the 1" side).  Here the mill is cutting the 1" side of the elevator stop which is nothing more than trimming angle down to 3/4" and radiusing the corners.

After the mill trimmed the 1" side of the angle to dimension, I had also CAD drew in the two pilot holes called for in the print.  Here the mill is drilling those two pilot holes.  I sure wished I would have had this thing when working on the fuel tank "Z" brackets. 

on the 1 1/4" side of the angle, there is a little whoop'd-de-do (I am sure that is the technical term) in it.  You have to study the prints carefully, as the sides are at 3/4" and where the mill is cutting in the photo is 13/16".  I am sure that there is a reason for it, even though it isn't obvious to me yet.  I just cut it out to match the drawing specs.

Here is what the F-712D, Up Elevator Stop looks like when the mill completed the cutout.  The pilot holes are all way undersized so that they can be drilled to full size when clecoed into the fuselage.  This looks way better than what I could have done if I had to cut this by hand. 

For my high standards, the mill is working great.  This is the tool I should have had when I started the project.  My plan is to scour the fuselage prints for all the parts I have to fabricate so when I can get that hour or two in the garage, I can work on parts fabrication.

Ever since Katelynn was born, I have been struggling (harder than usual), to get out to the garage and work on the airplane.  The days of coming home and working on the plane all night, without interruption, are over.  So I have been coming to terms with how can I get this plane done and balance that against spending time with my new baby girl.

Today, is really my first day back at trying to work on the plane in a long time.  Therefore, I decided to cut my teeth on some simple fabrication of parts today.

I started with drilling the attach holes for the F-661EF, Flap Bearing Block.  I marked and drill the first hole to dimension as called out in the print.  I then attached the flap bearing block to the F-705D, bulkhead side channel. I didn't drill the second hole while installed.  I just got the second hole started and then put the bearing block back in the vise and drilled the hole with the mill.  I didn't want to drill the bearing block by hand while installed in the bulkhead side channel because I was concerned about getting the hole straight.

After I got the block drilled, I test fit it into the bulkhead side channel.  They fit perfectly.  The holes are nice and tight, the block sits straight.  Good to go.

Just another angle of the bearing block.

The next component I decided to fabricate was the F-711E, Down Elevator Stop / Spacer.  I drew the part up on CAD given the dimensions in the drawing.  I then used the mill to cut out the part from 2024T3 0.125" sheet stock I had laying around. I am not a CAD wizard, but it only took about 10 minutes to draw up in CAD and generated the G-Code to run the mill.

Here, the mill is cutting the part the F-711E out.

The great thing about the CNC mill is that the parts are way more accurate than what you can cut by hand.  The part below is accurate to Van's dimensions to within a couple of thousandths of an inch.

I am finding that the time cut out with the mill does not take that much longer considering that I would have had to cut this out by hand, try to straightened out all the lines with a file, and do significant deburring. The mill cut this out in under 10 minutes.  I took the part to the scotchbrite wheel and within 15 minutes I had a part, cut more accurately than I could do by hand.  I love that little benchtop CNC mill !!!!

Slow day, but I spent majority of the time trying to figure out where I left off on the fuselage.  I have drawn up in CAD several more parts that need fabrication, but there is no need to detail that until I actually get them cutout.