SODA WITH YOUR GIN,SIR?

No, that's not snow all over the driveway.That's baking soda from my soda blaster. About 10 kg of powder in ever crack and orifice.....of my body.To say nothing of the garage, stone driveway, dog.You get the idea.

Do it Yourself Brain surgery

I successfully gave myself a frontal lobotomy after reading the fascinating book "Do it Yourself Brain surgery"...... but I'll defy anyone to teach themselves how to ribstitch. Took me hours of fustration, 50 feet of waxed cord and I buggered my near vision for the rest of the day.Pretty sure I could sew up a cadaver in about 1/2 hour now.

NICE TAIL!

Just a piece-no fabric yet. Control wires going to and instrument panel installation.

BABY GETS SOME RAYS

The constant whining " I want to go outside " finally got to me. It was me talking to myself.

Swagged turnbuckle ends

Only 2 pictures for 2 days work.What you don't see is me crying in the corner after buggering up the 5th crimp in a row. Had to make and install a "jumper" Turnbuckle didn't fit well into port leg.

SOLO LANDING GEAR INSTALLATION

Bowers said only a fool would try tio install the LG by himself. I am that fool. There is a definite order in which to attach everythingh. Too bad I didn't know that order. It came close to being the first flybaby on skids.*Trick was to pre assemble the gear with loose fit by locater bullets. Attach SB side totally assembled.On port side slip wood into fitting and bash the crap out of it!!! no..no..grease pins , talk soothing to her...then bash the crap out of the pins.

Don't force it-GET A BIGGER HAMMER!

I tried to persuade a bolt thru the landing gear fitting. Big hammer-bad ideas.The glue joint failed which lead to a replacement as shown.*Note the skill and technique used to drill a hole that goes exactly thru the other side.

ALL DAY FOR THAT LITTLE PIECE OF JUNK?

Yes.....all day. Original fitting not to standard. Scounge 1/16 metal from Gord. Suck up to Gord and borrow his bending jig. Hacksaw form .....you get the idea. All day for for this superb example of craftmanship.

TEST DRIVE

Landing gear with fittings, tires for trial fit. Amazing what you discover!. Starboard fitting for gear wire too tight and probable always was.Needs to be filed down. Brtake lines need to be replumbed and relocated. Required bolts are different from plans.

Give me some Skin

Continuing with the fabricing of the flight controls using the "green" Stewart system of water-born coatings. This is the fill coats; grey UV protection. Excellent stuff to work with-tastes very similar to latex paint.Second job of the week was installing the vertical stab leading edge aluminum. The rotating jig brought tears of joy to my eyes. Im as proud of it as a new daddy. Pics show fuselage rotated to ite side to nail the skin on.