Chapter Log

Step 0 - Materials
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 388.60, Actual: $ 1400.00
Date Completed: 04/01/2005

When I entered this chapter, I was fortunate enough to have some extra cash, and Dennis Oelmann happened to have a completed spar for sale. The center section spar is a critical structural member, and the idea of having this chapter just be "done" was appealing, especially after dealing with the spar cap tape in Chapter 19. (I had started that chapter before this one.)

I'm glad I did. Dennis match-drilled the spar to my wings, which is a tricky bit of work out of the way. And the spar is absolutely beautiful work - Dennis always does a fantastic job.

Step 1 - Centersection Jig
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 04/01/2005

No work to do here.

Step 2 - Assembly of Foam Parts
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 04/01/2005

No work to do here.

Step 3 - Interior Layups
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 04/01/2005

No work to do here.

Step 4 - Install the Forward Face
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 04/01/2005

Nothing to do here.

Step 5 - Outside Hard Points
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 04/01/2005

Nothing to do here.

Step 6 - Spar cap layup
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 04/01/2005

Nothing to do here.

Step 7 - Shoulder harness blocks and outside layups
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 04/01/2005

Nothing to do here.

Step 8 - Hardpoint reinforcement
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 04/01/2005

Nothing to do here.

Step 9 - Access for Wing Attach and End Layup
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 04/01/2005

Nothing to do here.

Step 10 - Installing in Fuselage
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 8.00, Actual: 18.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 10/04/2007

The spar installation took a long time mainly due to setup. The actual taping was relatively straightforward.

John and I set up the fuselage on some sawhorses, then carefully shimmed it using foam scraps to get it precisely level in all directions. I then spent some time sanding the spar cutout to make a hole exactly the right shape and size. We then installed the spar and shimmed that until it was well leveled. All of this took nearly two days, actually, because sorting out all the slight variations was a bit of touchy work.