(page 29A-08) Map box

Building the map box requires, among other things, match drilling holes into piano hinges (my 233rd favorite thing) from pre-punched holes in the box walls and map box door.  A seeming misalignment after initial drilling and clecoing, a result of the match-drilled holes being not perfectly parallel to the door edge, turned out not to be a problem.

The trial fits of the Camloc fitting into the half-inch hole (produced with a step drill) seemed at first impossible for two reasons: 1) getting the T-shaped end of the Camloc through the hole required a precise angle, almost like a puzzle, and 2) extending the T-shaped end of the Camloc with finger pressure in order to get it through the hole was, to put it mildly, difficult.  Then it occurred to me that the cleco pliers worked perfectly for this.  Problem solved (second picture).

Attaching the map box to the right instrument panel involved squeezing some AN426AD3 rivets in holes which could be reached with the Main Squeeze and pulling CCR-264SS-3-2 in holes which couldn't be reached.  The pulled, flush rivets ended up, as usual, not quite flush.  As was called out in the plans, I countersunk the holes to accept the AN rivets (100 degree), all the while wondering if the countersink should have been 120 degrees as is the case with other flush, pulled rivets.  I couldn't find the answer.

 I did cure the lack of flushness (yeah, I know it's not a word) by tapping the rivet face with a 3/16-inch drift (which fit the rivet exactly) while placing the reverse side against a solid surface.  Worked perfectly.

After reading a post on the forums yesterday, I realized that I need a different left-side instrument panel and center panel, along with a four other parts already installed (more drilled-out rivets).  This is a result of Van's switching to the Garmin radio and built-in intercom.  I'm assuming they'll send them free, since the parts they sent with the fuselage kit are wrong.  They're usually good about such stuff, and I'm a bit surprised they didn't send them already.  I'll call the Mothership tomorrow to get this resolved.  I'm so close to finishing the fuselage kit I can taste it.  I'm expecting the wing kit to be cake by comparison.  Still have no idea where to store the wings when they're finished.