Today I spent a couple of hours drilling and dimpling the aft bulkheads, and then a couple more hours priming several parts.
I used the drill block to match drill several holes from one of the bulkheads into the Vertical Stabilizer, the block was a huge help to ensure these were perpendicular to the bulkhead web. I was happy with how they turned out. Three of the holes will get final drilled to #12 and will take bolts that hold the vertical stabilizer to the fuselage. Any error in the hole orientation will effect the aerodynamics of the VS.
I needed to dimple the flanges of two bulkheads, but due to the angle of the flange, there is no way to get a female die on the inboard side of the flange. I have a spare squeezer yoke, so I cut off the end with a hacksaw, then ground it down to a small cross section. With the modified yoke, I was able to squeeze the dimples.
In the evening I primed several parts for the aft bulkheads. The new hi-flow connectors made a significant difference. I used less paint, and the finish was much better. The paint atomized into much finer particles, covering the parts more evenly. The compressor was working harder, and I had to wait for it to catch up a few times.
It’s hard to tell from the photos, but the finish is significantly improved.
