Jessen RV-10 Builder's Log
Keep It Simple; Keep It Safe
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Step 1.   The first thing you have to do is figure out how you're going to hold the Tailcone upside down in order to attach the rather floppy frames and bulkheads.  I built saw horses using a Stanley kit that I got at HD.  Total cost around $25, which includes 4 2x4x8 and 1 2x6x8.  Height is 42". 

Next just lay the F-1078 on the horses and attach the F-1007, F-1008 and F-1010, making sure that the flanges point towards the front, which is the large end of the bottom skin. 

01/29/06  -  2 hrs    Chop Saw

Step 2.   Slide the F-1047F stiffeners in place.  Just get underneath and figure out how these go into the slot and from there it's easy.  You might have to use a small screw driver to pry the F-1008 tabs out some to get it in the final 1/2", but otherwise this should be simple.   

Once in place and you are sure that the end mark is correct, along with the center line marks being visible in the correct line of holes, grab the end with a clamp to hold it tight and drill your first hole with a #40 bit. Cleco that and you're off to the races.   Make sure you use some Boelube to keep that drill bit running cool. 

01/30/06  -  1 hr
Step 3.    This is the same as step 2, except now you do it for the longer F-1047G stiffener. 

01/30/06  -  45 minutes

Step 4.    I don't know why this is done now.  You could wait, I think, until you flip the tailcone over on the next page, but anyway.....   Cleco the F-1029 bellcrank ribs in place, which means crawling under the bottom skin at some point so you can drill out the #30 holes.   

01/30/06  -  30 minutes

Steps 5 & 6.    Move the assembly to the side of the saw horses.  Slide the F-1047 C, D & E into position, then cleco the F-1073 skin to the frames and bulkheads and to the bottom skin. 

01/30/06  -  45 minutes

Steps 7.    Make sure you center the forward end marks for the F-1047 C, D & E stiffeners, as you did for the bottom skin stiffeners, then clamp the one you're working on in place with a nose cleco, drill, cleco, drill cleco a great number of times until you run out of clecos, then go next door (in my case) and swipe some of your neighbors'.  Keep going until you have all three stiffeners drilled and clecoed.   

02/04/06  -  3 hrs
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