Step 1.    Make a trim mark on the RIGHT triangle as shown in the plans.  Make sure the trim line clears the F-1006B flange, which is the little tab.   Double check that you've x'd out the RIGHT triangle for later removal.  Put yourself facing forward in front of the tailcone.  Extend right hand.  Grab hold of the triangle tab.  X it out very thoroughly.  This is the one to cut. 

04/10/06 - 10 minutes

Step 2.   Take a good, long look at the Tailcone in all its porcupine glory, then completely disassemble it, marking what pieces go where. 

Note:  It's best to do the disassembly in the exact opposite order you followed to get it all together.  I have a few reasons why this is a good idea.  They are somewhat humorous, but embarrassing, so I'd rather not go into any details, but needless to say, it is now all apart and, I might add, safely so, although I did try my best to injure my aluminum.   Hugging is optional. 

04/13/06 -  40 minutes

Step 3.  Cut off the triangle marked in Step 1. 

I've skipped this for now and am deburring everything in sight.  The last items to deburr will be the big side skins, and at that time I'll come back here to trim the triangle. 

Finally cut it off.  Used a dremel.  Sliced through it like butter.  Cleaned up the edge with a file, sandpaper and so on.  Nothing to it.

07/30/06 - 10 minutes    Dremel with cutoff wheel

Step 4.  Make sure everything is deburred. 

As you can readily assess by now, I just love spending my evenings deburring.  It just makes me warm and fuzzy all over.  In truth, deburring is woman's work, like beading.  Tedious and repetitious and somewhat precise.  Take an impossibly tiny bead with a hole in it (how do they make holes in impossibly tiny beads?), take a very thin needle threaded with fishing line, and spend hours poking that needle through hundreds, if not thousands of beads!  Ugh.  Where's my rivet gun! 

Anyway, I won't bore you with the details, but I will let you know when it's all done and how long it took.  I do have a strategy, though: 

1. Put all the Tailcone pieces on a big piece of plywood sitting atop saw horses. 
2. Take four of the Tailcone pieces at a time and move these to one of the EAA tables. 
3. On the other table do the dirty deburring work.
4. Once a piece is deburred, mark it to indicate so, along with the date.
5. Do not rush, cut corners (literally) or drink too much beer.  

Four pieces at a time per session at a minimum.  Do not count how many sessions this arbitrary division will take.  Do not look back over to the big pile while working on the four pieces.  You can transfer one piece rather than four, if it's big, such as a skin, but do not end your session unless you've done something credible and finished it.  This is working well thus far and will be my approach to the many wing pieces. 

04/24 - 07/30 (24 total)

Ok, I'm done.  Lots of time lost to other life events.  Back at it, though. 

Step 5.  Well, I'm back at it.  Dimple the 1/8" holes that hold the top of the F-1006 in place, as well as the holes that secure the F-1028, so 12 holes altogether.  Nothing special here, just make sure the flat part of the dimple is on the forward part of the 3 pieces.

06/03/06 - 15 minutes

Step 6.  Drill out the 3/32" hole shown in the F-1079 to 11/16" using a unibit.  Note: The little pieces of aluminum coming off that procedure are HOT!  If one of these tiny rascles decides to lay against the tip of a finger or some other skinned part of your anatomy, there could be a small burn develop.  Blister and all.  Wear a glove if you've decided to hold down the piece while drilling.   Otherwise, isn't it cool how the unibit produces such an incredibly smooth hole in just a few seconds!   It's the little things that make the simple mind happy....

06/03/06 - 15 minutes

Step 7.  Grab the F-1012A and B pieces.  Locate and dimple all the #40 holes located in the web for both pieces, with the flat part of the dimple to the plane's rear for both.  Do the same for the #30 holes located in the web (4 of these).  While you're at it, grab the F-1014 and dimple the #40 holes that correspond to the ones on the F-1012A.

06/03/06 - 20 minutes

Step 8.  Machine countersink the #30 and #40 holes in the F-1012E and F-1056 respectively, to accept the dimples in the F-1012A.  Test fit the pieces until they lay flat.  You might have to sneak up on the final depth, but do not allow the pieces to stand proud.

06/03/06 - 30 minutes

Step 9.  Locate the 2 F-1055 pieces.  Dimple the 12 (6 per piece) #40 holes, making sure that the flat side of the dimples are towards the outside skin, so get the first one oriented correctly before squeezing the trigger.

06/03/06 - 15 minutes