Bruce Breckenridge and I build in hangers next door to one another.  Both of us like to work on our RV-10 projects alone, making sure we touch every rivet, deburr every edge and hole.  Absolutely acceptable behavior, but in the case of the Tailcone, and perhaps the entire plane, I believe absolutely foolish.  The reason I believe this has to do with time.  Unless one is retired, and even then (Deems Davis is a very active retired builder) there never is enough time.  I'm talking for the average builder, not the Tim Olson's or Paul Grimstad's of the world, who work exceedingly hard at their businesses, have families, and still move along on their projects at amazing speed, by my standards at least, and produce more than acceptable work.  I would love to have their energy, competency, or both. 

The final result for the Tailcone is good to very good, but I am not convinced it wouldn't have been just as good, and in some spots better if I had a helper.  The reason why I think it would be faster is the fact that you cannot help but move through a series of steps that allows you to actually do the riveting.  You get good at these steps, and once you figure out what they are and the order, it's pretty much an assembly line process.  However, the number of steps required means double or triple the assembly time, as well as some very odd contortions for the old body. 

It took me over 8 hours, more like 12 or 14 (as folks know, I don't keep accurate time) to complete the riveting.  It might have been done in 4 hours or less if I had a helper.  It also cost my back several long sessions on the floor, trying to losen it up, keep if from cramping.  If your back is anything like mine, be careful at the contorted positions this type of work demands.  

Below I give a detailed description of the steps required to rivet a two portions of the Tailcone, each a solo undertaking using the back riveting technique.  The first example will get you started, while the second, demonstrated by Bruce, will get you past a very tricky spot.  

Steps to complete the first 9 rivets of the Tailcone. 

Step A:  The first step is, of course, to cleco the Tailcone back together, which means, if you are working alone, to first cleco it from the outside to get everything started, then move the clecoing to the inside.  You might have wanted to do this no matter what, which I doubt, but it is still an extra step and thus, keeping with the theme, time consuming. 

Step B:  The next step is take out the clecos for the 9 rivets, three per j-channel in the forward bottom skin just forward of the F-1008 rib.  Then flip the tailcone over onto its side, insert the correct rivets, tape them in place, then flip the tailcone back over.  Position the back rivet plate so that the three rows of three rivets each are squarely on top of it.  Place 1/4" foam pads under the tailcone so the whole unit is level, but not raising the unit higher than the rivet plate, which would leave a gap between it and the skin.  After several tries at other material, the foam pads proved to be best, allowing the little cleco tips to penetrate and not get in the way. 

Step C:  Climb up onto a stool and position yourself to comfortably rivet.  Move the stool as needed.  Move the air hose so it doesn't bind.  Try to keep the gun perpendicular in all axies.  Don't move the tailcone off the rivet plate!  Rivet the center and side rivets you can reach from your perch, then move to the other side of the tailcone and finish off the last three.  Note how many steps are needed just to position yourself!  After awhile I was able to pre-position the airhose because I knew how it would hinder the work, but in the beginning all the little things that needed to be handled, literally, for just a few rivets were very time consuming. 

Step D:  Turn the tailcone over onto its side, examine the rivets.  If not good from the inside or the outside, mark for later drillout or do it now. 

Go back to step Bravo and do it all over again.  Take your time.  The steps must be done, no way around them.  Do not, I repeat, do not try to do more than 3 rivets if you're using the Avery (or similar) back rivet plate and positioning it across the tailcone, or 14 rivets down the center axis.  Bad things happen.  Stay within the limits of your tools and you'll do fine.  It works.  It just takes a bit of repitition.  And, the bottom pan is the easy part!  Check out the Breckenridge technique below that will help you when you get to the ribs, especially for the top skin. 

The Breckenridge Method

This is really cool, actually.  I still think it better to get a partner, but if you're going it alone, Bruce Breckenridge has some of the more difficult riveting figured out.  The pictures below show Bruce riveting his top skin to the tailcone, but this technique could be applied elsewhere where the rivet must be square to the rivet plate and you have doubts that it is.  Bruce uses the level to make that determination.  He uses his body, arms, hips, whatever, to hold the tailcone steady as he levels it, then he rivets.  The first time I saw him do this I thought he was, well, tilted in the head, but in fact it works very well, trust me.  I don't think I messed up one rivet with this method.  The man does know how to innovate.  Here are the steps: 

Step A:  Go to the local hardware store and buy a bubble level.  See the first photo (say hello to Bruce).  A torpedo level will work, but the bubble type is better. 

Step B:  Position the rivet plate so your rivets are nicely centered.  Work the Tailcone so when it is tilted onto the plate, it doesn't fall off the table. 

Step C:  Position the level so that it is near the rivet of interest, in the case of the third picture, Bruce is riveting the curved part of the F-1008 rib that attaches to the top skin. 

Step D:  Somehow steady the Tailcone using your hips or arms or some combination as you turn it so the targeted rivet is square (level) to the back riveting plate.  Note how Bruce climbed or slipped into the Tailcone, meaning that everytime you want to do something outside the tailcone you have to kneal down and wiggle your way inside.  You have to "put on" the Tailcone.  This can get a little wearing after awhile, if you will.  (Note the Whelan strobe power pack mount in the last picture, clecoed to the sidewall behind Bruce.) 

Step E:  Squirm out of the Tailcone, examine your rivets, go back into the Tailcone and pull out more clecos if you forgot to do so on your way out the first time, squrim back out, tip the tailcone on its side, etc etc etc. 

So, if you want to go it alone, fine.  It's not that hard and in the end it is quite satisfying.  You will need help on a few rivets, but not that many.  And even then, if you are creative enough, you probably could do all of them yourself.  I just think it's not that worth it, now that I've done it, and I can tell you that I will get help for the wings.  Maybe.