Section 32 - Controls - build time 1121 hours

Deep into the section for installing the controls. It's going very slow as most of the stuff is hard to reach and difficult to see. It would be very difficult for a large person to do this work and I've seen some folks turn the hole thing on it's side for access. It would make sense but I'm not sure how well the side would support the structure and I don't want to see it fall to the ground this far along. I assume I'm doing what everyone does - going slowly, cussing and hitting the hot tub to work out all the kinks. I had hoped to blow through this section but everything needs attention. There was powder coat in some threads and other threads the clad is so thick that the bering will need to be run down it or I'll have to buy a die and chase the threads. Also, this section expects that section 12 be completed at this point. Section 12 is attaching the tail feathers and it would like to see section 11 completed which is all the faring work on the empennage. I put that off since I didn't see any point in attaching the rudder and stabilator until needed and that time has come. It will be nice to look at but I don't think I can leave the stabilator on in the shop. It's 8 feet wide and that's pretty much all I have.
I also shot some gloss black paint on the panel and the flap handle. If you want to get good at painting use gloss black and if you want to make sure you have no orange peel don't start with any in the primer. This is the second attempt at the panel and the third at the handle. The first attempts had lint in them and I cleaned everything and tried again and it came out acceptable. If I do it again I won't
 do black. While painting I bumped into the flap handle so it had to be sanded and painted again. It turned out pretty nice. I'm using SW JetGlo which is pretty high end urethane and as always - don't breath any of this crap.

The handle came out nice. Here is the mixer horn - not too hard to install but the bottom washer was a bit of a hassle.

Another shot of the mixer horn.

The bottom bolts were a real pain. They have steel washers that don't fit until you gently spread the fork apart. It takes two hands and you have to hold the control stick still with your feet. I used a big piece of foam to stabilize the handle. The second one went in quicker than the first.

Gloss black. It's looks pretty good. At one point before repainting I tried to rub it out and that gave it a different but kind of cool look. While sanding it for the second attempt it also took on a cool look as it looked distressed. It would be nice to do an entire cockpit distressed.

Section 30 Complete - Wings attached

Needed to remove some of the bottom skin to account for the doublers.

Today a couple friends came up and we finished up section 30, wing attach. Since I made the spare pins while wiring up the plane it was simply a matter of sliding them in far enough to see that the opening in the side skin needed to be opened up. Once we could slide both wings in and pin them the bottom skin needed about an 1/8 to 3/32 removed due to the side skin doublers. My kit came just about the time when they issued that SB so perhaps newer kits don't need as much trimming. We also attached the flapperons but I didn't shave anything off of them. I need to rig them first to see what full up deflection is. Once that's established we'll trim them out if needed. There's about two or three big days with the wings before I send them off for paint and store them in the hanger. I need to attach the SB doubler and I want to prime under the nav light. I also need them to do the rigging. The project is starting to jump around a bit now but it should all work out. Next day spent with the project will be getting section 31, 32 and 33 primed.

This _is_ my happy face. I sure do look like my father.

Baby bird spreads her wings.

Section 31B - Wired Up - build time 1089 hours

Section 31B - Wiring - is for the most part complete. There's a couple small tasks that involve parts that need to be primed. I also need to see how I'm going to plumb the AOA and Pitot lines from the wing but that will come in good time. I'm jumping  around a bit now as it moves along but the instructions lead you to that and some of the chapters are short (31 was long). I was looking forward to this section and it turned out to be really simple. I could imagine doing this with out a harness and labeling the wires - it would take much more time and planning - but this went pretty quickly. I decided to lace the wire bundles with wax string like we use to do back in the day. It turned out nice but added some time to it. Happy with the progress.
I've gathered the parts that need primer from sections 31, 32 and 33. Those will get primed in the next two weeks or so. That covers the electrical, controls and covers which is needed to lay down the upholstery.

Making progress.

Avionics bay

Tunnel 

Control Area

Fuel Area

Between the two bulkheads