Mounted F12 to Stringers

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I continued work on attaching the stringers today. This is tedious work because it requires you to assemble and then unassemble the peices several times before you have what you want. I used a scrap peice of the 1/16" angle as a shelf to attach the stringers to. I attached this to the front side of F10 as shown in the photo above. The angle makes it easy to level the stringers at F10 side to side. The stringers will be held in place with one 1/8" rivet attached vertically through this shelf. Due to lack of space to drill the vertical rivet hole, I figured out the appropriate location of the vertical rivet hole and dismounted the angle and drilled it 1st. Then I remounted it and put the stringer back in place and used a Sharpie to transfer where the hole was to the stringer. Then unassembled everything and carefully drilled the hole in the stringer. Then I went to the other side and did the same thing. Very tedious!

Next I attached F12 to the stringers. I was having trouble figuring out the horizontal distance F12 is from F10. The plans have the distance from F10 as it is laid out on your 2x4, but I had to cut the end of the board off because it interfered with F12. So my measurement was gone also. I finally found it on Sheet #3 (Rudder & Fin Assembly) where it indicates "about" 17 3/4" between the front and rear fin spars. Well, these spars mount to bulkheads F10 and F12 respectfully. Not very clear if you ask me. I trimmed my stringers so that I achieved this distance. In lue of a countersunk rivet to mount F12 to the stringer, I will leave the cleco in place until it is time to put the side skin on where I will use a "hole finder" and use this hole to attach the skin as well. I have to remember to use a long rivet here.

It might be time to replace some clecos for rivets and then some top skin.