Re-fit nutplates on the Flap Doublers

Really short build session tonight, of about 30 minutes. I recently completed all the pre-construction for both flaps, and they are waiting on primer before dimpling and riveting, but I decided to make a small change / upgrade. There is a small K1000-4 platenut that is used to thread the flap control rod into. It’s affixed to the doubler and end rib, and one of the rivets is an AN4263-3.5 rivet that needs a countersink on the FL-704 end rib, and the other leg of it goes into the FL706B-R doubler plate.

The countersink on the doubler plate is no biggie, since it has a lot of material to “bite” into with no worries of knife-edging the hole. On the FL-704, machine countersinking this thin piece of aluminum rib can lead to knife-edging. SOOOO, what a lot of builders are doing is enlarging that hole up to a #30 hole and using an “oops” rivet. The oops rivets have a smaller head but a bigger shank, so you dont need to countersink them as much. I just happen to have some 🙂

I pulled my K1000-4 platenuts and got the FL-704 ribs and clecoed the platenuts on. Then I drilled them to a #30 hole size on the one leg that is just on the end rib and test fit a NAS1097 AD4-3.5 rivet into the hole, and it fit perfect of course. Then I grabbed my hand countersink tool and gingerly machine countersunk the hole on each rib ever so slightly, testing fitting the rivet every 2 or 3 revolutions of the bit. Once I had just enough material (it wasn’t much at all!) removed that the rivet fit flush I was happy and put the parts back up for priming. All in all, about a half hour of work. Short and sweet.

While I was down in the basement, I decided to setup some tools I bought from a feller on Vans Airforce forums. He was selling a bunch of tools for a good price, and I ended up getting a crap ton of clecos, an additional micro-stop countersink, nutplate jig, and a a Cleaveland Tools ightweight airhose kit. All of the stuff we brand new, in the original packaging! I figured I might as well go ahead and get my tools setup for the light weight airhose.

This is the kit: http://www.cleavelandtool.com/Deluxe-Airhose-and-Manifold-Block-Kit/productinfo/ACDLXKIT/ and its fantastic. It uses smaller quick connects, and much lighter hose, which should take some strain off my wrists when using these tools. As an added bonus, the manifold lets me use three hoses at one time, so no connecting and disconnecting my tools when I need to change!

Here’s how I setup the manifold:

I just plugged it straight in to my existing standard quick connect (it comes with the adapter installed in one of the ports). The other three ports are all fitted with the smaller, lighter quick connects. Next I changed all the couplers on my tools. The kit come with 6 male couplers for your tools, which is plenty for me.