Started work on the F-917-R&L Lower Longerons These dudes are labor intensive (at least they were for me). The instructions say that these are "simply lengths of AA6-125 x 1 x 1Y4 angle". In the next version of the instructions I think the word "simply" needs to be left out. The first thing that needs to be done is the removal of part of the flange on the ends of each longeron. The drawings show that one side of the angle needs to be flat, with no trace of the other side of the angle left. I did the best I could cutting off the flange with the bandsaw and then finished off the cut with a long visit to the scotchbrite wheel. They both turned out OK.
Time for the Twist! These longerons need to have a twist put into them so they can fit on the firewall brackets and then butt up next to the fuselage main bulkhead squarely. Here, I have one end of the longeron in my vise, padded with a rolled up paper towel.
Put the twist in Chubby Checker would have been proud of me as I did "The Twist" on these longerons. What? You don't know who Chubby Checker is? Well, you must be one them there young whipper snappers! Here I put some more paper towels in the jaws of my hand seamer and pulled back on the longeron in several places down the line to get a nice gentle curve. It's amazing how far you have to roll this dude over just to get a small bend in it! Dude? Did I just say Dude? My thirteen year-old is having an affect on me...
Clamped the longerons in place I made several trips from the vise to the fuselage until I got the twist in the longerons just right.
Drilled the Longerons to the firewall bracket I put a couple of small clamps on the bracket and longeron and drilled the holes for the bolts that will go here. This is one of the few times I used these brass colored clecos.
