Preparing Fuselage Corner Skins

Having successfully primed the last batch of fuselage components, decided to take advantage of the upcoming good weather and forge on with the preparation of more fuselage components. When the time comes to assemble the lower fuselage, it should take shape rapidly because almost all the parts have been deburred, dimpled or countersunk as necessary and primed.

The only lower fuselage components remaining to prime are the fuselage corner skins, some doubler plates, a few stiffeners and the bottom skin.  Each side of the fuselage receives six W-1275 corner skins labeled A through F. For each of the six types of corner skins, there is a left and right version ... so the skins must be separated. These skins are overlapped and become the transition between the fuselage bottom skin of the fuselage's side skins.

The six W-1275-A through F corner skins require separating on a band saw to obtain the left and right skins.

                                Using the band saw to separate the W-1275A corner skins into left and right skins.

After all the skins were separated, all twelve corner skins were dressed up on the Scotch-Brite wheel to smooth up the edges. Because of the way the W-1275 skins overlap one another decided to remove the blue protective film with a soldering iron so the area of overlap can be primed as well.

                Using a soldering iron to melt the protective film along the edges of the overlapping W-1275 corner skins.

                                    Protective film removed from overlapping edges of W-1275 corner skins for primer.

The W-1275 corner skins will also require having all holes dimpled for the flush rivets being used on the RV-12 project but that will be in a future work session.