Fuel tank test / latch handle

After waiting over a week for the fuel tank sealant to cure good I pressure tested the tank.  As instructed a balloon was placed.  I let it set there for a bit to see if it changed. While I was waiting I fabricated the latch handle. I then checked the balloon and it had gone down some.  I made a mixture of soap water and sprayed on all the seams. There was one small leak noticed on the UR rear corner.  All the other seams seemed to be good.

Time: 1 hr.

Fuel tank test

Latch handle

Fuel tank leak

Canopy fitting

Today was the big day of getting the canopy out of the box.  We worked at fitting it onto the frame and checking all measurements as per plans. The hole drilled for the latch handle tube seemed a little off. (A few days later after reading some posts from others, if I made sure the blocks were contacting all the way up and down on the frame then the hole seemed to line up better.)  I had the back window on originally, but it seemed to interfere some.  I will most likely have to trim either the back of the canopy or the front of the rear window. We will see.

Time: 1.25 hrs

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Sender plate / fuel vent line

Installed the sender plate and tested connectivity. The fuel vent bracket was then installed and the vent lines fabricated.  I then installed the snap bushing and rivet for the vent lines.

Time: 1.75 hrs

Sender plate

Fuel vent line bracket

Fuel cent line bracket

Fuel vent line

Vent rivet and snap bushing

Fuel tank neck / canopy attach angles

Temporarily installed the fuel tank so I could adjust and match drill the fuel neck. The nutplates were then installed in the flange. The fuel return line was cut, bent and installed. Then the top skin was riveted in place.

I then fluted, match-drilled and installed the canopy attach angles.  I noticed that the cardboard I had originally on the sides was a little too thick so I replaced them with one that was 1/8 inch.  I also had to slightly bend the canopy bow to get the proper measurement between it and the instrument panel.

Time: 3 hrs

Fuel neck

Top skin

Inside view

inside view

Canopy frame clamped with blocks

Attach angles installed

Attache angles installed.

Fuel tank cont.

Continued work on the fuel tank. I installed the fuel strainer.  The fuel sender wire was bent per plans and the tested.  I received a reading of 30 in the up position and 247 in the down position (The plans say approximately 30 in one position and 240 in the other). The fuel sender was temporarily installed to make sure the float is at the proper measurements. The mechanical gauge was installed. The neck flange and the fluid fitting were also installed.

Time: 2 hrs

Fuel Strainer

Sender unit up position

Sender unit down position

Sender unit temp intalled

Sender unit float

Mechanical gauge, neck flange, fluid fitting installed