I Put Together My First Parts!

I have been fabricating individual parts for a while.  This weekend I finally got to assemble some of them!  I was going to start with the vertical stabilizer rear spar, but during the drill process I messed up one of the parts, so I had to order a replacement from Sonex.  In the meantime I went ahead and finished up and assembled the forward stabilizer spar.  My lovely wife immortalized me pulling the first rivet on Sonex 1416:

Sonex warns builders to keep the pressure on the pneumatic riveter around 35-40psi.  I found at 35psi it sometimes did not have enough power to break the rivet stem.  Above 38psi, however, it sometimes broke the rivet with enough force that the gun would jump and sometimes mar the surface of parts.  So 36-38psi seems about the right pressure for me to use.

Once my replacement part arrives later this week I can finish the rear spar and finish assembly of the vertical stabilizer.  In the meantime I've started fabricating parts for the elevators, starting with the skins which are a little tricky to get just right.  I laid them out last night, and will start cutting them this evening.  Onward!