I have discovered that the CX4 Community Yahoo group is VERY helpful. The photos provided by other builders in the group are a great help. Also, the time I spend studying the plans is starting to be realized - I am getting better at interpreting the plans and visualizing the spar build task. Seems the more I study the plans - the more detail I can visualize. Think that is a good thing.
I am going to do more shop organizing and setup. Get the materials and build the table I will need. Dave Thatcher says to build a 13x3' table for the project. There are some good references from EAA regarding the design and construction of work tables. I found that EAA Chapter 10000 has a good write up on their website.
So far progress on the actual CX4 is limited to planning, analysis, reading, and studying. I feel that this time is not wasted. I hope my attention to detail and planning will limit the expected goofs and errors that are part of the building/learning process.
One of the things I have been looking into is how to rivet the spars. The spar construction task is just about the only parts build that require traditional bucked rivets. You can use a rivet gun/bucking bar method, rivet press, or arbor press methods for rivets. Any way you do it I understand it takes practice to develop this skill. To that end I have decided to do some test rivets using aluminum "test" stock that I can get a TheHomeDepot or Lowes. They both stock aluminum angles and sheets in smaller (non-aviation grade) pieces. I think practicing drilling, shaping, and riveting these test pieces will be a better way to develop the skills required without wasting valuable and more expensive 6061-T6 stock.
I plan to try the arbor press method that is documented in the EAA website here. You can get an Arbor Press (picture above) from Harbor Freight Tools for less than $50. I will let you know how it works.
Stay tuned.. :)
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