I spent about two hours trying to figure out how to trim the door sill ( 7F19-12 ).

The plans and directions are very lacking about the door sills. The forward half of the sill is easy to figure out, the outside rear is strange ( but figure-out-able ), but the rear inside is an enigma.

A quick search of the Matronics list and Google provided nothing.

PROGRESS:
Fuselage ~229h ( 3h, 3h, 2h, 3h, 7h, 2h, 5h, 2h, 3h, 2h, 2h, 3h, 6h, 2h, 2h, 1.5h, 2.5h, 1h, 2h, 3h, 2h, 3h, 4h, 1h, 2h, 1h, 3h, 4h, 3h, 3h, 4h, 3h, 4h, 4h, 6h, 3h, 3h, 4h, 2h, 2h, 2h, 4h, 2h, 2h, 10h, 4h, 4h, 6h, 3h, 4h , 6h, 3h, 2h, 2h, 5h, 2h, 3h, 3h, 2h , 2h, 3h, 4h, 1h, 1h, 1h, 1h, 3h, 1h, 2h, 2h )
Wings: ~157.5h ( 1h, 1h, 0.5h, 2.5h, 4h, 1h, 1.5h, 1h, 1.5, 4.5, 1h, 1h, 2h, 4h, 1h, 3h, 1h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 2h, 2h, 2h, .5h, 1h, .5h, .5h, 2h,3h, 1h, 3h, 3h, 4h, 2h, 3h, 7h, 3h, 1h, 4h, 1h, 1h, 1h, 4h, 2h, 2h, 2h, 2h, 1h, 2h, 3h, 2h, 1h, 3h, 2h, 2h, 1h, 2h, 3h, 2h, 1h, 1h, 1.5, 2h, 2h, 3h, 2h, 1h, 3h, 2h, 1h, 2h, 1h, 5h, 2h, 1h, 2h, 4h, 2h, 3h, 3h, 3h, 2h, 3h, 2h, 3h, 6h )
Flaperons: ( DONE! ) 23.5 hours spent ( 3h, 1h, 1h, 1h, 1.5h, 3h, 6h, 3h, 4h, 1h )
Paint Design: 2 hours spent ( 1h, 1h )
Elevator DONE!: ~31.5 hours spent ( 3h, 1.5h, 3h, .5h, 3.5h, 2h, 4h, 1.5h, 2h, 4.5h, 1h, 6h )
Horizontal Stabilizer DONE!: ~28 hours spent, 3 pieces replaced ( 3h, 2h, 2h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 3.5h, 1.5h, 5, 4.5, 2h, .5h )
Rudder DONE!, minus horn : ~16 hours spent, ( ~8h, ~8h )
-----------------------
Total Done: ~486h

Recap of the question posed to the Matronic's Zenith list:

I'm having a bit of a problem. The ("L") angle that attaches to the top of the baggage back is off by exactly 10mm. This seems strange since every other junction is dead on, and the longeron splices are exactly even between the sides and the top. The flanges for the bulkheads were dead on.

So this leads me to believe it is a CNC error, but it's a little hard to get up there to measure and prove it.

Anyway, this has produced a gap too big to shim and I'm not sure what to do about it. One thought I had was to move the angle forward, but then the existing holes would be directly over the baggage back and the vertical ("L") angles.

My other idea was to ignore the gap basically since when I test fit the baggage back only the area near the gap didn't site flush. So I would add some extra rivets towards the inside of the panel to make up for it, and maybe add two gussets. My guess is that two rivets on each side would have to be skipped.

Photos of the gap problem with the ("L") angle that attaches from the top skin to the baggage back.

Finally some time to work on the project....

We spent about two hours. The first hour and a half was spent figuring out the best way to get the flaperon brackets consistently placed. The end result was using some extrusion clamped to the top of the rib, then using some "L" angle to hold the bracket to the rib. The ends of the brackets were all made flush with the end of the rib.

I'm not sure how I got into this position in the first place. I drew out the rivet lines on the spar and channel, and the pre-drilled holes of the skin line up perfectly.

But as always, progress must be stopped. I believe that the 7V7-4 supplied with my wing kit may be mal-formed.

Basically making a mark 41mm from the 115mm mark to the right is past the piece. Making the 41mm mark to the left doesn't look right

The instructions in the manual are somewhat confusing, so I would be happy to find out I mis-interpreted them.


Project Status:
Wings: 38.5h ( 1h, 1h, 0.5h, 2.5h, 4h, 1h, 1.5h, 1h, 1.5, 4.5, 1h, 1h, 2h, 4h, 1h, 3h, 1h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 2h, 2h )
Flaperons: ( DONE! ) 23.5 hours spent ( 3h, 1h, 1h, 1h, 1.5h, 3h, 6h, 3h, 4h, 1h )
Paint Design: 2 hours spent ( 1h, 1h )
Elevator DONE!: ~31.5 hours spent ( 3h, 1.5h, 3h, .5h, 3.5h, 2h, 4h, 1.5h, 2h, 4.5h, 1h, 6h )
Horizontal Stabilizer DONE!: ~28 hours spent, 3 pieces replaced ( 3h, 2h, 2h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 3.5h, 1.5h, 5, 4.5, 2h, .5h )
Rudder DONE!, minus horn : ~16 hours spent, ( ~8h, ~8h )
-----------------------
Total Done: ~141 hours

We spent about two hours on Sunday. Part of that time was spent getting the inboard wing channel into place, and the rest on the flaperon brackets.

I believe that my rear wing channels may be a few mm aft, as I am having a problem with 7V4-6.

When I attempt to place the bracket, the after edge is more rearward than the rib. If I move the bracket forward then it gets between the rib and the channel.

Is the correction to attempt to move the channel forward, or to shim between the rib and the channel?

Project Status:
Wings: 36.5h ( 1h, 1h, 0.5h, 2.5h, 4h, 1h, 1.5h, 1h, 1.5, 4.5, 1h, 1h, 2h, 4h, 1h, 3h, 1h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 2h )
Flaperons: ( DONE! ) 23.5 hours spent ( 3h, 1h, 1h, 1h, 1.5h, 3h, 6h, 3h, 4h, 1h )
Paint Design: 2 hours spent ( 1h, 1h )
Elevator DONE!: ~31.5 hours spent ( 3h, 1.5h, 3h, .5h, 3.5h, 2h, 4h, 1.5h, 2h, 4.5h, 1h, 6h )
Horizontal Stabilizer DONE!: ~28 hours spent, 3 pieces replaced ( 3h, 2h, 2h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 3.5h, 1.5h, 5, 4.5, 2h, .5h )
Rudder DONE!, minus horn : ~16 hours spent, ( ~8h, ~8h )
-----------------------
Total Done: ~139 hours

The empennage is riveted. A few small questions still remain. First the hinge pins do not seem to have holes for the cotter pins. The second question is about which side the center hinge bracket goes in relation to 7H5-3 ( horn angle ). If the bracket is on the outside then the upward elevator motion is interrupted by 7H5-4 ( center hinge gusset ). If the bracket is moved to the inside then the elevator is slightly out of position and more of the center elevator hinge will have to be removed to achieve full movement.

In total I spent about six hours working on the plane and another hour playing with Sketchup and the paint job.

Of course this photo was taken at the end of the six hours... and at about 11pm.

Next up flaperons!






Project Status:
Paint Design: 2 hour spent ( 1h, 1h )
Elevator DONE!: ~31.5 hours spent ( 3h, 1.5h, 3h, .5h, 3.5h, 2h, 4h, 1.5h, 2h, 4.5h, 1h, 6h )
Horizontal Stabilizer DONE!: ~28 hours spent, 3 pieces replaced ( 3h, 2h, 2h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 3.5h, 1.5h, 5, 4.5, 2h, .5h )
Rudder DONE!, minus horn : ~16 hours spent, ( ~8h, ~8h )
-----------------------
Total Done: ~78.5 hours

Has anyone had the following problem?

I'm starting my elevator/stab hinges and noticed a difference between the builder's manual, the plans and the manufactured piece supplied by Zenith concerning the Center Hinge Bracket ( 7H3-3SP ).

Using the plans I measured 50mm into the flange to make a mark to draw the perpendicular line. This line was off center with the bracket tip by about 2mm. The builders manual states that the line should be centered with the tip.

When tried to figure out why this was and I realized that the flange was 109mm in length, not 107mm as stated in the plans.

Since these measurements are enclosed by boxes on the plans, I assume they are critical, especially since being off will cause problems with the elevator's movement.

Is it better to use the tip center to determine the line knowing that one side of the piece was manufactured 2mm to long, possibly grinding down that side? ( my guess )

Or would it be better to use the line drawn 50mm in? ( seems like that would weaken the hinge )

Update 1: I think that the piece was cut wrong AND that the flange was bent in the wrong direction.

Update 2: Zenith is sending me a new piece. Thanks to Caleb and Nick for their support.

Project Status:
Elevator: ~20 hours spent ( 3h, 1.5h, 3h, .5h, 3.5h, 2h, 4h, 1.5h, 2h )
Horizontal Stabilizer: ~28 hours spent, 3 pieces replaced ( 3h, 2h, 2h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 3.5h, 1.5h, 5, 4.5, 2h, .5h )
Rudder Done, minus horn : ~16 hours spent, ( ~8h, ~8h )
-----------------------
Total Done: ~65 hours