5/28/2006
I continued working on access doors behind the instrument panel. A friend at work had a good idea in that I might find it a hassle to get to the screws in the left side of the plane if I make one big door. Two smaller ones where more often than not I will be removing just the right door makes more sense.
Another consideration is that with doors I can't mount anything to the back wall of the instrument bay. Hopefully by leaving a little area in the middle and around the sides this will not be a problem. If it is, I can always leave the access panels in permanently.
I used my center marker and marked a line at a consistent distance from the top edge. Then with a rules I marked the sides middle and bottom. I cut this out by drilling holes in all corners and one big one on each side for the pneumatic nibbler. Then I did a rough cut with the nibbler. Then I used a cutoff wheel to make the edge closer to the mark. Then I used the ScotchBrite wheel for the last bit of cutting and polishing.
Then I traced through the holes onto some aluminum sheet and then cut the access doors on the band saw. Then I cut some strips and angle onto which I drilled holes for nutplates. After priming I riveted and screwed everything together.
I think I have too many rivets and not enough nutplates.
Update: I wonder if this was all necessary. I have since spoken with more than one RV8 builder who has said that if you put service loops in everything you can pull back the front part of the panel and get at everything behind it.