[<<Prev]
[Next>>]
[December 11, 2006]


Tonight I started with match drilling the tank skin to the ribs and baffle. Once that was done, it was time to remove the vinyl where the baffle holes needed to be countersunk. I took a tip I read from on the VAF forums and bought a butane soldering iron from Radio Shack to replace the 35 (or 45) watt iron I have been using. This is one of the best things I have spent money on yet. The soldering iron took a while to heat up, the cord got in the way, and you needed to go very slow with it - 2-3 seconds / inch. This butane iron is totally portable (cordless), very light, comes with its own built in stand and is way hotter than the other iron. With a setting a little higher than medium, I was able to move the iron at about 1-2 inches per second. And when I went to remove the vinyl, it ripped perfectly on the scored line.


Next I finally broke down and used the cordless drill (DeWalt 18V hammer drill) to countersink the skin-baffle holes with. This was another good move on my behalf tonight. Very consistent countersinks with no chatter.


Next I did a reverse mirror trace of the right angle attatchment to the uncut stock.


And I was able to get an initial cut before I called it a night.

[<<Prev]
[Next>>]

http://RVplane.com

Last Modified: August 13, 2023