Fuselage

[Chuck in Indiana]

With the Engine mount finished it's time to build a seat.  Today I dusted off the seat aluminum and using a technique posted by someone on the forum (Chuck ?) I scored it with a dull (too lazy to change the blade) box cuttuer.  After four passes I was able to cleanly break it off on the edge of the bench.  I cut the sheet down to 48".  the length I'll make the strips, to start with.

Not me, I have a shear.. seen in the back. I made the strips longer, too, after reading of people feeling they were not settling back into the seat. While I have your attention.. I did what Les and others did, and used a compression spring and skateboard wheel to save the weight of a conventional spring, fork, and wheel. I was proud of myself for saving all that weight, but came out nose heavy and had to eventually add a couple of pounds of lead in the tail.   
You have now reached a major milestone. Shortly, you'll be able to sit in it and make airplane noises. This is what they sound like..  
https://youtu.be/JSEjqPidpJo?si=7yl639NBxbmu2y47

[Brock]

Well, the seat is finished except for sizing.  Too bad I have to sit in it in order to find out if it's low/high enough but that I can't sit in it until it's fixed in place.  To be sure the horizontal strip ends don't become a snag issue I did two things.  First, I widened the seat to 9 vertical strips so that with an odd number each side comes out the same.  Next I lenthened every other strip (the ones that end up on the top at the sides) so I could bend them over before riveting.  Used solid rivets and bucked the tail with the heads on a metal plate.

[Brock]

Two steps forward one step back - here we go again.

I tried measuring twice and cutting (er, drilling) once but it didn't work.  First I sat against a wall with helmet on then placed a peice of tape on the wall at the top of my head/helmet. Then I added two inches (too much, I'll just be sure to cinch the lap belt) for turbulence.  Measured from the top (torque as I think someone called it) tube down to the seat.  When it was all done and said I drilled and bolted in the seat.  Final part was to confirm what a nice job I did by getting in the seat and verifying it made sense.  Nope, didn't even pass the sniff test.  No way do I need 6" of space above my head (I'm 5'10") but I do need another two or three inches below to clear the elevator cable (should have installed that before the seat.  Ha, Live, Laugh, learn, rejoice, rinse and repeat.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Not to worry. You have the time consuming part done. I conventional riveted also, but only clecoed at the attach points until I had the entire control system finished and working. Then, I asked the Lovely Assistant (tm) to come out and look at my butt. (!)

[Dan_]

That thing is looking good!... MVP.