Slider build order - final stages?

For those of you who have built a slider (mine is an RV-7), I have a question..

Can i delay riveting the forward top fuselage skin until the last minute? Specifically, can I fit the windscreen and canopy with the forward top skin in clekos? I know I won't be able to permanently install the windscreen or glass the windscreen fairing, but can I fit the sliding part of the canopy and all that stuff aft before riveting the final skin?

Reason being I'd really like to delay commuting to avionics until the VERY last moment possible...

thanks
Ivan

I think you could do a rough finish of both but things will change slightly once the front top skin is riveted. Plus, you won't be able to install some clekos that will need to hold the skin down to fit the windshield.

Hi Ivan,
I am midway through the stage you mention in your build. I too didn't want to commit on avionics right yet, nor did I want to make forward access panels in the top skin like some do. Thus the way I tackled it was to purchase some avionics trays from Steinair (they will sell them separately, and are quite inexpensive for all but the Garmin GTN navigators). Using these, along with the measurements in the G3X manual, I cut the holes in the panel and sub-panel, and made associated doublers and mounting brackets. I also drilled holes on F-7107 forward fuselage ribs for mounting the engine monitor, transponder and other remote mounted components. Thus, I have very little invested at this stage in avionics, and things can change avionics wise (as they are very quickly) and you can still swap most items with what you currently have because the tray spacings are quite consistent.
You can then rivet the forward fuselage and mount your windscreen, but still make avionics installation relatively(??) easily at a later date. I have already completed my sliding canopy as this can be done at any stage (you will have to remove a few clecoes from the forward skin to get the canopy in place for the early fitting). All I can say is don't cut and drill the WD-643-SS roll bar brace until AFTER you have completed the bending and installation of the canopy, as my canopy frame was canted aft to a level that I couldn't fully rectify, thus I have had to cant my rollbar aft also, so I needed to purchase and re-cut/drill a new brace. Good luck.
Regards,
Tom.

Tom
Thanks very much! Some good suggestions.
R
Ivan

Yep

Iluke said:

For those of you who have built a slider (mine is an RV-7), I have a question..

Can i delay riveting the forward top fuselage skin until the last minute? Specifically, can I fit the windscreen and canopy with the forward top skin in clekos? I know I won't be able to permanently install the windscreen or glass the windscreen fairing, but can I fit the sliding part of the canopy and all that stuff aft before riveting the final skin?

Reason being I'd really like to delay commuting to avionics until the VERY last moment possible...

thanks
Ivan

Click to expand...

That is exactly what I did - no problems when I eventually finished everything up.