Wings: Fuel tanks. Stiffeners sealing.

I decided to redo my fuel tanks.  See here for why.  The entries specific to the redone tanks are here.

I yoinked a Brecknell PS7 Electronic Postal Scale, acetone (rather then MEK) and Popsicle sticks for the first stage of sealing the tanks this evening.  First I removed the masking tape to expose the scuffed mating surface of the skins.  Then a thorough cleaning with the acetone.

 

Then it was opening part A of the sealant.  That stuff is super thick!  It doesn't get thinner when mixed with part B.  In fact, I broke a Popsicle stick in it. 

Here's a stiffener with the mixed sealant slathered on (this is called a fay seal) using the syringe gun.  Turns out that gun isn't too useful at this point.  Seems like the Popsicle stick does fine.  Filling the syringe is not as simple as just aspirating the mixture, since it's too thick.  You have to load it with the Popsicle stick.

Weeping holes.  After cleco'ing, the sealant comes out.

All stiffeners in place, every hole cleco'd.  Each one of the stiffeners was reworked with a fillet seal.

 

Close-up of fillet seal around stiffener.

Fuel flange on both sides (left skin on left, right skin on right) with vent line clip.

 

Inboard ribs.  Somehow I lost the other T-1010 Anti-Rotation Plates I bought last week, which is why you'll notice the obvious missing pieces.  Can't find them anywhere.  Need to order two more.  I even checked the vacuum thinking I may have sucked them up accidentally.

 

All-in-all, it wasn't too bad an experience.  I wore my respirator so I couldn't smell anything.  Tomorrow will see me try to back rivet, wet, all the rivets for these parts without help.