Today I started off with a long discussion on the phone with Nick Ugolini about the oil heat system.  I had a bunch of burning questions and Nick was of course gracious enough to answer all my questions.

After spending over a good hour on the phone, I then documented all that Nick and I had discussed.

I then went downstairs and started working on the fuel sump access ports.  I had determined last night the nutplate attach ring that goes on the interior side of the tank was just a bit too wide, so I reduced the width down to 5/8″ from 3/4″.  I then spent some time spacing out the 7 nutplates equidistant on the ring and marked them up.

From the rivet holes on each nutplate I then determined the actual center for each one & marked it.

Using my paper template, I then transferred each sump tank’s access hole onto the sump top piece of foam.  I also marked the outer edge of the ring (and each sump access port cover) with a dashed line.

I then cut out each sump tank’s access port hole and set the foam top back over the sump tanks.  So far, I’m very happy with the configuration and spacing of these access holes.

I then cut out the access port covers out of 1/16″ (0.063″) 2024 aluminum.

Since it got too late to be cutting metal in the shop this evening, I just went ahead and marked up the sump access ports nutplate rings to be cut out tomorrow.  I’ll be using 0.040″ 2024 aluminum for the nutplate rings.

After my discussion with Nick, I also tweaked my air intake scoop expansion chamber and played around with some potential configurations and locations on the fuselage.

Tomorrow I’m going to attempt to get the nutplate rings cut out, the screw holes drilled and all the access ports aluminum Alodined.  I’ll then rivet the nutplates to the nutplate ring.  In addition, I’d like to get the inside of sump top glassed with 1 ply of BID after I shape the interior foam around the access ports.