Today I cleaned up the right side exhaust pipe brackets and got them fit into place around the pipes, with the pipe sleeves in place.

Here we have the right top bracket in place.

And here we have the bottom bracket fit into place with the sleeves.

My next task was to get the right side inboard reinforcement plate made, which will help secure both the inboard top and bottom brackets’ securing screws.  After getting the reinforcement cut out of 1/16″ thick angled 6061 aluminum (pic 1) I then fit it into place (pic 2)… I have it peaking out from the aft baffle plate simply to be visible.  Moreover, I won’t install the inboard reinforcement plate until I’m ready to install the top inboard platenut, since I’ll need to remove the inboard exhaust pipe to do so.

While looking for a file by my lathe, I noted my eye bolt that I’ll use to weigh down the front of the plane any time I need the nose gear extended.  I had marked the eye bolt for trimming since it’s too long, but never got around to doing it.  Well, since I was doing Dremel work anyway I went ahead and knocked that task out.  This will come in handy since I’m nearing the point that I’ll want to remove all the weights that are currently inside the nose of the plane.  For reference, I’ll note that this eye bolt installs into an embedded hardpoint on the aft wall of the opening for the underside nose taxi light.

Back to another reinforcement plate for the the right side exhaust pipe brackets, this one for the top outboard screw/bolt.  This reinforcement plate is also made up of 1/16″ thick 6061 aluminum.

Once the bottom edge was shaped, I then drilled and riveted it into place using Cherry pop rivets.

It was now time to do some welding, but when I went to open up shop bay 3 for some ventilation, I found this 3″ plus length “sentry” standing guard on a giant web in front of the door.  I “persuaded” him to move with an old branch from my burn pile and continued on with my door opening <wink>.

Once I got my welder, welding station and welding accoutrements squared away, I tried my hand at some high-amp tack welding.  The first welds out of the gate were simply scary, and I had to dial down the amperage quite a bit.  Still, the risk of blowing out the thin walled stainless steel was just too high after a good dozen tries, so I decided I needed to use filler metal and just do small “normal” welds with normal power for my tack welds.  Then I’ll turn over my tacked up pieces to my expert buddy James to finalize the welds… at least that’s the plan.

Tomorrow is a busy day with my EAA chapter meeting in the morning and couple other social events, but I do plan on at least getting an hour or two of welding practice in on thin walled material, etc. before tackling the exhaust pipe bracket tack welding.

Moving forward… cautiously!