Well, today I got an order from Van’s that wasn’t really part of the planned build process. A few weeks back I was dreaming about switch placement and panel layout and I decided to buy some of the actual cockpit parts to start getting a sense of scale and placement. The problem? I needed some #8 nutplates and screws to put them together enough to be useful.

Also, I needed a spare trim tab motor cover. Ugh.

Well, shipping a few #8 nutplates across the country is expensive, so I added a scotchbrite wheel (a critical time-saving tool) to qualify for free shipping. Wuhooo.

Here are some #6 and #8 nutplates and screws. (And the trim tab cover.)

No in-progress shots today, but here’s the right side console angle bracket.

After screwing in the actual right console, tada!

Next, 8 more rivets in the 4 nutplates for the left side.

Here’s the left side, complete.

Next, the panel screws into two “wings,” each of which get 6 nutplates.

Apparently I didn’t take any pictures of the left side, but here’s the panel screwed into the wings. Looking real, now.

1.0 hour, 40 rivets. And I’m counting this in the “panel” section of the build log.