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Front Baggage Latch Blocks

rv8or

Well Known Member
Note Early fuselage.
What method did people use to locate and install the latch blocks in the early fuse.
I'm struggling with this.
Any pictures and any advice would be welcome.

Thanks
Rob
 
The late fuse has the same problem. No good advice because it was a PIA for me to install them too. I mangled one set of latch block before I got it done
 
Challenging, but doable

It's a puzzler, for sure.
The first thing we did was to tape the receiver blocks into the best position we could manage. Put them in the place you'd want them to end up. Coat the end of the locking pins with lipstick or something, then close the door with the pins retracted. Hold the door as tightly closed as you can manage and then try to "lock" the door, which will extend the pins and mark their position on the blocks. Drill that hole.

Draw the line on the block to mark the centerline of the installation rivets. The blocks do not take marker well, so find the darkest marker you can find and draw as distinct a line as possible, because you've got to find it through the rivet hole.

I had a helper, so I hope the Force will be with you if you're doing this alone.

The next step is to find the hole in the block with the locking pins so you can extend the pins to the "locked" position to grab the block. You don't have to do both at the same time. Once you have a block "pinned" you can try to rotate it either by poking it through the rivet holes, or maybe from beneath with a long handled screwdriver? Get the centerline visible in the rivet holes, and remember to again, PRESS THE DOOR CLOSED before you drill those rivets holes into the block.

At least that's my version.
 
Blocks

Cookie monster

Thanks for your help.

The earlier kit does not have the pre-punched holes to locate the centre line of the blocks so I'm trying to work out where they sit.

Taking my time as I do not want to do this twice.

Thanks
Rob
 
I made several sets of wooden blocks exactly the same size as the plastic blocks that I fitted through trial and error until I was satisfied with the fit then transferred the holes layout to the kit supplied plastic blocks.
 
Ahhh. No prepunched holes. Got it. Another fine mess you've gotten us into!

Maybe that's easier? No screw holes on the bulkheads and no screw holes on the blocks. Just the big pin receiving holes, once you do them.

Thinking back now, what about fabbing up some supporting wooden bits that are thinner than the blocks and would essentially pin the blocks into position so they can't slide around? Duct tape them to the bulkheads, and then set the blocks there? You could know pretty well where the blocks are by measuring to corners, etc. Then, once the large pin holes are drilled and the blocks are reset into their wooden cradles and PINNED there by "locking" the latch, you could drill your own holes for the screws? Does that make sense?

Again, remember to REALLY hold the door closed hard when drilling, so it closes tight once everything is installed.
 
Blocks

Can someone post a picture of the PP holes that are used for the attachment of the blocks in a later kit, so that I can use it as an indication of where they are on my non pre punched kit

Thanks in anticipation.

Rob
 
Hope these help.
Taken from the outside. Looking aft at the firewall and forward from the inside.
 

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Note Early fuselage.
What method did people use to locate and install the latch blocks in the early fuse.
I'm struggling with this.
Any pictures and any advice would be welcome.

Thanks
Rob

I just did this yesterday, I ended up, putting one block on the pin and positioned it through the mounting holes, as close to the line I had marked on the block. I then matched drilled one hole just deep enough for a cleco to bite, then the other hole, removed and final drilled on the drill press. The second block I also mounted on it's pin same as the first and modified it by (in my case removing material via belt sander, so there was a nice fit of the door. One issue I had was interference of the snap bushing. I worked around that by using a barrel stone on my dremel to make a recess.
 
I did mine today used a piece of blue tape with my latch pins left a bit long and covered them in red lipstick. Held the door where I wanted it and turned the key to engage the lipstick pins to the blue tape. Next I punched the two premade holes into the blue tape and its a template. All fits well
 
Here's a link to the blog post that mentions my latch block installation. It's a long entry (aren't they all?) but if you scroll all the way down and then back up just a bit you'll read the description and see the photos. Hope this helps. And yeah, the aft one is a pain. I was lucky to be able to reach the back side to apply the nuts by removing my Garmin EFIS and squeezing around the wire bundles.
http://goatflieg.blogspot.com/2019/12/
 
I did mine today used a piece of blue tape with my latch pins left a bit long and covered them in red lipstick. Held the door where I wanted it and turned the key to engage the lipstick pins to the blue tape. Next I punched the two premade holes into the blue tape and its a template. All fits well

I did basically the same thing except I smeared some modeling clay on the blocks and ratchet strapped the door closed then moved the pins into the clay. Clay doesn't really like to stick to the blocks, but it can be done with a bit of scuffing.
 
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