JMR
Nice fab work. I know how long it takes to get accurate bends in sheet metal. Your time investment will pay off.
Just a quick comment that could help improve the fatigue life of your chassis. Im not sure if this was done prior to bending or you are aware, but draw filing the edges of the sheet metal to a smooth finish prior to bending significantly reduces the chances of cracks forming from the radiuses. A genral rule is to use three times the thickness of the material for a bend radius. The metal work hardens in the bend and tiny cracks form if the bend radius is less than the mininum. I have a book with chart with this data at home...three provinces away, but can look it up if you would like when Im back home. Also avoid scribing aluminum at all costs, especially at the rivet layout lines and bend radius marks, cracks can propogate from here as well.
I would inspect the radiuses and polish up the areas such as I have highlighted below. This is of more importance to your build as 6061 does not have the fatigue resistance of 2024-t3.
Attachment:
Feb%2012%20009.jpg
Good call on the adhesives AND rivets... quality rivets as well. Have a look through this thread regarding metal bonding. If you were just bonding everything together, there would be some concern. Through all of my research, experience, and formal training, I would expect a maximum strength of the adhesive bond of approx two years, and diminishing from then on based on the prep process you described. The degredation of the joint is due to corrosion of the metal and the expoxy slowly loosing its bond to the metal, not the epoxy itself. Perhaps a lower strength adhesive bonded to a acid washed, alodined, and epoxy primed metal may give you a much longer shelf life of the bond but at a lower strength.
lots of good information in this forum:
http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forum ... 024-a.htmlAnd of course all coments are aimed at taking your already impressive build to higher level.
All the best
Andrew