As I started to work on the RV this morning, I looked out the garage window (down the driveway) and saw that it had started to snow.  Those are really big snowflakes and it really is cold this morning.  That's a good excuse to work on the plane and stay inside.

I went to work on a few little things that I had skipped over earlier.  The first was to cut the fuel tank vent fittings and smooth out the edges of the vent.  A piece of fine screen will go in the opening to keep bugs and dirt out.

I opened up the hole for the prop cable through-wall fitting, but didn't actually install the fitting.

I spent a little time with a new arrival who seemed to want to help with the building process.  He didn't belong to anyone around here (my nearest neighbor is 1/2 mile away and others are much farther), so we just visited.

I installed battery box brackets after deciding that the forward batter will be on the left side of the firewall.

Van's has a nice battery box kit, but I didn't have one around, so I constructed my own.  I simply copied the Van's battery box design.  Sorry, I didn't get any pictures of the construction process, but it was pretty straight forward.

The battery needs a hold down strap so, again copying Van's, I drilled a piece of T-6 strap to lighten it and match drilled 2 holes for bolts.

I cut the strap to length and cleaned it up a bit. The result was a perfectly good battery hold down strap.

All I had left to do was to install the battery box (with proper back plates) and the strap.  It's ready for battery installation.

I ordered these cable nuts from Aircraft Spruce.  I thought they were the same ones Van's sells for cabin heat.

Even if the shaft length was adequate, the shaft diameter is too large for any of the Van's heat boxes.

I ended up with a hardware store variety cable nut.  If I can find the better quality cable nut, I'll replace it later.  On the other hand, this one is adequate.

My new friend continued to help.  He doesn't know it, but my friend Connie is coming over to take him away to her house.  He should very happy there, but I'll be saddened to see him leave.

Next, I put the compression nut on the brake tubing that runs from the brake fluid reservoir to each brake cylinder.

The brake reservoir is is plumbed and I'm ready to finish the cabin brake plumbing -- and that's a day for me...

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