Empennage

A little bit of everything… (3.0 hrs)

This entry was posted in Elevators Empennage Plans on by

I took today off work, because, well I can.  So I started out working on the trim tab.  I didn’t get very far.  I match drilled the brackets shown here.20130809-175008.jpg

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Then I removed the pin from the hinge and carefully reviewed the plans.  The instructions state to clamp the hinge in place using the measurements on DWG 4.  I only see two measurements on DWG 4.  After I made sure those measurements were ok… they actually don’t make much sense… I clamped and drilled.  20130809-175026.jpg

The very first hole is shown here.  It is supposed to be, and is 1/4 inch from the edge as shown.  But the edge distance towards the back of the hinge doesn’t look good to me.  At this point I stopped and reviewed the plans again.  I don’t see anything that I’m missing.  Next stop VAF and Mike Bullock’s site.  From the pictures on Mike’s site, mine looks fine.  Except the edge distance.  I was thinking it was Saturday so I gave Mike a call.. in retrospect since its Friday he was probably at work.  Either way he agreed to meet me at the airport when he is next there to go over the trim tab.  This seems to be the part everyone has trouble with, so it’s best if Mike give’s me a hand, and his help is much appreciated. 20130809-175036.jpg

With Mike agreeing to help, I stopped work on the trim tab.  The other day I brought one of my white boards from my office to the shop to keep track of my “To Do” and “Shopping” lists.  I started on my to do list.20130809-175043.jpg

First up was finishing the few remaining rivets on the rudder.  Since I last did the rudder I’ve bought two tools that will allow me to complete this.  I had to pop rivet the last one, but I’m quite ok with that. 20130809-175050.jpg

This rivet in the corner of the elevator horn was a real beast to get to.  I tried several different setups with my squeezers with no luck, so I had to resort to banging the rivet with the gun and bucking bar.  The space was very tight and holding the bucking bar was difficult.  In the end, I got two proper rivets installed. 20130809-175058.jpg

Storage has been on my mind lately.  With the wings arriving at the end of the month, I’ve been clearing space and planning storage.  I temporarily attached the rudder to the vertical stab and hung them both back up. While I had the vertical stab down, I should have replaced the two rivets that need to be replaced, but of course, I forgot.  Soon…20130809-175107.jpg

I also moved the mounting bracket for the horizontal stab up much higher.  I’m planning to also temporarily attach the elevators to the stab for storage.  20130809-175114.jpg

Elevators 28 (4.0 hrs)

This entry was posted in Elevators Empennage on by

So today I basically completed the left elevator.  I finished deburring, dimpled, and riveted the entire structure.  I also bent the tabs.  Finally I began a little bit of setting up for the trim tab.  I forgot to prime two small parts.  Damn.  Well, now I really need to invest in some rattle can primer because I’m certainly not setting up the primer for two parts the size of my palm.

Those damn elevator tabs are a complete pain in the ass.  That said, they are done, airworthy, and that’s all I need.  They aren’t as pretty as I’d like, but at the RV Gathering I inspected this on multiple aircraft… So I don’t feel so bad now, as there were many that weren’t perfect, but it never mattered as the only way you can notice is to bend down and inspect the tabs.  Even then… its really a trivial matter.

Ok, so all that really remains for me to do, is properly attach and trim the counterweights, and the trim tab hinge and mounting, and I’ll be able to call the empennage complete. 20130728-195002.jpg

I need to get a better cart, and start using it.  I’m tired of my tools getting spread out on my workbenches and taking up all my work space.  Looks like  a trip to HF is in order.20130728-195010.jpg

My wife was helping me today.  She was working the clecos and putting rivets in for me to squeeze.  In the process she took some photos of my working.  Its pretty rare to see me in any photos on this blog as I’m the only one taking photos… and probably the only one reading these posts for that matter…!20130728-195023.jpg

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Pop rivets.  So easy. 20130728-195054.jpg

The final product. 20130728-195100.jpg

Elevators 27 (1.5 hrs)

This entry was posted in Elevators Empennage on by

Tonight is my 100th post to this blog!  I started this blog in July of 2012, but I didn’t make it public until I had purchased my empennage kit in December.  Since that time I’ve put in about 147 hours into the kit.  The empennage is all but done, and the wing kit arrives in about 3 weeks.

No pictures tonight.  I bent the trailing edge of the left elevator and match drilled it to the skeleton.  I started to deburr the holes and the edges and made it about half way through before calling it a night.  My hope for tomorrow is to complete dimpling, bend the tabs, and rivet the left elevator, leaving only the completion of the tab… we’ll see if I make it.