Elevator and Aft Fuselage May 18

May 18

Elevator

I continued working on the Elevator trim tab today. Normally I don't like to dimple anything before I Prime because the dimples will tear apart the scotch-brite pads I use to prep the metal for priming, But the plans have you final drill after you dimple so I went ahead and did the dimpling so I could drill. After you dimple you assemble the trim tab and final drill #33 the holes removing clekos 1 at a time. Well I don't have a #33 drill bit, but I do have a #34 and seeing as its only .002" smaller I hoped it would work.

These holes will get pop rivets installed so after drilling I tested to make sure the pop rivet would fit the very slightly smaller hole and it did thankfully.

The plans have you bend the edges of the trailing edges of all the pieces inward, I didn't really say how to do this so I started with a hand seamer and a block of wood,  then I remembered I had to bend lap joints for the rudder and used the correct tool.

So now all the prep I can do on the Elevators is done before priming, I ordered the primer but it wont arrive until next Friday so I decided to keep working on the next section while I wait.

Aft Fuselage

This part of the kit starts out like most. Cutting pieces to size and mocking up. I did decide to deburr the edges while I work on the parts as the come across the table instead of waiting until the end to do it all at once before priming like I did with the Elevators. I think this might be better mentally since I am spreading the deburring work around.

First step was to cut the cable guides. I used the band saw.

Next step had me separate the battery angles, and stiffeners.

One of the ends of the Battery Angles you have to cut this notch out, It goes right into the middle of the ned radius so you start there with drilling a #30 hole.

Using the spring loaded hole punch to mark the location.

After I drilled the hole I used the band saw to cut out the rest.

Next you cut off the extra material from the Longer J-Stiffeners. I used the band saw to ruff cut them, then metal sheers to trim it close and finally the die grinder with Scotch-Brite Course and Medium Pads

Then I deburred the long edges on the 3m Scotch-brite wheel. These stiffeners are thick so this took a little bit of time.

Next step to to modify the Horizontal Stab attach bar support angle.

I decided another day when I wasn't super hungry to make all these measurements, so I prepped a few pieces of work for the next day.

Elevator 2.5 Hours, Rear Fuselage 3.0 Hours

Elevator May 17

May 17

Elevator

All I have left for edge deburring was the elevator skins so I got to work on that today. I used the 3m Scotch-Brite wheel for most of the long edges and then the emery cloth for the spaces that the wheel doesn't get. I use what ever I need to, normally the 240 grit, initially and have moved to finish with the 600 grit. Bill stopped over today and helped out for a bit with one of the skins.

I saw this on another blog and thought I would try it out. Basically just glued a piece of emery cloth to a block of wood. It did ok, I prefer the 3m wheel for the longer runs still.

Now that all the edges are done I started to work on the trim tab for the left elevator. The plans have you counter sink the top of the forward spar where the hinge bracket is, and DIMPLE the bottom. They have you attach the hinge bracket before counter sinking. I didn't understand why at first, but in what is becoming a pattern I assumed the bottom was countersunk like the top and started before reading the directions. The CS bit chatters in the holes since the material is so thin without the hinge bracket clekoed in place.

The 3 holes that I CS instead of dimpling on the bottom, you can see the holes themselves are mis-shaped now. I ordered a new E-01405 Trim tab spar. Someday hopefully soon I will read more and slow down!

Elevator 5.5 Hours

Elevator May 14 and 15

May 14 and 15

Elevator

More new toys! I decided Im going to try the AKZO Primer, but I was concerned with the chemicals and using disposable filters. I tried to read the MSDS sheet and the filter documents to see if they would work, and i "think" they would have but I didn't want to risk it and never really needed a reason to buy new tools. I found an new Allegro ambient air system on ebay, made an offer and it was accepted!

With the mock-up complete it was time to start deburring!! Yeah.....not. But it needs done. So lots of sanding. I use the Scotch-brite wheel whenever possible and lots of 320 and 240 grit emery cloth. Ill supplement with the die grinder and 3m red bad when I need to work a small space that I want to be more aggressive on.

All the edges are done! Except the skins, now time to counter sink the trailing edge piece. The plans have you modify a #40 CS bit, but I have one from Cleveland tools as well as there trailing edge jig and this made the job super easy.

Now all I need to do is debur the skin edges and the left elevator will be ready to prep from primer. Im thinking now to do 1 elevator at a time to keep the parts separated when it comes to priming. I haven't ordered the primer yet, being a Hazmat I want to make sure Im home when its delivered, so Ill probably prep debur the right elevator over the next week while Im waiting.

Elevator 8.0 Hours

Elevator May 6

May 6

Shop

I WENT SHOPPING TODAY, YEAH NEW TOOLS!!! I finally broke down and decided to buy a band saw, wish I wold have done this way sooner. I also spent some money on the paint booth. I bought 2 new LED lights and mounted them, so I will have 40,000 Lumens of light from all around now when I paint. I also put up 2 more 2X4 cross beams on the roof of the booth so that I can store finished parts on top when the time comes that I will need the space.

Elevator

I had only planed on doing work on the shop today, but I was feeling good and wanted to get some work done. I trimmed a few pieces to size.

Used a soldering iron to melt the blue plastic off the upper and lower skins to bend the close out flanges on the elevator that has the trim tab.

The plans have to measure off the bend line to start the bend, presumable to get the correct radius and location. The distance for the upper and lower are different, i think by 1/32 so that the one close out flange will sit just inside of the other. Again, my moving to fast without reading I didn't catch this until after I bent both side.

Used a wood block clamped to the table to bend the tab down with my fingers and used the rivet gun with a flush set to finish the bend at at VERY low PSI.

 Over all, Im very pleased with how well the technique works.

Slowing down now, reading the plans I came across a part I didn't understand. the trim tab hinge is suppose to be directional, front and back. I didn't know if it came that way or if the 2 holes they plans have you drill in it make it directional. the eyelet on the metal hinge didn't match up with the drawings adding to my confusion. Vans said it's the holes you drill and the eyelet side doesn't matter.

Time to use the new tools! The elevators use foam blocks to help the trailing edge keep its shape, I've read other peoples blogs where they didn't cut the blocks exactly and it caused a wave in the trailing edge so I was exact as possible to keep each one uniformed.

 Had to run to the store to pick up this step drill bit, these things are not cheap!

Finished the day with the initial mock-up almost completed!

Shop 3.5 Hours, Elevator 3.0

Elevator May 1

May 1

Elevator


Im moving forward and starting on the elevator, reading the plans much more slowly and carefully now considering my recent mistake these look like the most involved built yet. The first steps though are the same, getting the parts together, removing the blue, and starting basic mock-up.

Cutting some stiffeners

These elevator tip assemblies were a pain in the ass to get straight. The plans so to flute the flanges to bend the pieces so all three are straight and line up. i don't know if everyone has this much trouble but I spent hours trying to get this right and in the end just forced a much of clekos through the holes to hold it straight.

Elevator 3.5 Hours

Horizontal Stabilizer April 24

April 24

Horizontal Stabilizer 

Fixing and Finding mistakes today. First a few rivets on the front spar that I noticed weren't set well. Researching I found that If at .002" shim can slide behind the rivet head and touch the shank it needs to be fixed.

First I tried to re-buck the rivet but that didn't work well so I decided to drill them out and and put new ones in.

I had to remove a few rivets from the skin to be able to get my hand behind the spar with the bucking bar, but I made it work.

I was able to use the lightening holes to get in with the bucking bar and re-hit the rivets in the skin that weren't set well. Then I noticed it. The biggest mistake to date.

The front and rear spar have an top and bottom, In my rushing to "catch up" from my previous mistake with the primer I didn't read the directions well and just as I was finishing the last few rivets on the skin I realized the orientation of one of them is wrong. The arrow pointing to the notch in the rear spar should be on the bottom of the HS, the circles around the unriveted rivets should be on the top of the HS, and the arrows pointing to the 2 holes in the web of the front spar next the the 9 rivet pattern should be on the bottom and they are on the top. 

I emailed vans about this, from the way I see it I can cut the rear spar and flip the notch, this will also require me to dimple the rivet holes in the skin and un-dimple the corresponding holes on the other side. basically making the top the bottom.

Option 2. Drill out the rear spar, flip it, and move the holes in the skin as described above.

Options 3. Try to locate the position of the mounting holes on the front spar and drill them.

Vans recommends I go with option 1. I think I might try option 3 first after I build the rear fuselage and use the mounting brackets as a guide as well as trying to measure and locate the holes. If this doesn't work I can always go with options 1 after. For now the HS is done and set aside.

Horizontal Stabilizer 1.5 Hours