Monthly Archives: November 2014

This week saw final riveting on the hinges, trailing edges, rib tips, and bending the leading edges.

A special modification to a standard bucking bar was made with a grinder and round file. The depression in the bucking bar face exactly matches the trim tab hinges.  This configuration allow bucking the hinge rivets without smashing the hinge assembly itself.  The bar worked well and the results look good.

Here is how the modifed bar fits under the hinge to access the rivet for bucking.

The final product looks good.

Next came backriveting the trailing edge.  This process was the same as for the rudder, with the exception that all the manufactured heads are on the top skin (no altering top and bottom).  I was able to do this by myself.  Again the results look good.

The outcome on upper and lower edges.

Here the sheer clips are being pop riveted into place.

After rolling the leading edge of the right elevator with Rich’s help, we cleco the two halves together.  We were only able to complete the left side with the time available today, but the final work on the right side will be done in a day or two.  More photos of the final product will be added later.

The week of November 24 (Thanksgiving Holiday) I spent time with Eric finishing up all elements of the elevator build.

After rolling edges, priming the surface to be covered was the next order of business.

Closeup of the final product before and after pop rivets.

The static wick nut plates install on the lower skin at the tip ribs.

Tip rib counterweights installed.

End results! They look good at a distance, but I really struggled through the elevators (see previous posts).  Now on to the tail cone section.

After many weeks of redoing the elevator trim tabs, adhesive bonding of the trailing edges and foam ribs was in order.  Rich came over to lend an extra pair of hands during the process.

Bending the angled trim tabs was accomplished with a simple red oak board cut to a 45 degree angle, then clamped to the angle iron jig.

Here the trim tab is sandwiched between two pieces of angle iron for bending the front part of the lower skin to 15 degrees.

A 12″ back rivet set was used with a standard backing plate to attach the lower portion of the trim tab spars.

Here is how the first set of trim tab horn rivets appear. More on the trim tabs later.

Cherry Max 3213-4-3 structural rivets were used to replace the simple LP4-3 called out in the plans. Discussions with my technical counseler and an A+P mechanic indicated structural rivets can always be substituted for lower strength rivets of the same size. However, Cherry Max brand rivets are more expensive (about 63 cents apiece).

On to the trailing edges – here the Van’s ProSeal equivalent is being applied initial application from with a caulking gun.  I later used a wooden popsicle stick to smooth out to ensure complete coverage.

This shows the foam rib attached to the rear spar.

Smoothing out the  bonding adhesive, getting ready to insert the trailing edge.

The trailing edge is clecoed to the angle iron jig about every 7th hole.  In between are wooden clothes pins, then comes a 2×4 with weights to hold the skins against the freshly bonded foam ribs.

The trim tabs were also bonded.  This photo shows them in the wooden jigs holding the skins against their bonded foam ribs.

DONE.  Now to let the adhesive cure for a few days before starting the final riveting steps.