Jan 01, 2020     Continuing 6-04 #5 - (1 hour) Category: Empennage

More deburring, waiting for soldering iron to arrives so I can remove blue vinyl from some rivet holes. Once I finish deburring I will prime then continue on.

  Dec 30, 2019     Continuing Page 6-04 #4 - (.8 hour) Category: Empennage

Deburred holes on the inside of the sides of the ribs, twisting the deburring bit by hand.

  Dec 29, 2019     Continuing 6-04 #3 - (0.7 hour) Category: Empennage

Did some deburring, more to go. Also, I'm trying to decide what to prime and what to leave alone.

  Dec 28, 2019     Continuing 6-04 #2 - (0.2 hour) Category: Empennage

Match drilled four holes through the VS skin. Marked up the parts so I can disassemble next session and debur.

  Dec 26, 2019     Continuing 6-04 - (1.5 hours)       Category: Empennage

Match drilled #40 (using a reamer) all the holes connecting the skin to the spars/ribs. Next time I will match drill #30 in four places.

  Dec 25, 2019     Started 6-04 - (3 hours) Category: Empennage

Took apart vertical stabilizer (VS) assembly, deburred edges and radiused the front of the forward-facing ribs so they won't cause the skin to facet. Reassembled the VS then cleco'd the skin to the VS. Next time I will drill/ream #40 holes all over the skin then match drill four new holes in the ribs (forwardmost portions).

  Dec 24, 2019     Finished Page 6-03 - (3 hours)       Category: Empennage

Fluted ribs and cleco'd them to the two spars previously worked on. Drilled the holes connecting them. I still need to form debur or radius the forwardmost edges of the ribs so that the skin won't "facet." Next up, attaching the skin.

I also applied a little bit of primer to the scratched/exposed spot on one of the hinge brackets.

Attached is one photo of the current arrangement, one photo of my box of clecos (can't hurt to get organized), and one photo of the majority of the remaining components.

  Dec 23, 2019     First Half of 6-03 - (2 hours) Category: Empennage

Completed the first half of page 6-03 which involves prepping and clecoing three hinge brackets to the rear spar of the vertical stabilizer. I scratched the powder coating off of a hinge bracket in one place because my drill bit wasn't long enough and I didn't realize it before the chuck contacted the bracket. I asked on the VAF forums for advice on what to do about the small slivers of exposed metal on the hinge bracket.

The next task involves preparing and joining several new pieces of the vertical stabilizer.

  Dec 22, 2019     Page 6-2 - (2 hours) Category: Empennage

Completed Page 6-2. Involved attaching the front spar doubler to the front spar.

For those following closely, there was a big gap in my entries here. I did a fair amount of work on my workshop in between, acquired some more tools, traveled for non-RV reasons, etc. I also made a couple of practice projects. I'm finally making progress now.

  Oct 05, 2019     Started First Page of Empennage - (0.2 hour) Category: Empennage

I found the first two parts of the vertical stabilizer that I need to rivet together (which wasn't easy... there are a lot of parts!). I cleco'd/clamped them, and now I need to match drill them. I don't have the air drill yet so I ordered one: https://www.panamericantool.com/nova-compact-pistol-grip-drill-3200-rpm-w-1-4-keyless-chuck.html

I'm working on acquiring some spray can primer for the parts that aren't powder coated or coated in vinyl.