Oct 12, 2021     Elevator Assembly - (3.0 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

DAR (Joe Norris) visited and made some suggestions for rework of horizontal stabilizer so I don't have to endure drilling out and replacing the 2 inboard ribs. Everything else looked ok "for a first time builder". Riveted elevator tip back on repaired RT elevator. Fit and trimmed end cap. Waiting on some more CherryMax rivets to complete this part. Still need epoxy for end cap and to smooth everything out.

  Sep 21, 2021     Elevator Assembly - (6.0 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

Counterbalance assemblies inspected by my CFI/RV builder, Eric. Essentially, I had to disassemble both right and left assemblies and flute the full-length to correct the binding issue. No idea how I missed this step but it was not done on either side. Did a poor job of drilling out a few and I will have to put oops rivets in. Also will need to use Cherry CR3213 structural rivets to mount the ribs back to the spar since it is no longer possible to drive rivets in assembly. Awaiting delivery of CR rivets from Aircraft Spruce, clecoed repaired ends to elevators and reset rod end bearings. Perfect fit on both sides. Bought replacement parts, rivets and a decent center punch to help with rivet removal. Lesson learned.

  Sep 01, 2021     Elevator Assembly - (2.2 hours)       Category: Empennage

Adjusted RT elevator for proper movement, lots of fiddling with eyebolt spacing, etc. Movement is in agreement with plans without binding. Installed LT elevator and fit counterweights. Awaiting new trim tab skin, I'd feel left out if I didn't screw it up like everyone else. Researched better bending technique, wood block diagram on plans is...not good.

  Aug 28, 2021     Elevator Assembly - (2.0 hours)       Category: Empennage

Placed countersink chamfer in fiberglass, deburred and dimpled outboard edge of counterweight assembly. Blind riveted end cap. For some reason, the counterweight now is hitting the HS. I will need to adjust the rod end bearings again, no big deal. It's starting to look like a real part.

  Aug 28, 2021     Elevator Assembly - (3.0 hours)       Category: Empennage

Final drilled bolt hole in control horn and reamed with 1/4" reamer. Deburred and painted the exposed metal. Decided to dive into fiberglass so I found a very helpful video on vans aircraft builders page and ordered all of the glassing components through Amazon. Marked the rt elevator tip for trimming and then cut with dremel with cutoff wheel. Using almost full speed it cut very well and I only broke 3 or 4 wheels when I thought it could have been more. Sanded the trim line on belt sander and finished with oscillating multi tool. Fit up the part, drilled and clecoed. Looks good, there is a bit that protrudes aft of the trailing edge so I'll have to determine if this gets trimmed or if I glass the TE.

  Aug 25, 2021     Elevator Assembly - (4.0 hours)       Category: Empennage

Trimmed, fit and assembled the right elevator counterweights. Fit the elevator, needed to adjust the rod end bearings just a bit but got a nice fit with no interference at the counterweight. No way to set the torque on the bolts that attach the elevator to the HS but I asked another RV builder (My CFI also) and he gave proper guidance on that. Made a drill guide for the horn out of some nested tubing I found on Amazon. Worked great but new bits are needed to get through the horn.

  Aug 24, 2021     Left Elevator - (3.0 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

Finished riveting LE except for trim tab spar which will be done later. Drilled out CS4 blind rivets on RE top and replaced with CherryMax rivets per Vans direction. Lubricated the rivets prior to installation and they were much easier and more consistent to install. Inspected with borescope, neat toy! Found torque specs for rod end bearings-Jam nuts and installed per drawings. Best $6 I've spent on the flyboys wrench as it made this very easy to do. Got lucky with the only dog leg wrench I happen to have is the correct size for the jam nuts. Applied torque seal.

  Aug 16, 2021     Left Elevator - (4.0 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

Formed LE trailing edge, drilled, c-sink, dimple. Blind rivets in stiffeners outboard of trim tab, one violates edge spacing so I added an additional rivet, will review with DAR. Oops rivets arrived so I was able to finish the trim servo backing plate. Started trim tab, scuffed spaces for foam ribs, ordered 1 oz of Proseal from Vans, didn't even get a confirmation so who knows if it's enroute. Bent trim tab ends, tried several jigs but ended up finishing bends with offset hand seamer, looks ok but will likely need some adjustment. For a $30K+ airframe kit, would it kill them to put these in a brake press? Trimmed trim tab horns for electric trim.

  Aug 09, 2021     Left Elevator - (2.5 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

Riveted trim access reinforcement plate to skin; drill wandered while drilling out rivet so I ordered oops rivet set from Aircraft Spruce to fix. Also ordered a 2" squeezer yoke from Cleaveland to get better access to some areas like this where the 4" is too large. Riveted the counterbalance assy to the spar, these were tough rivets on the right side but reversing direction and putting tape over the heads prior to using the offset head really helped, good rivets on the first try. Riveted rib to trim spar gusset spent a lot of time drilling out a 470 rivet that I tried to squeeze instead of buck. Lesson learned.

  Jul 30, 2021     Left Elevator - (1.0 hour)       Category: Tail Feathers

I made a fixture to lubricate the cherry rivets. After seeing how a few broke off with the stems proud of the rivet head, I decided I should lubricate them prior to installation. Standard Aircraft Handbook, Vans and Cherry all state you "may" need to lubricate them. Nope, all need to be lubricated. So prior to replacing the Right elevator top rivets, I'll go ahead and do that and see if I get better results. Trying to find a nice inexpensive bore camera to verify proper formation on the existing rivets. I finished squeezing the much less dramatic aluminum rivets on the top spar.