After researching for about a week about this part of the rudder build and making some special tools to help, it was time to take the plunge and try to roll these leading edges.
First efforts were pretty successful and using the curtain rod with the rachet/socket worked out really well. Rolled all three sections top and bottom with the larger of the two rolling rods that I created.
TIP: Figure out which side is the 'top' and which is the 'bottom'. IOW which side overlaps the other. This is a rudder, there isn't really a top or bottom side, just a left and right. As it turns out, one side is just slightly longer than the other which makes it the 'top' by default. This isn't necessarily easy to see just looking at it so I'll share what I learned. The right side of the actual rudder as it would be installed on the aircraft, that side of the skin is the side that gets rolled on top of the other and riveted in place.
Another tip is to try to roll the bottom sides first to get them out of the way as much as possible. It honestly won't matter in the end because you will need to do so much hand massaging of both sides that you will need to get up under each half no matter how well you roll it initially.
The big roll, the first one only gets you about half way there. A combination of smaller diameter rods and hand forming will have to get you across the finish line.
This by far turned out to be the most frustrating part of the rudder build. After getting the initial bends complete and the two halves within about 3/4' of each other, they would not budge. I spent several nights massaging, re-rolling, cussing at and just plain losing my mind on this.
I could cleco the halves together but there was too much shear stress on the skins, it was just not a natural fit like it should be. So more hand massaging and finally a call to the wife to have her come help with a final roll.
The end result is that I got them in a position that allowed me to close them up with clecos and prepare to pop rivet them shut.
So this part took a while, probably 4-5 evenings of working on and off to get it closed up. Very frustrating but also a learning experience. Maybe I should have started with the horizontal stab and elevators first. Either way going into those parts I have a much better 'feel' for how to tackle the rolling of the leading edges of the elevators.
Sorry the pictures are not in order, this EAA sight is a bit clunky to work with and it's not letting me rearrange the order of the images.
Final advice:
1. Take your time.
2. Do some research ahead of time
3. Come up with a plan for how you will tackle this
4. Make tools to help if needed
5. Don't expect to get the perfect curve, perfection is the enemy of progress
6. The initial roll is just to get the shape started
7. The apex of the roll, or better said, the apex of the radius of the bend needs to be as close the rudder spar flange as possible without creasing the skin
8. The ends of the skin with the holes need to stay flat, you may have to un-bend them with hand seamers
9. The Van's plans diagram of this is misleading in shape
10. Plan to be frustrated and take breaks when needed
11. The rolls have to be finished by hand, I don't know of anyone that can get them correct without getting their hand's dirty