Aug 21, 2013     Finish right ruddervator - (2 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

Reassembled and riveted right ruddervator. Ruddervators complete!

  Aug 20, 2013     Up drill right ruddervator - (2 hours) Category: Tail Feathers

Updrilled, disassembled, and deburred right ruddervator.

  Aug 13, 2013     Pilot drill right ribs - (3 hours) Category: Tail Feathers

Clamped the skin to the bench and 2 X 4 supports to keep it straight. Pilot drilled and clecoed the four ruddervator ribs and control horn using the holes previously drilled in the skin.

  Aug 12, 2013     Layout right ruddervator - (2 hours) Category: Tail Feathers

Marked and pilot drilled right ruddervator skin.

  Aug 07, 2013     Finished left ruddervator - (2 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

Riveted left ruddervator and piano hinge.

  Aug 06, 2013     Updrill left ruddervator - (4 hours) Category: Tail Feathers

Up drilled, disassembled, and dimpled the left ruddervator. Primed inside of skin and the ribs with self etching primer. Reassembled and checked. Ready for riveting.

  Aug 05, 2013     Pilot drilled left ruddervator - (2.5 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

Pilot drilled left ruddervator skin to the ribs after clamping them to flat surface!

  Jul 28, 2013     New ruddervator skins - (2 hours) Category: Tail Feathers

Started preparing the new ruddervator skins. Cut the angle on the skins for the control horn and measured the spacing for the ribs. Filed and sanded the ends of the skins.

  Jun 26, 2013     Warped Ruddervator skins - (2 hours) Category: Tail Feathers

When attempting to rivet the piano hinge and ribs to the ruddervator skins, I noticed the ruddervators were warped, especially the trailing edges. This was due to the fact that I did not firmly clamp the skins to a flat surface prior to drilling the holes for the piano hinges. I simply measured down the correct amount all along the leading edge and drilled it. This was a very costly mistake both in terms of time and money. I have to reorder the skins and start over. This is rather frustrating since I am now 2 for 2 on rebuilding parts. The learning curve is very steep and expensive.

  Jun 13, 2013     Rudder - (4 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

Spent 2 days and 4 hours redoing the rudder using the new rudder skin. Filled the prior rivet holes in the fiberglass rudder cap with Bondo and primed the control horn and inside the skin with self-etching primer. Used a#32! bit for final up drilling and then dimpled the holes for the flush rivets. Finally finished my first part.

  Jun 06, 2013     Ruddervators - (2.0 hours) Category: Tail Feathers

Continued work on the Ruddervators. Drilled the piano hinges and ribs. Sold my old compressor and bought a new Dewalt 4.5 gallon compressor.

  Jun 05, 2013     Ruddervators - (1.5 hours) Category: Tail Feathers

Started construction of ruddervators. XNS-T08.

  Jun 03, 2013     Rudder riveting - (1.5 hours) Category: Tail Feathers

Riveted rudder together using CCC-42 rivets. Realized after riveting that using a #30 drill and then dimpling results in a hole that is too big. Decided to order a new rudder skin and start over using a #32 bit and then dimplingwhich will allow the rivets to fit tighter before pulling. Nice to know info that probably should be on the plans.

  Jun 02, 2013     Final drill-Rudder - (2.0 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

Finaldrilled,dimpled, and reassembled rudder assembly.

  May 31, 2013     Rudder - (4 hours)       Category: Tail Feathers

Started working on XNS T10 Rudder assembly. First part to be built!