11/04/2007

After Saturday nights work session I approached the project a little slowly tonight. Everything before the left elevator was easy and made me a little over confident. I believe it is because the skins used in the control surfaces are much thinner and easier to damage.

I started back to work on the rudder and right elevator stiffeners. I trimmed and de-burred them all. I then matched drilled them to the rudder and right elevator skins. I dimpled all the stiffeners and both skins. I left the holes closest to the leading edge of the rudder and right elevator skin's un-dimpled. I am waiting on another dimple tool that will get to these holes easier. I noticed when I dimpled these holes in the left elevator the c-frame put a small bend in the skin. The elevator and rudder skins are .020" while the HS and VS are .032" , a much thicker skin. The 0.20" skins are very easy to deform. I learned that on the left elevator, so I am taking my time with the rudder and the right elevator now.

11/03/2007

BAD BAD BAD night in the factory..

I started working on the left elevator, it requires that you bend some small tabs to close off the skin near where the trim tab is. It was going just fine, when the skin cracked. I could fix it but it would look like hell. So I will have to order a new skin for the left elevator. I looked up the price and it is $79.00 plus shipping. I will order it when I order the wings so they can ship it with the wings. This caused me to quite working Saturday night.