July 9, 2001 - 2 hours
Drilled the spar to the left elevator skin and dimpled the holes in the spar. Drilled the rear spar to the skin and dimpled the rear spar (OOPs @#$%& I am supposed to machine countersink those)
July 10, 2001 - 2.5 hours
Undimpled the left elevator rear spar with the Avery squeezer and a flush rivet set. Countersunk the rear spar holes that match with the trim tab hinge. Finished dimpling the elevator skin and all of the stiffeners. Backriveted all the sitffeners to the elevator skin.
July 11, 2001 - 2 hours
Bent the little tabs on the elevator skin where the trim tab is. Started putting the skeleton together.
The elevator goes in the V-block jig and the wedge that was originally cut out is used to secure it for bending the tabs.
Spars clecoed in place and the inboard rib clamped to the assembly almost ready to drill.
July 12, 2001 - 2.2 hours
Mounted the elevator trim servo on the mounting plate. Assembled the reinforcement plate for the elevator trim and riveted it to the skin. Also worked a little on the skeleton.
Detail of the trim server mounting. I really had to stare at those drawings for a while to figure how this went together and now it looks so simple.
The trim tab servo reinforcement plate attached to the left elevator skin.
July 13, 2001 - 4 hours
Finished the left elevator skeleton and started drilling the elevator skin to the skeleton.
Getting ready to assemble the outboard ribs.
I used a 3/16" rod through both of the rod end bearings to help me find center and then set that at the 13/16" distance from the spar that the plans call for.
Complete left elevator skeleton.
Getting ready to hammer on the trim tab to bend those little tabs to close the ends.
July 14, 2001 - 4 hours
Deburred and dimpled the skeleton and skin on the left elevator. Put all the rivets in the left elevator except for where the trim tab hinge is to be attached.
July 15, 2001 - 4 hours
Finished the trim tab and riveted the hinges to both the trim tab and the left elevator. Assembled the tail for a picture and to try and convince myself that all of this stuff will really look like an airplane someday. Stored the tail away and did a little dance because - THE EMPENNAGE IS DONE!!!
I modified one of the bucking bars that I got from Avery's to get in behind the hinges on the trim tab and the elevator.
Completed trim tab
To set the rod end bearings on the rudder I used a couple of pieces of dental floss to mark the face of the spars. I set the top and bottom hinges first and then set the middle one to match.
Completed empennage except for fiberglass.
Another angle of all the tail feathers.
Empennage stored away.
July 15, 2001 - 1 hours
Cleaned up the garage and got the main wing spars out to get started on the wings.
The main spars are just itching to become two wings.
July 20, 2001 - 2.5 hours
Drilled and countersunk all the holes for the tank skin attach platenuts. Started attaching the platenuts and countersinking the screw hole.
July 21, 2001 - 2.5 hours
Finished attaching the tank skin attach platenuts on the main wing spars.
That was a lot of platenuts.
July 22, 2001 - 5 hours
Attached all the platenuts for the wing inspection covers on the main wing spars. Fabricated the little spacers that go behind the tie downs and started working on drilling the tie downs to the wing spar.
July 24, 2001 - 3 hours
Finished the tie down assemblies on the main spars and started deburring the parts of the rear spars.
Tie down assembly bolted to the main wing spar. The platenuts are for bolting the aileron bellcrank brackets to the other side.
Aileron bellcrank brackets on the rear side of the main wing spar.
July 26, 2001 - 2 hours
Deburring the parts of the rear wing spars
July 28, 2001 - 6 hours
Finished deburring the parts for both rear wing spars. Primed the spars and assembled them.
Rear spar with the reinforcement plates attached. The dark color of the spar is the Sherwin Williams P60-G2 primer. I assume that is what it is supposed to look like?
Close up of the inboard reinforcement plates of the rear spar. The missing rivets are where ribs and the flap brace will be attached.
