The Trials and Tribulations of a Novice Airplane Kit Builder
Rudder
Date: 7-2-2006Number of Hours: 5.00 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Prep Brief Description: Rudder Preparation Cut stiffeners to size for the rudder. Match drilled all stiffener to rudder skin holes. Deburred with the help of my wife Jo! Had help from her dimpling the skins using the C Frame dimpler. I enjoyed having her help! Next up was priming everything.
Date: 7-3-2006Number of Hours: 1.50 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Prep Brief Description: Rudder Skin to Stiffener Riveting Back riveted stiffeners to rudders skins... both left and right
Date: 7-4-2006Number of Hours: 3.50 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Skin/Skeleton Assembled the skeleton and installed skins. Match drilled all holes. Fabricated R-710 rudder horn. Fabricated and installed R913 to the bottom of both rudder skins. Didn't take very long... very easy to fabricate.
Date: 7-6-2006Number of Hours: 2.00 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Deburr/Dimple Disassembled all rudder parts and deburred/dimpled most everything. Primed the skeleton parts. Countersunk the aex wedge.
Date: 7-8-2006Number of Hours: 3.00 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Assembly
Date: 7-11-2006Number of Hours: 1.25 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Assembly continued Riveted the counter balance to the rip on top of the rudder. Installed counterweight. Installed rudder eye bolts with plate nuts.
Date: 7-12-2006Number of Hours: 0.50 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Assembly continued Riveted the counterbalance skin to the skins. Was going to install the top rib but then found that I am out of the necessary blind rivets. Ordered more stuff again tonight from Vans. Actually ordered a bunch of extra rivets of the type necessary for the emp. Also ordered some oops rivets as I have been drilling out any mistakes to the next biggest size. I might as well have the same looking machine head when I go to fix my mistakes! Also waiting on the ProSeal to be delivered as well so I can do the trailing edge. Not sure why Van's just doesn't include this in the Empennage kit as well as extra rivets. Half the cost of this airplane will be the shipping expenses of tools and parts!!
Date: 7-13-2006Number of Hours: 1.50 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Assembly continued Added a new build partner today... Mitch!! He was a great help cleco'ing the trailing edge of the rudder. Also riveted the skins to the skeleton tonight.
Date: 7-19-2006Number of Hours: 0.75 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Assembly continued Rivets such as CS4-4, 4-3, LP4 etc finally arrived today. I finished up all the blind rivet options on the rudder and such. Also bought a 6 foot piece of angle iron from Menards to do the trailing edge. Marked the holes on my table where the angle will fit. Called it a night.
Date: 7-20-2006Number of Hours: 1.25 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Assembly continued Finished off the angle iron by sanding it down and then running it over the scotch brite wheel. Screwed it to the table, put down the AEX wedge and drilled holes for the clecos. Made sure the trailing edge fit everything and cleco'd to the angle which is attached to the table. All is good. Next dissambled the trailing edge and ran the scotch brite pad over everything. Will clean and then apply pro seal next.
Date: 7-23-2006Nmber of Hours: 0.50Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Assembly continued Mixed up some ProSeal and slapped the rudder trailing edge together. I am not looking forward to the fuel tanks. That ProSeal stuff is messy. Anyway, I applied the seal and cleco'd to the angle that is attached to the workbench.
Date: 7-27-2006Number of Hours: 1.50 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Assembly continued Riveted the trailing edge of the rudder tonight. Did it, for the most part, as the book indicated. I think it turned out pretty darn straight! Until I'm told otherwise, I will keep on believing that! Leading edge up next... But first I have to go to Oshkosh tomorrow!
Date: 7-30-2006Number of Hours: 1.50 Manual Reference: 6 - Rudder Brief Description: Rudder Assembly continued Bent the leading edges of rudder, final drilled, deburred and riveted. Turned out rather nice. I am a little upset with the overall surface condition of the rudder. I got it to scratched up while working on it. I did not want to be upset about trivial things considering it will be roughed up for painting anyway but still... I want it to look nice until then!!
TOTAL HOURS for RUDDER: 23.75
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Hobbs:Anything in this site is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be instructions in any way shape or form.
