Tasks Completed:
Note: There is a badly seated pop rivet on the most outboard leading edge section. I’ll need to go back and repair later.
I am getting adept at rolling leading edges now. With the QB wing on order however, this should be my last one! I got the clecos in but the edges will need some more work before I can drill and rivet.
Tasks Completed:
Tasks Completed:
Note: The trim tab has a slight upward curve caused by the misalignment of the top holes. I am not sure how the fit ended up being off slightly. This will be another item to ask the tech counselor about. Worst case, I’ll end up building Trim tab #3! I’ll save it for a rainy day in 2009!
Tonight I was able to get the trim tab clecoed into position on the left elevator. I am within 1/32″ of the trailing and inboard edges which I am pleased with. It looks as if the travel needed will be within spec once I get the bottom of the trim tab bend to clear the rivets in the elevator.
Tasks Completed:
It proved to be a very busy first week back from the holidays at work. I forced myself to go down to the workshop tonight and get something done on the trim tab. The fuse kit is supposed to be ready for pickup the week of the 14th at Van’s, so I want to have the tail kit completed minus the fiberglass work by then.
Tasks Completed:
My fellow builder Jason (who started an -8 about at the same time I started my -7) came over with a close quarter 1/8″ dimple die after church today. I needed it to dimple one last hole in the outboard trim tab bend that is unreachable with a regular size dimple die. Build on!
Tasks Completed:
Note: A couple of the rivets for the horn did not seem to seat well. I will need to review with the tech counselor. Also getting everything dimpled and riveted together in the trim is a BITCH! I made a couple of cosmetic booboos to the skin trying to get dimple dies and a squeezer in there.
After reflecting over christmas I decided to go the way of many who have gone before me and order another trim tab skin. The deciding factor was a lack of clearance between the elevator and trim tab where they meet on the trailing edge. I didn’t mark my line for the outboard tab bend using the square so after the bends were made the edge clearance goes to nil as it goes aft.
On the bright side I decided to do this now to save from drilling rivets or ordering all the other trim trim tab parts. Once the skin arrived on Thursday I made quick work out of redoing the bendsm matchdrilling, and dimpling all the parts.
Tasks Completed:
Tasks Completed:
Okay–so after reading about putting this part together and an aborted attempt last night, I finally got around to bending the trim tab tabs for real.
First, I made another oak break with the interlocking notch at the top. I highly recommend oak or another hard wood because you are going put a lot of pressure on this break and you’ll want to minimize the flex.
The bends on each side worked very well this time. My only complaint is that I ended up with kinks on each trailing edge. This was caused by the trailing edge of the positive break was a tad thinner than the radius of the trim tab. So when all that pressure was applied the edge of the wood break put a kink in the trailing edge of the trim tab.
Tasks Completed: