Fuselage - Last Updated 10/25/2009  
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  Finished up the VS attach plate and associated shim and riveted them to the VS front spar. I also drilled the bottom of the VS to the tie down bracket - what a pain in the ass. Suffice to say, I'm glad I invested in the smallest right-angle drill from Avery Tools as it just barely fit. Aniko helped to adjust the rod-end bearings on the rudder and it fit like a glove! The HS, VS, elevators, and rudder are attached! This is sooo cool...kinda like playing w/ Legos! The Vice-Grip is keeping the elevators in trail so that I can check/verify the number of degress of rudder deflection. Looks like I'm going to have to remake the rudder stops since I have way too much swing.  I placed bolts into the top and bottom hinges then secured the push-rod with good 'ole bailing wire (I kid you not). I also made sure that the push-rod was not contacting the floor. The Vise-Grip keeps the bottom of the VS from slipping out and also keeps the push rod "on top" of the hinges. Now, you may say that the push-rod does indeed flex, and I'd agree. However, this gives me a chance to inspect the VS front spar and attach plate and make any necessary adjustments. I can easily keep an eye on the middle hinge so that the push-rod is just barely contacting. In the end, I ended up having to insert an .032" shim between the front spar and VS attach plate. I'll make the permanent shim tomorrow and drill the attach plate into place. I'll also make the necessary mounting holes on the bottom of the VS. Then it's time to fit the rudder. Kinda cool to see parts all coming together.   Working on setting up the vertical stabilizer. The plans call out for laying a rule along the vertical hinge line to make sure that it's straight. Otherwise, you'll you won't get a smooth rudder as it binds during rotation. Problem is, I don't have a rule that big. So, I used the next best rigid structure I had handy - the elevator push-rod.   The left outboard bolt (in the picture) could have stood to have been moved inboard just a hair to allow a thin wall socket to fit -- but that's Ok. BTW, the nuts are temporary; they'll be replaced with self-locking nuts when the time comes.  Mounted the HS this evening. I'm quite pleased on how the outboard bolts ended up fitting (after a lot of head scratching figuring out where exactly things were before drilling holes).  
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Working on setting up the vertical stabilizer. The plans call out for laying a rule along the vertical hinge line to make sure that it's straight. Otherwise, you'll you won't get a smooth rudder as it binds during rotation. Problem is, I don't have a rule that big. So, I used the next best rigid structure I had handy - the elevator push-rod.

Working on setting up the vertical stabilizer. The plans call out for laying a rule along the vertical hinge line to make sure that it's straight. Otherwise, you'll you won't get a smooth rudder as it binds during rotation. Problem is, I don't have a rule that big. So, I used the next best rigid structure I had handy - the elevator push-rod.

Capture date : Tue May 22 22:24:37 2007

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