Elevator counterweights were trimmed from rectangular blocks of lead from Vans aircraft. The first one took about 1200 strokes of my vixen file to smooth into the correct shape. I found out on the others that I could use a hacksaw blade to make the preliminary cut and save a lot of time and filing!
The elevator counterweight skins were clamped into place for for drilling to the counterweight spar underneath.
Top of counterweight skin drilled and clecoed.
My solution from yesterdays problem of riveting the trim tab spar and piano hinge was to take a squeezer die and cut off the shaft. After smoothing off the bottom of the die, I superglued it to my no-hole yoke as shown in the picture below.
This worked great and kept the yoke from bending the piano hinge.
I decided to add a couple of stiffeners to the trim tab as is done with the elevators. The plans dont call for them; however, our old trim tab had flexed a little so maybe this will help the new trim tab.
Lining up the new tab against the piano hinge to make sure the trim tab edge line will match the edge line of the elevator.
Drilling the piano hinge to the trim tab.
Drilling the trim tab spar to the top of the trim tab.
Deburred, dimpled and primed everything.
Almost finished trim tab. The top wont be riveted until the two pieces of angle that attach to the trim motor arm are riveted to the trim tab tomorrow.
Drilled hole in spar for the 5 wires that go to the electric trim motor and put in a plastic grommet.
Drilled and cleoced the piano hinge that holds the trim tab. Plans call for AN257-p2, however, the AN257-P3 piano hinge (a little deeper hinge) fit better so that is what I used.
A problem came up in riveting the piano hinge to the spar. The heads on the piano hinge interfer with the squeezer because they are lower than the rivet. If I turned the piano hinge over, it would work fine, but the top of the piano hinge would protrude a little above the elevator. Going to quit for the evening and research how to fix this.
Laid out the lines on the aluminum cut from the left elevator to make the trim tab from.
Installed spar skeleton into skins and started all the prep work that needed to be finished before riveting. Finished drilling and dimpling all holes into skeleton.
Cut edges from leading edge for the counterweight rib skins will go.
Cut edges from leading edges for where the horizontal stabilizer attach brackts will mate with the rod end bearings on the elevator. Skins are cut 1/8 inch undersize on each end. Final cuts will be made after leading edge skin is rolled and pop riveted together.
Left elevator is ready for final riveting. Am going to go home and review all plans to make sure I didnt overlook anything before riveting elevator skin to spar skeleton tomorrow.
Drilled electric trim brace to elevator skin.
I used a cutoff wheel to cut between each of the holes.
Preliminary hole shaped. Now lots of filing and sanding and shaping to get it to final shape.
Since the bracket for the RV-6 is the same as for the RV-4, borrowed the bracket and motor from the RV-6 and used it as a template to cut the outer shape into the elevator skin and as a guide for the holes for the 7 screws that will hold the bracket and motor to the elevator.
Hole in skin was cut the same way as the electric trim brace. Drill a hole at each corner , use a cutoff wheel to cut between the holes and then file and sand to final shape.
K1100-6 countersunk platenuts are attached to the electric trim bracket .
Platenuts attached. Now time to prime and backrivet plate to skin.
Electric trim bracket riveted to skin and motor and cover temporarilly installed. Everything fits ok. Whew! I have to remember to drill a hole in the spar behind the motor because as it retracts the shaft extends backwards from the motor and will hit against the spar unless a hole is drilled for it to extend through.
Cut the aluminum from the left elevator skin to make the trim tab. If I cut it wrong, I will have to start over on the left elevator.
Finished drilling holes for stiffeners and spar.
Fabricated the stiffeners from 3/4 x 3/4 x .032 angle and drilled to skins.
Primed elevator skin and stiffeners and riveted stiffeners to skin.
Taped 1/8 in metal rod to bend in skin and used home made brake to finish bend in elevator skin.
Riveted left elevator horn to spar.
Started laying out brace for electric trim option for elevator.
Started the left elevator today. Its pretty much a duplicate of making the right elevator except for the addition of the trim tab which is cut out from the elevator skin.
Spar skeleton is fabbed, primed and test fitted to skin. The inner rib is shortened to make room for the trim tab to fit below it.
