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Well, in addition to the usual visiting and eating (waaaaay too much!) I am closing in on completeing my Left Elevator and consequently my Empennage! Perfect timing really, as my Wings are coming on Monday! I spoke with the shipper and I will meet the driver here right after school! Woo hoo!

Anyhow, I riveted the skeleton into place while Wyatt slept. Pneumatc squeezer is DA BOMB!



...and bent the tabs for the trailing edges. Talk about PUCKER FACTOR! Screwing up the skin would mean re-doing ALOTTA WORK!



I was ablt to get solid rivets into all but the farthest back hole on the trim tab!



Then I dabbed in some silicone:



...did the counterbalance hidden rivet thing:



...and RIVETED!



riveted



and riveted some more!



If I were to re-do anything, it would be this trim tab. You can see the gap isn't quite right.



I will keep it for now and squeeze the remaining rivets. Now I need to set up my WING JIGS for Monday! Off to Home Depot's Aviation Department now!

CJ

Hey that all looks GREAT! I didn't know Home Depot had an aviation department. I'll have to look for that next time I go there.

Thanks!

Question,

What is normally done to keep the hinge pin from wiggling out?

I have seen a 90 degree bend and wire tie on some while others seem to have nothing? I was thinking that squeezing the end of the hinge rod would work too?

Dunno?

CJ

Hey cj,
nice job. I'm gonna bend my pin and use the safety wire,.... until I hear of a better way.

CJ,

According to my RV-8 manual, the hinge pin which comes with the empannage kit is only a temporary pin. The permanent pin is a part which comes with the fusalage. Therefore, I don't think it matters a lot how you keep it in place for the time being, just don't make it too hard to get out until the permanant pin arrives with the fusalage kit.

Pat

Cool, I will just chill until the whole thing comes together.

Thanks guys!

CJ

Captain_John wrote:Thanks!

Question,

What is normally done to keep the hinge pin from wiggling out?

I have seen a 90 degree bend and wire tie on some while others seem to have nothing? I was thinking that squeezing the end of the hinge rod would work too?

Dunno?

CJ

I put a 90 in the pin and then laid it flat against the trim tab spar. Then I drilled two tiny holes on either side of the upturned pin and fed safety wire through the two holes and around the pin. Hasn't moved in 150 hours.