Did I ruin my trim tab?

s10sakota · Post by **s10sakota** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:52 pm

I think I know the answer to this question but, is my trim tab ruined?

I was doing so well bending over the tabs. They really came out nice. I did both on the smaller end and then I bent the bottom tab on the inside large end. That's when I noticed how close the holes are to the edge.

Now, the trim tab horn hangs over the edge. Is this normal? Maybe I can just trim the horn?

s10sakota · Post by **s10sakota** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:53 pm

Oh man just looking at that last pic I realized it's ruined. Even if I trim the horn, the last rivet will be hanging over the edge!

Oh well, I hear trim tabs are cheap

Thermos · Post by **Thermos** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:41 am

No worries Mark, that's a cheap mistake and Van's has a huge stock of replacement trim tab parts. Ask me how I know!

By the way, I've had one of your RV-7 silhouette stickers on the rear window of my car for two years...it's holding up really well!

Dave

Post by **Spike** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 12:40 pm

Thats why its good to do the tail first. Replacement parts are cheap and plentiful

You live you learn. I noticed that my 'trashed' parts pile stopped growing drastically once I was into the wings.

Spike

s10sakota · Post by **s10sakota** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:25 am

Dave-I'm glad your stickers are holding up well. They should last many more years. I have a RANS S-6S sticker on my left window and an RV-7A on my right window. They've both been there for a few years and they still look brand new.

I just screwed up my second elev trim tab! Dang it. I see what I'm doing wrong. There's a note in the manual to place the wood block 1/32 of an inch from the line because the wood block has a tendency to move.

I was placing my block on the wrong side of the line! If I had placed it correctly, the block may have moved 1/32" and the bend would be right on the line. But since my block was on the wrong side of the line, my bend is now too far in towards the center of the tab.

At least they are cheap

s10sakota · Post by **s10sakota** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:24 pm

I give up. Today I ruined my THIRD trim tab. This time, I had all the folds perfect-I've mastered that part!

But I had a hell of a time lifting the tab off the workbench with that stupid carpet tape holding it down. After I was finished bending the third tab over, I was working it back and forth to try to break the tape free and ended up just about folding the whole tab in half.

This proved to me that it's absolutely STUPID to bend these tabs over. Years from now when I actually feel like making my fourth trim tab. I will cut those tabs off as soon I get the damn thing and make riblets like everyone else seems to do.

I guess it's back to fluting the wing ribs now...I'm packing that left elevator away...

Post by **Spike** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:40 pm

Go ahead vent, it makes you feel better

Besides, better to do it here than on the next part

Spike

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:07 pm

Don't make me come up there and do it for you now!!!

CJ