Friday, August 16, 2013
I successfully rolled the leading edge of the right elevator today. It's similar to the rudder and left elevator. I'm pleased. I got all the rod end bearings set to 13/16" and torqued the stop nuts.
The next step was to install the elevators then trim the area of the HS skin where the counterweights need to travel through. Both sides of the HS skin, where the counterweight swings through, extend to a point where they don't allow the swinging action of the elevator to travel. This is inherent in the stamping of the aluminum from Van's. Here are some step-by-step pictures of the process to illustrate more clearly.
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| HS Skin Interfering with Counterbalance Arm |
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| Measuring to Clear Material for CB Arm |
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| Material to Bottom Left is to be Removed |
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| Starter Hole for Inside Radius |
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| Hole Enlarged to Final Size for Inside Radius |
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First Cut. Leave a Little Material so You Can File it
to Where You Want the Edge Exactly |
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| Second Cut & After Cleaning & Rounding Edges |
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| After the Elevator is Installed, This is How It Should Swing |
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| Another Shot Looking Straight Down |
This needed to be done in 4 places, top left and right, then bottom left and right. First I needed to measure about 1/8" past the counterweight on the HS skin. Then I extended the line of the outboard edge of the HS skin. Once those two lines were drawn, I needed to set my radius for the inboard and outboard of the cuts. Next, I used snips to cut the excess metal away then file to break the edges and round the inside and outside corners. One down, three to go. Next, I remounted the left elevator to begin the process of setting the elevator "in trail". This means the elevator needs to be a perfect extension of the horizontal stabilizer and at a 0° up and down angle, nothing more. Here, I wanted the counterbalance arm to be even with the HS. I used a simple ratchet clamp to hold it in position. This is where I need the rod end bearings to be exact to the plans so the elevator horn sits exactly where it's supposed to, in conjunction with the opposite elevator and the elevator hinge bearing. If one bearing is not exact to the rest, the horn will sit in or out too far and won't line up properly and I could end up having my controls bind because they aren't in perfect alignment with each other. The measurement of the rod end bearings is 13/16" (7/8" Max). This measurement is from the elevator spar up to the middle of the eye of the rod bearing. Next, I needed to fabricate a bushing which would allow me to drill a hole in the elevator horn through the elevator hinge bearing. A bushing prevents the drill bit from enlarging or marring the hinge bearing. I wasn't able to find anything in my garage so off to Lowes to look for something that would work. I've seen a lot of builders us a drill bushing with a 1/4" outside diameter (OD) and 3/32" inside diameter (ID) purchased from McMaster-Carr. That's okay, if you're not on a budget. That little gem costs a little over $8, not including tax and shipping! I ended up at Home Depot in the specialty hardware drawer section (I couldn't find anything to suit at Lowes). I picked up a 1/4" OD x 3/16" ID aluminum bushing for 95¢, including tax, which will work perfectly. Because the hinge bearing is a hair under 1/4", I needed to turn the aluminum bushing on the ScotchBrite wheel a bit so it would fit. With that accomplished, I was ready to go with drilling.
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The Bushing I Purchased From Home Depot
1/4" OD x 3/16" ID |
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| Bushing in Place Ready for Drilling, But Not Yet! |
I stopped here as somehow, I either misplaced my AN4-14A bold or I didn't pay attention to my inventory, noting that I received an AN3-14A bolt. This is a note for you future and current builders out there: KNOW YOUR HARDWARE SIZES! Because I was so new to this, I wasn't paying attention to my empennage inventory and making sure the bolt size corresponded with the inventory sheet. Without measuring and as far as I knew, the bolt LOOKED liked an AN4-14A bolt, but alas, it was not. Know the difference between and AN3 and an AN4 bolt. AN3 is 3/16" and AN4 is 4/16" or 1/4" when you do the math. Needless to say, I need to order a bolt from Van's. No, I won't just order a bolt. That would be WAY too expensive after tax and shipping. I will also order the parts to make another trim tab. YES, I know what I said earlier, "It's just a trim tab people!". Well, I'm a perfectionist too. It looks ugly and I want to replace it. I'll consider this one practice.
Day Total: 3.6 hrs HOBBS Meter - 148.5 hrs
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Today, I re-measured the rod end bearings to make sure I had everything lined up right. Measure twice (or 50 times), cut once. Right?! I'm waiting until Monday to order my bolt and trim tab parts and receive the order before I start drilling as I want to have the item in hand that needs to fit after drilling.
Day Total: .6 hrs HOBBS Meter - 149.1 hrs
Monday, August 19, 2013
I placed my order today to Van's for the AN4-14A bolt along with my trim tab replacement parts.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
I received my Van's order today! =8^) I plan to get to work and finish the empennage Saturday. I'm anxious to put this behind me and get started on the wings!
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| Trim Tab Replacement Parts |
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Drilling! So, today I inserted the aluminum bushing into the elevator hinge bearing and went with the #27 drill bit (9/64") to start drilling the left elevator first. It looked like it went well so I took the left elevator off and installed the right one and continued to drill. Next, I used progressively larger bits until 1/4" was achieved. That done, I cleaned the holes then installed both elevators and went to install the AN4-14A bolt. Here's where things go awry. When installing the bolt, I realized that I achieved what many builders before me have accomplished, my holes are too close to the torque tube!
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Bolt Shown Too Close to Torque Tube & Bolt Head
Filed Down to Fit in the Area Provided |
I tried to do what others had done and that was to grind down one of the facets of the bolt head so it would sit close to the torque tube and still fit straight through the hole. It was very close, but it worked. Next was to see the fitment of the nut to the bolt. NO GO! Dammit! This hole seemed to be way too close. I couldn't even begin to thread the nut onto the bolt. Okay, my mind goes into overdrive here trying to figure out what my options are. I'm seeing dollar signs flying around with replacing the horns and all the work that is entailed with removing rivets... AAGGHHH!! Okay, 1) I can try filling with J-B Weld and try re-drilling. 2) I can get new parts and partially disassemble the elevators. 3) I can take the elevators to a professional welder and have the holes filled, grind them flat and try again. I opted for option 1. So I put a piece of packing tape on the outboard sides of the horns then stood them up vertically. I mixed some J-B Weld and dripped it into the holes. I let that cure overnight.
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| Hole Filled with J-B Weld. Hope This Works! |
Day Total: 1.1 hrs HOBBS Meter - 150.2 hrs
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Okay, the J-B Weld is more than cured by now so I decided to try drilling again. This time I made a jig, of sorts, by taking 2 pieces of angle aluminum and cutting them to about 1½" then marking 7/8" up from the bottom and drilling a 1/4" hole on each. My plan, which I'd read on another builder's site, was to stand the angles on each side of the rod bearing, adjust the rod bearings to 7/8" then trying a bolt through the whole shootin' match to get all the bearings consistent. The angle simulated the hinge brackets on the HS although, they would be standing from the elevator spar instead. 13/16" didn't seem to work well for me previously so I took the 7/8" max. measurement and used that as my mark. After getting all the rod bearings adjusted and set, I commenced drilling, AGAIN!
A note here: I did some research on what other builders have experienced on this task. Some do it the first time successfully and others seem to struggle quite a bit, like I am. Measuring the rod bearings seems to be a chore in some ways. The bearing in the middle rotates around making it difficult to get exactly straight. I did the eyeball method but that didn't seem to work very well for me. Others comment that consistency is difficult to achieve. I realized that 1/2 a turn makes a difference with the rod bearing's height. With that realization, it seems the only way one can make them all consistent is to make sure the direction of the platenuts is the same. How is this achieved you ask? Simple. Hold the platenuts in one hand and the rod bearing in the other with the bearing JUST inserted at the beginning of the screw. Now, turn the bearing in the reverse direction (loosen) until you hear or feel a 'click'. That is where the two starting threads meet or join to thread the two together. Now, make a mark on one end of the platenut and do the same with the rest and put the mark at the same location on all. Make sure to hold the rod bearing the same way with each one, this puts the start of the thread in the same spot every time. Mark the bearing if you need to as well to remember it's position in your hand. Once done, rivet all the platenuts in place with the marks going all the same direction. Now all the rod bearings will be consistent in height and not half a turn off from one another. I didn't do this on the elevators or rudder but plan to on the wings.
So, I set off drilling. I quickly discovered the J-B Weld is good for a great many things, but not as a hole filler to be re-drilled in steel. The bit was actually wandering over to the old hole as the J-B Weld is not as strong as steel. It's epoxy after all. Okay, now I'm extremely frustrated as this emp kit should have been done hours ago. No pictures for this little process.
I cleaned up the holes by ScotchBrighting them, removing the powder coat around the holes, filing the remainder of the J-B Weld from the inside of the holes and clearing a little powder coat from the ends of the horns to ready them for welding (you need a ground point with the steel). I took my elevators to a local welder to see if they would be able to do them. He said to bring them by Wednesday as he was short-staffed. So, I'm waiting until then to take them.
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| Hole Cleaned Up & Ready to for a Fill Weld |
Another note here: Although I did some welding in my youth in a shop class, I don't possess the skills necessary nor do I have the equipment to try this myself. I've read that TIG welding is better than MIG welding in that TIG has less spatter or spray and it is a cooler weld which is less likely to harden the steel horn which would be more difficult to drill later if it were hardened too much. I'll report the outcome a little later.
Day Total: .6 hrs HOBBS Meter - 150.8 hrs
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Today, while waiting to take my elevators to be repaired by a professional welder, I decided to do a little work on the fiberglass elevator and rudder tips. Basically, I was just fitting them by marking the excess that needed to be trimmed around the counterbalance weights. So, I inserted them into their places and made marks right a the edge of the CB weight and made notches in both the elevator tips. I did the same for the rudder top tip. I also trimmed the excess of length (depth in this case) of the glass to make it fit into the space provided which will sit at or just above the inside rib line. I still need to trim the elevator tips for depth as well as the HS tips and the rudder bottom cap.
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| Elevator Tip in Place After Notching |
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| Tip with Notch Cut Out for Clarity |
That's it for now. Take Care & Thanks For Reading!
Day Total: 1.2 hrs HOBBS Meter - 152.0 hrs
