Elevator, Going Up or Down?

Another busy day in Aircraft Construction & Manufacturing Enterprise (ACME) garage! I always wanted to use that acronym for my build.

Today, I started by dimpling all the left elevator parts. I had forgotten this step earlier, but no worries, the primer I'm using, SEM self-etching primer, works well when dimpling after having primed then letting it dry. It doesn't chip, break or damage in any way, which I really like. So, after dimpling all the stiffeners, skin and E-615 reinforcement plate, I moved on to dimpling the #6 screw holes in the reinforcement plate.

#6 Dimples Added for Platenuts
& Standard Rivet Dimples

These dimples sit in the platenuts and receive the cover plate, which will be dimpled as well. I've seen some builders machine countersink the rivet holes for the platenuts but you have to be EXACT on them or you risk countersinking too deeply, expanding the size of the hole itself. I tried to do this on one and was very uncomfortable with the result. This is not a structural rivet and only for the platenuts which will hold the access cover plate. The machine countersink holes, if done right and done well, leave a very nice, very flush rivet when completed. Yeah, like I said, this is only for a cover plate and they'll be covered up anyway and you won't see them when the plane is sitting on a ramp. Additionally, this will not be a show plane. This plane will be for recreation and FUN! So, I went back to dimpling these holes. The reason I believe some people don't like this is that if you dimple those holes, you also need to dimple the platenuts as well. I agree that dimpling platenuts isn't the best idea, but again, it's just for holding an access plate. You have to take your female dimple die and shave an angle on it so it will fit in the corner of the platenut in order for you to dimple it. So, this is the way I went. The flush rivets don't look bad.

Next I riveted the E-615PP access reinforcement plate to the skin, then backriveted the stiffeners. After that, bending. I brought out the bending brake and took care of the business of bending the right elevator. The bend went very smoothly and looks very good. I think I'm liking the additional 1/8" space that I added to the brake.

E-615PP Riveted in Place With Its Platenuts

The Skin View of all Set Rivets. Looks Good!

Right Elevator After the Bending Process

I clecoed the E-610PP and E-611PP reinforcement plates to the E-702 spar and match-drilled them. After that, I fluted the E-703 end ribs and E-704 counterbalance ribs. Once they were fluted, they were clecoed to the spar and match-drilled. This completed, they were removed from the spar. Next up, working with the counterbalance. At this point, I'm working the two elevators together where I can to expedite some of the building.

Basically, you cleco the E-714 CB skin to the E-703 and E-704 ribs then slide the weight into position. Make sure you remove the vinyl first to make this easier.

Clecoing the CB Skin to Ribs

This is Where the Weight Goes 

The Weight Being Slid Into Its Position

The Weight Fully in Position 

Once the weight is in place, make sure the ridge on the weight is seated firmly against the skin. In other words, slide the weight into place as far as it will go.

This is the Weight in as Far as it Will Go

After that, in an upright position, I clamped the exposed weight to the workbench. This made the holes for the screws point to the ceiling. Now it's time to drill the #12 holes for the screws.

CB Assembly in Position for Drilling.
Use Lube! I Can't Stress This Enough.

MAKE SURE YOU USE LUBE WHEN DRILLING! If you are using a new drill bit, which, at this stage of the build, you probably are, this bit will want to chew its way through very quickly. Without lube, it will be very difficult as the lead is very dense and the bit will bind quickly. The lube helps the cut lead slide up the drill bit and out making things go much more quickly, smoothly and easily. Now, When drilling, go S-L-O-W. Don't force the drill. Let the drill do the cutting by itself. You'll actually need to keep the drill from going to quickly as it will still have a tendency to bind up if you let it. I had to hold the drill back and not let it rip into the lead too quickly. As it was, it still wanted to bind a bit, even with the lube. Stop and with your hand, reverse the chuck, unless you have a reversible drill, and pull it out. Add a little more lube then go back at it. you should be able to drill all 4 holes in about five minutes or so. I used Boelube for this process. It works very well and is excellent for other lube situations as well.

Boelube to Start the Drilling

Continue Adding Lube as You Drill

Viola! Nice Clean #12 Holes

Once I was done with drilling, I unclecoed the E-713 CB skin, releasing the counterweight. I made sure to mark the weights, right and left, then set them aside. I re-clecoed the CB skin back on then clecoed this final assembly onto the E-702 spar. After that was done, I clecoed the E-709 root rib to the spar and final drilled it to #40. Next, I clecoed the skin onto the understructure. Like the rudder, the main skin lays on top of the CB skin. I beveled the CB skin with the ScotchBrite wheel at the 2 locations on either side of the elevator where the skins overlap on top of the spar. Again, this is to minimize the bulge created by the CB skin pushing up on the elevator skin. This will make a cleaner appearance. Next, I removed the clecos holding the E-709 root rib from the spar and clecoed the WD-605-1R elevator horn in place and match-drilled it to the spar and root rib with a #30. The holes don't line up exactly and you have to fuss with it a bit, which I did and was eventually successful. After that, I match-drilled all the holes in the skin to the structure. Once that was completed, I disassembled the entire elevator.

Right Elevator, Drilled, Ready for Dis-Assembly

One last thing, after I disassembled the elevator, I took care of dimpling the E-713 CB skin for the screws that will hold the CB weight in place. In addition, I machine countersunk the weight itself to accept the skins dimpling.

The Weight Machine Countersunk & the
CB Skin Dimpled for the #12 Screws

Awe, It Fell Apart. Time for Deburr, Etc.

Now, Rinse, Later, Repeat! Yep, you got it, edge clean, deburr, deburr, deburr, clean and prime. I'm about half way with the deburring. I'll complete that then on to cleaning, priming and assembling. Take Care and Thanks For Reading!

Day Total: 6.1 hrs   HOBBS Meter - 110.3 hrs