Log Entry Date: Mar 21, 2007
Parts Preparation
Completed right elevator
We completed the right elevator today, up to the point of inspection. We left the trailing edge open for inspection. It took quite awhile to rivet the stiffeners. The elevator skin has to be spread open to be able to access the stiffeners to back rivet. We clamped the bottom side of the skin to the work bench and pulled very gently on the top of the skin to open it up enough to work on it. The spar was quite a trick as well. We clamped the bottom of the skin to a workmate and pulled on the top skin to open it up about 90 degrees. This gave excellent access to the spar to be able to buck. The plans say to hard rivet the front of the skin to the spar and to blind rivet the back of the skin to the spar. This is most definately a 2 person job. One hint here (this is not stated in the plans) is to make sure the bottom skin holes for the spar are drilled to #30 for the blind rivets that have to be used. This of course also applies to the bottom of the spar. The plans say you can use C4-4 blind rivets on the bottom skin to spar attach, so we did. There is no other way to attach the bottom skin.