Today I essentially completed the empennage - of course I still have the fiberglass work to do on the tips after they are installed, but need to do some research before tackling that project. May wait to do it all together with other fiberglass, or if I get itchy for something to do, might go ahead and work on it before the wing kit gets here. Started today by trimming the horizontal stabilizer flanges on the skin that were impeding the counterbalance arms on the elevator. Photo #1 shows the steel ruller I used to block/protect the skin while cutting and smoothing the skin. Photo #2 shows final results which allowed the counterbalance arm of both elevators to swing free - I had to cut off about 1 3/8" of the flange which means will need to trim the fiberglass tip the same later. Next I went to work to mark and drill the holes for the bolt that attaches the elevator horn assembly to the horizontal stablizer hinge bearing. Was tough at first to get the elevators attached to the HS - the hinge brackets were really narrow and the bolt didn't go thru the holes - so I widened the brackets slightly and drilled out some of the powder coat primer that was impeding the bolt from going thru. I also had to make several adjustments to get the elevators properly aligned/spaced on the HS by adjusting the depth of the rod end bearings. All of them ended up being right at the max according to the plans of 7/8" depth. Photo #3 shows the right elevator held in the "in trail" positon by the clamp so I can mark the hole on the elevator horn. See next entry for more photos and comments.
Ready to trim the flange that interferes with the elevator counterbalance arm
After trimming complete
Right Elevator clamped to "in trail" position for marking and drilling the elevator horn
