I've spent quite a few hours on other builders' sites and on VAF researching what and what not to do. I am always interested in what they would do differently on their next build. Many have said they would not waste their time using a soldering iron and straightedge to carefully remove the blue plastic from the rivet areas but would instead remove all of it at once as they need that particular piece in their build (like Van's suggests). After spending nearly one hour today with the soldering iron/straightedge combo on the left elevator, I think that from now on I will just pull it all off. I am painting rather than polishing the plane when finished so I don't think it is worth the effort. I did manage to get a few stiffeners clecoed to the skin in preparation for drilling.
