Brief Description: Trial Fit Rudder Spar and Hinge Assembly
Completed step 1 07-03. Used An3- 10A bolts and AN960-10 washers on bolt head and nut per plans. Used one AN960-10 washer on both sides of hinge point top and bottom – free rotation and no play top to bottom. There is a gap on top hinge where thicker washer could be used. Need to check to see if this should be done even though there is not vertical slop in the joints. Completed step 2 = riveted R-1204 spar caps and R-1203 main rib to R-1202 spar. Started step 3 – riveting hinge brackets to spar cap and riveting remaining holes. I seemed to have difficulty with the squeezer (I tried both the Cleaveland unit and my original squeezer). On two of the rivets in one hinge bracket the squeezer apparently slipped out of place when squeezing causing the rivets to get a smile in them. Decided that these needed to be replaced – when I used my rivet removal tool the drill bit shifted off center due to the crease across the top of the rivet. Decided to stop and figure out game plan to proceed. It may be to remove the two bad rivets I will also need to remove the two good ones because I may have to grind the heads damaging the hinge itself. Ordered a new part from Van’s in case. Will evaluate once I get the two bad rivets removed with the hope that I do not cause any other damage to holes in the spar. If that happens I will need to get a new spar, spar caps, and main rib and start this assembly over. Learning lessons as I go. I need to figure out better way to hold parts and squeezer and look at using the pneumatic squeezer I have to get better results – I had looked at using it but could not seem to get the right dies in it to have it fit correctly where it needed to. Better I learn now before more complex assemblies.
