I have opted for the electric aileron trim and I am at the point in the plans that they say it's time to work on those parts. The first part to make is the F-8109 slide tube that actuates the trim left/right.
You start with a 5/16" tube of 6061-T6 aluminum. Yes, that part below in the picture took me 1.3 hours to "make". The tube starts out being 15" long - and the final length is 13 15/32" long. So I figured instead of cutting it to final length first, I would cut the notch in the end - that ended up being a good call. The notch/cutout (fork end) in the tube is where the trim servo output arm mates inside so it has to be a parallel cut 1/2" long. I tried a few times unsucessfully on the band saw but the third time was a charm as I cut the notch just right. Upon trial fit with the servo arm, it was a little tight so I filed the inside notch until it was a good fit. I then had to drill a hole that will hold the slide tube to the servo arm.
Then holes had to be drilled for the springs, one was 1 15/32" inboard from the notched end, and the other 9 3/4" inboard from the first hole. Those holes I drilled to #40 first and then to #30 as it is difficult to drill straight and perpendicular on an aluminum tube this narrow. Not much visual progress - but that slide tube is done!
