This afternoon I only had a couple of hours to work. The first step called for clecoing the rudder skins on both sides and drilling to match. The first skin (left side) went on a little tight, but it seemed to fit alright. Of course that little voice was saying "This doesn't seem right. Nothing is ever this tight." But I motored on anyway. As I was clecoing the right skin in place I noticed it was really tight and it looked like it was starting to get a wave in the skin. That was definitely not right. I started to take the skin off when I noticed one of the stiffners on the inside was about 1/32 too long. It was hitting one of the hinge stiffers mounted on the spar. On closer inspection I found two of the stiffners were about 1/32 too long on the right skin. I went back and checked the fit on the left side and found a stiffner that was too long on that side as well. I spent about an hour with a file slowing taking the upright portion of the stiffners down a little. The rudder skin is only 0.019 thick, so I needed to make sure I did not scar it in anyway. But with patience and time I took off the required amount to get the fit I wanted. The skin clecoed in place without any stress on it at all. I want this aircraft to fly "hands off" so making the rudder skin is smooth and straight is kind of important. The trailing edge seems perfectly straight so far.
