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RV-7
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Date:  1-19-2013
Number of Hours:  6.00
Manual Reference:  
Brief Description:  Riveted the rudder TE and formed LE

Riveted the rudder trailing edge and formed the leading edge. Using a technique from RVPlane.com, I drilled out every other hole in the stiffening angle to 1/2 inch, re-clecoed and squeezed the rivets with first the alligator squeezer and then the hand squeezer. I slowly set the rivets, adding 1/32 think washers to progressively set the rivets. In the end, the shop head was almost perfectly flush. This handled half of them; for the other half, I flipped the rudder, loaded the other half of the rivets. Here, I can't cleco the angle on using through-hole clecos, so I used the edge grippers and worked on one section at a time, and them moving the grippers. This did not work quite as well, since the angle could slide a bit , but still did a good job. The edge sure stayed straight, though. After stretching a string on the concave side, a feeler gauge of 0.030"" would fit under without contact (0.032 wouldn't). To the eye, it's perfetly straight!

Following, I started to form the rolled leading edges. Match dilling a 1"" aluminium tube to the flanges, and rolled! After a bit, the clecos would contact the skin on the other side ... so I went to the GorillaGrip tape ... worked well! I had to do each side twice to get enough bend, and then some gentle man-handling to get the holes to line up. Got it clecoed, drilled to size, deburred, and pop-riveted. Ruder complete!"
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Alternate rivets ready for setting

Alternate rivets ready for setting

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View of drilled stiffener angle

View of drilled stiffener angle

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The final edge! 30 mils max!

The final edge! 30 mils max!

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