Date:	2-12-2013
Number of Hours:	2.00
Brief Description:	Making riblets
OK ... it's time to bend the trim tab and elevator skins. After lots of research on VAF and other places, I decided to go with the "riblet" method. The reasons are these: 1) I don't want to ruin my elevator skin .. seems like Murphy lives here if anywhere. 2) Before bending, I'd do quite a bit of practice, which would take some time, and still not guarantee success. 3) Building the form blocks would take time, and still not guarantee success. 4) Using the time, I can make riblet form blocks, practice all I want and not screw up a skin. Making the riblet seems like the lowest risk option and not take any more time than it would if I did it the original way... So, riblets it is! The aviation isle of Home Depot had a nice poplar plank that I used for the block. Made a cardboard template of the rib on the right elevator, transferred it to the block, screwed it down and cut with a compound miter box. A table saw would have been better, but no got one of those. I gave the edge of the bloc a 5 deg bevel to handle springback. I made two block and clamped them together to do the deed. Worked great the first time out of the gate!