Saturday, September 27, 2014

Building the Vertical Stabilizer - 6 hours



Started for on the vertical stabilizer. The VS-808PP doubler was quite bowed from the shearing process. I very carefully worked on it to straighten it out. The shear marks were quite big so I rant it through the belt sander, then the 3M scotch brite wheel and finally the cut and polish wheel. I went over to home depot and picked up a variety of files. I used a file for the inner portions of the doubler. I cleco'd the doubler to the VS-803PP rear spar. Match drilled everything. I notice that I have an extra hole in my doubler that does not show up on the plans. It's just below the lightening hole (Third from the bottom). Right in-between where the "Holes drilled in assembly with fuselage". A quick review of Van's Airforce shows that the hole should be left open. I took time to take the vinyl off the vertical stabilizer skin and the elevators. I then cleco'd the VS skin on the spars and ribs and match drilled everything. I noticed the nose rib and the tip rim scraped the aluminum alclad while trying to put the skin on the frame. I used a scotchbrite pad to smooth out the scrapes and I intend to epoxy prime the insides of the skin, so corrosion will not be a problem in those areas.