Rolling the rudder leading edge - 3 hours

I know this. I really don't care for rolling the leading edges. It's not fun. I used the method Van's describes in the manual. Using 3/4" and 1" aluminum tubing, with the help of a friend we rolled the edges but it just plain sucks. It's very hard to describe how it feels, it just doesn't work well. You really need to take your time and roll, check, remove the pipe and use your hands, Put the pipe back on and roll some more, check, fiddle, etc, etc. By the end, some holes line up well, some feel forced. Ahh...I just don't enjoy this part. Took a long time to get the rudder done. I still have to figure out a way to get the top most pop rivet set. My puller is too big to get in there! 

Closing the rudder and finishing the trailing edge - 8 hours

Another huge day on the project. I really wanted to get the rudder closed up. I had an idea to use a block of wood as a jig to countersink the trailing edge wedge. I cut an angled groove in the center of a piece of oak with the table saw. It took a few scraps and a few adjustments but I dialed it in so that the wedge sat perfectly level in the wood block. This allows the countersink cage to be properly supported when countersinking the holes. I drilled a #40 hold in the center of the piece to allow the pilot of the counter sink bit to go through. It worked better than I imagined! Hole came out perfect! I cleaned and primed the trailing edge.

I then attached a piece of 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" angle to the table ensuring everything was straight. I then began to match drill the lower rudder skin into the angle, clecoing holes as I went. I drilled the end first, then the middle, doing my best to keep it straight.

Once all the holes were drilled. I used a unibit to enlarge every second hole to fit the squeezer. 

I was ready to start the trailing edge. I cleaned the parts with a light wipe of acetone (It does not remove the epoxy primer, but cleans it very well). I then used the 3M double sided tape that you can buy from Van's and applied the first layer and let it sit.

I removed the protective paper and laid the Wedge down. Cleco'd it and let it sit for another 15min. 

Then I repeated the 3M tape. I then dabbed RTV on the stiffeners and laid the top rudder skin on and cleco'd it along the spar.

I removed the cleco's on the trailing edge, removed the paper off the 3M tape and pressed the top skin down and re-cleco'd the trailing edge. I let it sit for another 15min. 

While I waited for it to set, I began to rivet the elevator closed. I riveted all along the spar, along the bottom and top. 

Once it was all closed, I removed every second cleco on the trailing edge (where I placed the holes with the unibit). Starting at center, I dropped in a rivet and used the squeezer to half set the rivet. Counted 10 hole over and repeated. Again, working up, then down, skipped a few holes, then moved to the other side. 

Eventually every hole was half set with the squeezer. The results were the rudder trailing edge was darn near perfect!! I then placed my back rivet plate under the rudder, and used the back rivet set on low low pressure to further advance the rivets Just as the manual suggests. Working in the similar fashion, skipping 10, each way, then go back, etc, etc. All the rivets where nearly set, I used the mushroom head set and finished it. Perfect!!!

Finishing up Elevator Riveting - 3 Hours

Not much to report on. I spent a bunch of time completing the riveting of the elevators. Made sure to go slow and rivet well! When I take my time...The rivets come out amazing!

I just need to finish the elevator pop rivets. I'm waiting for #32 and #33 drill bits to arrive. I tried using 7/64" drill bits for the MK-319-BS rivets, but the hole is quite tight and the rivet just does not want to sit flush in the hole. I'll wait till I have the proper drill bits to finish.  

Closing up the Elevators - 6 Hours

I started out the evening with the intent to just do a few things on the elevator and wound up putting in a ton of time! I used a little RTV to attach the counterweights to the elevators with the intent to let it dry. I then began to stew a bit on how the torquing of the bolts will go once the RTV is dry.

 It seemed much more reasonable to me to torque them while the RTV is wet, giving the chance for the RTV to squeeze out and get a more reliable torque out of it. So I kept going.

I then worked on my oops dimple a removed the crack with a file, as per Van's recommendations in their email. I dimpled the proper hole and once the rivet is installed, there will be virtually no trace of any oops.

I then got to work on building a block to squeeze the trailing edges of the elevators. I built it exactly how van's describes and it worked extremely well. 

I then installed a 1/8" dowel at the back of the trailing edge and used dabs of RTV where the stiffeners meet to reduce vibration. I kept the dowel in place as I began to cleco the elevators shut.   

After I torqued the counterweight screws, I Squeezed the trailing edges (carefully!!). I was able to get the fall off nearly perfect!   

I then began to rivet the elevators closed.Every half hour or so I would turn the dowels stuck in the elevators to make sure the RTV was not setting up on them. By the end of the night, I pulled the downs out of the elevators and had a look. Perfect! the stiffeners are supported by RTV but there still is a weeping hole for drainage clear thru the elevator.