Priming Elevator Skeleton Parts - 2 hours

 Primed the elevator skeleton parts.

At the end on the day about 12 hours after priming, I cleco'd E703 and e-704 together. I quickly found out that using the squeezer on these parts will be quite difficult due to the flanges being in the way. I scratched my head for a while and decided to not go any further on the part.

Preping Elevator Skeleton Parts - 1.5 hours

I deburred all the holes on the elevator skeleton pieces and then went to work with a light file on the edges of the pieces. I Finished the edges with the 3m wheel.

This process was shown to me by a friend and I think it works extremely well. Previously I was just cleaning/deburring edges with a 3m wheel, but there was always a slight bump where there was shear marks in the piece. Using a small light file over the edges then a light buff with the wheel produces excellent results.

Countersinking Elevator Skeleton Parts Again - 3 hours

The new parts arrived from vans so I set to work on the new parts. I re-cleco'd the right elevator and match drilled holes for the new E-704 rib. I then set to work countersinking E-606PP. I repeated the same process of cleco'ing the piece to oak. This time I countersink the holes at the very ends of the piece rather than use the counter sink cage to ensure those holes did not go too deep.

I then used the 3m wheel on the elevator counterbalance skins to feather the aft and inboard edges.

Countersinking Elevator Skeleton Parts - 2 hours

I started to machine countersink E-702, E-705 and E-606PP. Using scrap pieces of oak, I predrilled holes then cleco'd the pieces to the oak. I think began to countersink with the cage on the drill. This allowed for most of the pieces to be done, however on E-702 the flanges prevent the cage from being used on the holes closest the flanges. I used my electric screwdriver/deburring bit and counter sunk those holes by hand, slowly but surely. 

 I ended up ruining E-606PP as I used the cage to countersink the holes at the very end of the piece. Since at the ends there is no material to support the width of the countersink cage, the bit cut too deep.

Upon inspection of all the other pieces, I noticed that a hole in the flange/tab of the right side E-704 was oblong. I put in an order to Van's for a new 606PP and a new 704 rib.

Final drilled the elevator skins - 2.5 hours

I cleco'd on the skins for the elevator and proceeded to match drill the remaining holes. Now I just need to wait for the weather to get nice so I can do some priming!

Bending the Elevator Skins - 2 hours

I have asked a friend (Mike) over to give me a hand bending the elevators. He has more experience than I in this and I trust his judgement. I taped the 1/8" dia. dowels to the corners that need to bend. I used long strips of painters tape. I held the elevator in place and Mike slowly squeezed the brake, and little by little we bent the elevator skins. The painters tape is great as it allowed us to easily remove the dowel once we were done.

I was extremely pleased how they turned out. Beautiful bends....I will have to touch them up with the woods blocks as the plans suggest. They are slightly under-bent, but in my books you don't want to over-bend with the brake.