01-02-02 1.0 Hour
Finally my Empennage kit arrives. Unpacked contents and found both elevator skins damaged on the corner. Emailed photo to van's for advice. They said they would send new ones, that the skins looked like they could not be repaired.

Horizontal Stabilizer

01-04-02 4.0 Hours
Took inventory. My son Joshua was a big help with calling out the items as I checked them off the list. Placed all fasteners in bins. Started fabrication of the HS 908 L/R Brackets.

01-05-02 3.0 Hours
Finished fabrication of the HS 908 L/R Brackets. Clecoed and matched drilled the HS902 front spars & HS 907 Doubler, HS 903 rear spars & HS 906 Doubler, and the HS 908 L/R Brackets to the front spar.

01-06-02 2.0 Hours
Clecoed the HS 912 Outboard Hinge Brackets to the rear spar and matched drilled. Had a problem with two brackets. The attachment hole was off center about .060 on one and .035 on the other. Email off to Van's, replacements in the mail.

01-09-02 2.0 Hours
Deburred HS 904 Main Ribs and HS 905 Nose Ribs.

01-11-02 3.0 Hours
More deburring followed by fabricating the HS 909 shims. Clecoed HS 904's and 905's to the 902 and 903 spars and matched drilled the #30 holes.

01-12-02 2.0 Hours
Broke down spars and ribs and did more deburring. Make sure to remove all shear marks from edges of spars and doublers. I used a file followed by the gray wheel and Scotch Brite. I can't stress how important this is! Do not leave sharp edges, nicks or scrapes in your parts. They will create stress risers.

1-13-02 3.5 Hours
Cut out the HS jigs. Used my neighbors scroll saw. He's into wood working. Worked great. Beat the hell out of a jig saw. Mounted HS jig on the H jig and plumbed and leveled. Attached the nose ribs, spar (one side only ), main ribs and rear spar and clecoed it all.

1-18-02 2.0 Hours
Deburred all # 40 holes in R 901skin and 904, 905 ribs. Just used a larger size drill bit and turned by hand.

1-19-02 3.0 Hours
Dimpled right skin and 905, 904 ribs. If you can swing it get a pneumatic squeezer. This thing kicks butt. I had the ribs done in no time.

1-20-02 2.0 Hours
Countersunk the 903 and 902 Spars right side. Just be careful how you orientate the Microstop and don't go too deep.

1-26-02 3.50 Hours
Deburred and scotch brited right side spars, skin and ribs. Ready for paint. Match drilled left skin.

1-27-02 2.0 Hours
Disassembled left side. More Deburring

2-1-02 3.0 Hours
Finished deburring. Alodined all internal parts and painted with FR Prime. We had a gallon of this at work that just expired and were going to dispose of it. In case you don't know FR Prime is a two part green primer per DMS 2143, the stuff Boeing uses on their parts. It has a shelf life for one year when certifications are needed.

2-2-02 6.0 Hours
Finally started putting something together! Riveted the HS spars, doublers and 908 attach brackets together. Note! When riveting the attach brackets don't' just cleco them. Cleco and clamp a piece of angle to both of them to insure they are aligned. I did not do this and mine were off a tad. Started riveting in nose ribs, HS spar and HS-904 ribs.

2-3-02 3.0 Hours
Continued riveting right side skin. Was made aware of some people stating that the AN426AD3-3.5 rivets were coming up short on the skins. Mine seemed to have perfect head Dia. and height. I started out just checking them with calipers and using the Boeing riveting specification. Then Mark Schrimmer told me he used a rivet gage and that made me think I should get one also. However, being thrifty I just made a couple based on Boeings specs. This is when I noticed had used -4 instead of the -3.5 for the skin rivets. I will complete the other side using -4 also.

2-6-02 1.5 Hours
Finished riveting the right side and setup the left skin in the jig.

2-24-02 1.0 Hours
Riveted nose ribs into left HS skin.

2-25-02 3.0 Hours
Clecoed and riveted the two 904 ribs that you can't get to after assy. to the front spar. Placed front spar and right HS Assy. into left HS skin and supported completed right side. Clecoed and riveted skin. Note: I went ahead and used the 3.5 rivets this time and they worked fine. Also, I realized I had not left open the top faring connect holes as stated on the drawing. I will drill these out later. Went ahead and fabricated the bearing bracket and installed it prior to riveting on the rear spar. Note: I also noticed that if you wanted to use standard rivets on some of the 904 ribs where they attach to the rear spar you could wait to the end to rivet in the end 904's. Too late for me so I will use the LP-4 Blind's.

3-2-02 3.0 Hours
More riveting. I started using a 100 Deg CSK to just slightly break the dimpled hole just before installing the rivet. Just a couple turns by hand. It seems like the rivet just seats a little better.

3-3-02 1.0 hours
More riveting. Just can't get enough time to finish....

3-6-02 1.0 Hours
It is finished! Finally got the last few rivets in.

HS Finished at 55.5 Hours.

Vertical Stabilizer

3-9-02 3.0 Hours
Started the Vertical Stabilizer. Clecoed the VS-803PP, VS-808PP and rudder attach brackets together and match drilled.
Note: My VS-808PP was bent so I took it to work and straightened it out and checked it on the surface plate.
Be careful to pay attention on not drilling out all the holes on the lower VS-410PP bracket. Disassembled and clecoed the skin to the VS-803PP and matched drilled.

3-10-01 3.0 Hours
Fluted ribs. This was my first experience fluting. Take your time here. A little goes a long way. Just try to straighten the rib with the least amount of bend. Also make sure that when finished that the flange is 90 deg's to the side of the rib and not bent out.

3-16-02 3.0 Hours
Countersunk the VS-808PP and re assembled using clecos. Attached the rear spar to the H jig and started placing the ribs. Drilled and attached using clecos the ribs and frot spar. Placed skin, clecoed and drilled ribs and front spar.

3-17-02 4.0 Hours
Disassembled everything and deburred. Note: I read where some builders claim they don't need a pneumatic squeezer. I say your insane if you don't get one. Dimpled front and rear spars and skins and prepared parts for Alodine and FR prime.

3-23-02 4.0 Hours
Final prep for alodine and paint. Alodined and FR primed ribs, spars and inside of skins. Started assembling rear spar. Again pneumatic squeezer a big help. Assembled frame and reinstalled on H jig.

3-24-02 3.5 Hours
Started riveting skin on. This was not an easy task. The first side is not to bad. However, closing the second side is a mild pain. The smaller your arm is the better. Finished all the inside rivets and removed the VS from the H jig. Finished installing rear spar skin rivets using the pneumatic squeezer.
It is finished.

VS Finished at 20.5 Hours.
Additional VS Items:
7-24-02 2.0 hours. Worked on mounting a VOR antenna in VS tip. Since this time I have decided not to place the antenna in the VS tip. I will mount it under the fuselage or buy one that mounts in the wing tip.

Rudder

4-5-02 3.0 Hours
Started fabrication of rudder stiffeners

4-6-02 3.0 Hours
Finished fabricating rudder stiffeners.

4-13-02 4.0 Hours
Matched drilled stiffeners to skins. Used extra piece of plywood and drilled right into it. Deburred stiffeners and skins. Fabricated R917 shim. Trimmed brace and radiused rudder horn. Clecoed and drilled rudder horn assy. Use skin to align R904 and R410 brace before drilling the 4 holes at the intersection of 904 and 410. Fluted R913 and R903.

4-18-02 0.5 Hours
Fabricated R918'S

4-24-02 1.0 Hours
Assembled and started match drilling rudder assy.

4-26-02 0.5 Hours
Finished match drilling rudder assy. and took assy. apart for deburring and dimpling.

4-27-02 2.0 Hours
Started the long task of deburring all components.

5-27-02 3.0 Hours
Dimpled skins, spars, ribs and the 918's.

5-28-02 1.0 Hours
Countersunk the AEX wedge.

6-1-02 2.0 Hours
Primed all parts using DMS 2143 FR Prime.

6-2-02 1.0 Hours
Started back riveting skins. Went well. Brought home a large 1.0 x 18x 30 175 lb steel plate. Worked great.

6-3-02 3.0 Hours
Finished back riveting. Drilled out counter balance, rib and dimpled. Riveted reinforcement plates to spar. Assembled counter balance.

6-7-02 2.0 Hours
Clecoed assembly back together and started riveting skins and ribs. Some areas here are not easy. I used a large Allen wrench to rivet the R410 Brace and the 904 Rib. The directions state you can use pop rivets here. I only needed one on each far side. Had a small bump in the skin. Removed most of it.

6-11-02 3.5 Hours
Finished riveting assembly. Mixed tank sealant and applied to AEX wedge. I used a 5' Level I had laying around to cleco the trailing edge to. Sealed counter Balance weight at this time also.

6-15-02 2.5 Hours
Removed straight edge and clecos. Cleaned both. Riveted the trailing edge. All I can say here is go nice and easy. Only partially set them at first and hitting every fifth one or so. Then finish them up. Again here is where a large flat heavy piece of steel comes in. Just a note: I did not clamp the rudder to the plate as I set the rivets. It came out nice and straight.

6-21-02 2.0 Hours
Rolled and riveted the leading edge. Attached bearings. I was missing the MD 3616 so called vans and ordered two. I felt the middle one should have a little more engagement.

6-22-02 2.0 Hours
Trimmed and dry fit the fiberglass tip and bottom.

Rudder Finished at 42.0 Hours.
Additional Rudder Items:
10-12-02 6.0 hours. Fiberglassed rear light/strobe into rudder fairing. Glassed nuts right into fairing. Used Everglass filler. Drilled rudder fairing attach strips for plate nuts. Riveted platenuts into place and attached rudder fairing.

I have been very busy lately and will add photos when I get a chance. Also, my digital camera took a nap so I won't have the number of photos I normally link for a while.

Right Elevator

7-17-02 3.0 Hours
Fabricated stiffeners

7-18-02 2.5 Hours
Fabricated Stiffeners

7-20-02 2.5 Hours
Clecoed and matched drilled spar, ribs, skin and counterbalance skin and deburred. Note: I drilled the bottom skin to accept solid rivets not the CS4-4

7-21-02 2.0 Hours
Dimpled spar, ribs, E913. Dimpled E912Tip attach holes to accept CS4-4 rivets. Matched drilled stiffeners to skin.

7-22-02 1.5 Hours
Drilled remaining stiffener and made a Blind rivet die by drilling out and old set to finish dimpling the end of the tip rib and root rib.

7-23-02 1.0 Hours
Dimpled stiffener.

7-25-02 1.5 Hours
Deburred and dimpled RH elevator skin.

7-31-02 1.0 Hours
Dimpled RH elevator skin.

7-25-02 1.5 Hours
Dimpled, Deburred and Scotch Brited RH elevator skin in penetration for alodine.

8-7-02 2.0 Hours
Alodined and FR primed all parts. Skins Inside only.

8-8-02 2.0 Hours
Riveted E902 spar, 910 Hinge plates and K1000-6 plate nuts Riveted E903 and E904. Riveted WB605-1R to E906.

8-9-02 2.5 Hours
Back riveted top stiffeners and 902 to 901 top.

8-11-02 1.0 Hours
Riveted 913/903/904 to 902 and started to rivet to 902 Bottom.

8-12-02 2.0 Hours
I purchased a bar 1.0 wide by .500 thick and 4 feet long. I fed this bar into the leading edge area and with clamping and duct tape used it to buck the bottom row of rivets. I did not use the Blind(CS4-4) rivets in this area. It wasn't that hard at all. The only tuff area is near the control horn.

8-15-02 2.0 Hours
Finished riveting skin to ribs and started trailing edge.

8-18-02 3.0 Hours
Drilled trailing edge. Countersunk AEX wedge. Dimpled trailing edge. Epoxied AEX wedge to skin and clecoed. I used a 10 minute epoxy instead of fuel tank sealant. Worked good and I didn't have to wait 2 or 3 days for it to dry. Removed clecos and riveted trailing edge.

10-2-02 4.0 Hours ( My Mother's Birthday)
Made counter weights. Drilled outside weight to lighten up a little and bolted into place. I also added some JB weld to the bolts to insure they wouldn't work lose. Riveted Fiberglass tip into place.

10-12-02 3.0 Hours
Finished adjusting rod bearings for clearance. Added lead piece to inside lead weight. Pinned and JB welded to existing weight.(Note see left elev below. I re-did this weight.) Removed too much from outer weight. Filed and polished trailing edge. Here is Joshua holding the finished product.

Right Elevator Finished at 38.0 Hours.

Trim Tab

8-18-02 3.0 Hours
Started working on the trim tab while the epoxy was drying. I decided I was going to make the trim tab with a AEX trailing edge to match the rest of the control surfaces. So I scored the skin at the bend and broke apart. Flattened skin edges at break. Deburred(gray wheeled)edges. Bent side flaps on both skins. Note: make sure you bend them in the right direction! I clamped them between a steel block and a piece of wood and used a rubber mallet. Much easier when skin is two pieces. Drilled top skin trailing edge. Used prepunched spar as hole guide. Drilled angle to match top skin. Clecoed two half's together and lined up and matched drilled AEX wedge and skins.

8-26-02 1.0 Hours
Deburred. and Fabricated electric trim horn.

8-27-02 3.0 Hours
Fabricated rib stiffeners and spacers from leftover elevator and rudder stiffeners and matched drilled to tab skins.

8-29-02 2.5 Hours
Dimpled tab skins, except top spar row. Later after drilling hinge., Stiffeners, spacers and spar.

9-3-02 1.5 Hours
Match drilled tab hinge to Elevator and tab skin. Left .118 gap between tab and elevator.

9-4-02 2.5 Hours
Cut hinge to length and deburred. Matched drilled top tab skin to spar. Dimpled top tab skin to spar holes. Countersunk top of spar. Countersunk AEX trailing edge.

9-10-02 2.5 Hours
Deburred and scotch brited. Cleaned, Alodined and FR primed all parts.

9-18-02 1.0 Hours
Back riveted spacers, stiffeners and control horn to tab skins.

9-19-02 1.5 Hours
Riveted skins to spar and hinge. Riveted trailing edge. This time I did not use anything to hold the trailing edge together for riveting. I went slow, used the phnuematic squeezer to slightly form the rivets and finished them with a mushroom head against the steel plate. Came out nice and straight.

Trim Tab Finished at 18.5 Hours.

Left Elevator

10-19-02 3.0 Hours
Clecoed skin, spar, ribs and counter balance skin and matched drilled. Drilled the three 902/905 intersection holes. Aligned horn and drilled holes in side of 902 spar only. 1st measured angle on 905 rib then bent to 90 Deg. for dimpling. After dimpling bent the 905 and riveted them together. Clecoed horn to 905 and drilled remaining holes on the 902. Dimpled 902 and 905 rib. Dimpled last 3 holes in rib by tapping male die into 1/4" piece of steel with machined female countersink in it. This works well.

11-1-02 2.0 Hours
Deburred, and Fabbed E921 Gusset. Dimpled, checked for straightness, fluted rib and balance skin.

11-3-02 3.0 Hours
Worked on electric trim tab servo mounting brackets. Cut 602B R&L to clear opening and fit servo. Taped down 605B brackets to maintain location and drilled. Drilled skin and E615PP to match. Deburred holes and dimpled 615PP, brackets and nut plates.

11-16-02 4.0 Hours
Fabricated stiffeners and deburred skin.

11-23-02 2.0 Hours
Polished and red wheeled parts. Alodined parts.

11-26-02 1.0 Hours
Riveted nutplates to trim access reinforcement plate. Riveted trim access reinforcement plate to skin.

12-10-02 2.5 Hours
Riveted 902 spar to skin and 903 to to the 904 and the E 913

12-13-02 3.0 Hours
Riveted 903/904/913 Assy to 902. Riveted bottom of 902 to 901 skin using solid rivets.

12-16-02 2.0 Hours
Riveted 907 trim spar and hinge to 901 skin.

12-18-02 1.0 Hours
Drilled AEX wedge and 901 trailing edge

12-22-02 3.0 Hours
Passed Check Ride Today!!!! Deburred and dimpled trailing edge. Countersunk AEX wedge. Epoxied AEX and clecoed to 901 skin and angle iron. Used 5 min. fast drying epoxy to set trailing edge.

1-3-03 1.5 Hours
Sized and mounted counter balance weight.
Mounted fiberglass tip.

1-5-03 to 1-14-03 6.0 Hours
After attaching the left elevator, found that it was heavy to the rear, really heavy. You would think I would have learned from the right elevator but I was sure I left plenty of material on the weights. Wrong!.. and I already had riveted the tips on. Dam! I pulled the tip, removed the weights and remelted the outside weight adding lead from the leftovers and some fishing weights. Poured into my homemade mold, sized, drilled and reinstalled. This worked so well I proceeded to redo the right elevator. I had originally fixed it's rear heaviness' by pinning and JB Welding on an additional piece of lead. It would have been fine but, it was one of those things that bothers you because it's not perfect. Main lesson here is if you have electric trim and do the trim tab with the AEX wedge trailing edge and metal stiffeners, leave the weights at full size. Only trim to fit and check balance before riveting on the tip. Mounted trim tab and worked on adjustment of control horn. I couldn't find any information on setting the trim tab movement however, found some help on the RV list. Seems it should have a little more movement down to bring the nose up at slow speeds. Won't know for sure until it flies.
Some more photos.

1-15-03 to 2-5-03 4.0 Hours
Made tip inserts out of 1" thick plasticfoam I purchased from one of those craft stores. Traced the outline, cut them out and sized them with the red wheel. Placed inside each tip and used Everglass to seal them into tips. Finished with some sanding and mounted tips to VS and HS.

Left Elevator Finished at 38 Hours.

Empennage Finished at 212.5 Hours.
Here is a few shots of the completed Empennage.

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