Believe it or not, it can get cold in parts of San Diego in the Winter. Cold enough, in fact, that I could prime elevator parts for a week. But, last weekend the temperatures warmed up and I was able to finish priming the E1-E3 assemblies.
I didn't get around to assembling things until today, however. Very little seemed to go right. The trim tab appears to have a bad bend on the inside flange that results in warping the trim skin. It takes on a crescent shape (not pictured), and that won't do. I intend to drill it out and look into fixing or replacing the skin.
Next, I discovered I need a small torque wrench to set the five AN3 bolts in the assembly before I can close out parts of the assembly. I need some Loctite too for the bolts and rivnuts, but even the rivnuts could wait. This also lead me to realize I should order some torque seal marker paste as well.
Not dwelling on having to remove the E1 rivets, I completed all I could on E2 without Loctite and torque settings. That meant leaving the spar channel box off until I can take care of the bolts.
I set out for E3 knowing I need a replacement end rib (rib 4). That replacement is not due to ship out of SA until March 28. I figured, I could assemble the left elevator (side with trim actuator) and discovered real deficiencies in the assembly instructions. I'm sure someone else has made mention of this in their blog, but I don't recall if I've ever read about it. I'm also sure that most builders would read ahead in the instructions and try to make sense out of what they're supposed to do. Myself? I went back and forth in the assembly instructions and pulled out the skin to see what it attaches to before it was all clear to me.
I will begin work on the rudder next, even though I need a replacement skin in order to complete.
I didn't get around to assembling things until today, however. Very little seemed to go right. The trim tab appears to have a bad bend on the inside flange that results in warping the trim skin. It takes on a crescent shape (not pictured), and that won't do. I intend to drill it out and look into fixing or replacing the skin.
Next, I discovered I need a small torque wrench to set the five AN3 bolts in the assembly before I can close out parts of the assembly. I need some Loctite too for the bolts and rivnuts, but even the rivnuts could wait. This also lead me to realize I should order some torque seal marker paste as well.
Not dwelling on having to remove the E1 rivets, I completed all I could on E2 without Loctite and torque settings. That meant leaving the spar channel box off until I can take care of the bolts.
I set out for E3 knowing I need a replacement end rib (rib 4). That replacement is not due to ship out of SA until March 28. I figured, I could assemble the left elevator (side with trim actuator) and discovered real deficiencies in the assembly instructions. I'm sure someone else has made mention of this in their blog, but I don't recall if I've ever read about it. I'm also sure that most builders would read ahead in the instructions and try to make sense out of what they're supposed to do. Myself? I went back and forth in the assembly instructions and pulled out the skin to see what it attaches to before it was all clear to me.
I will begin work on the rudder next, even though I need a replacement skin in order to complete.
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