May 14, 2005

5 hrs. all day Sat.

Prepping stiffeners, scratch and clean baby.

Dimpling the rudder skin.

Oh yeah, new tool, my first order from Aircraft Spruce, back riveting (just in time for the stiffeners), offset rivet tool (could have used that back on the HS debacle, pop rivet dimple tool, and something else, oh yeah more clecos.

Here is the pop rivet dimple tool, pretty cool.

Stiffeners primed, in order shortest to tallest, repeat.

Back riveting the stiffeners, this tool is cool, works well, the ones closest to the fold are difficult.

Bent leading edge when I should have bent trailing edge. Got the two mixed up because they are kind of opposite on the stab.

The rolled edge looks crappy plus it is going to be difficult to get bucking bar in there. I spoke with Gus at Van's and a new rudder will run me ~$100 and so he thought I can make it work and as for the ugly rolled edge, I can add more pop rivets plus smooth it out with my fingers. This area is kind of hidden so it shouldn't be that bad, it just makes me feel crappy. That is what I get when I get in a hurry.

Rolling the leading edge was difficult, real difficult and as you can see I did a horrifying job, the tape kept slipping so I clamped the rake handle with vise grips, hence the tweaked edges.

Now here is a highly trained, friendly dog.

Ooo, my homemade break, filled with sap, no extra charge. This is what I should have whipped out instead of my rake handle.