Nov 15, 2001  4 hours

I started on the rudder tonight.  First order of business was to cut all the rudder stiffeners out.  Marked and ready to cut.   I started using the aviation snips but I don't like using them.  They seem to make the material curl no matter what I do.  I stopped by the hardware store and picked up a very thin cut off wheel. This worked great for me.  Some of the work in process.  I finished them off by using the file and Scotch Brite wheel.

I cut out the jigs for the rudder.  I don't have a decent hand saw so I used the jig saw instead.  I then mounted the two jigs to the H-frame instead of the table so I could get to both sides.

I started to quit after that but thought I'd see what one of the stiffeners would look like on the skin.  Of course, the next thing I knew one side of the skin had all the stiffeners attached. Still like the other side.

Nov 16, 2001 2.5 hours

I finished drilling the stiffeners to the skins.  I then spent most of the night deburring and dimpling the stiffeners and the skin. 

I started assembling the rear spar for the rudder.  I was a little confused how all this fit together.  I was tired and called it an evening.  I did do the RV_list search to see if I was totally anal or if others had been confused as well.  Appears, I wasn't the only one.  I'll start in the morning with a plan of attack!

Nov 17, 2001  4 hours

It's amazing what a little sleep (and builders sites / RV_list) will do for the brain cells.  I assembled the rear spar of the Rudder.  I drilled a hole in the rib that attaches under the horn so the rod end bearing will be able to pass through. 

Clecoed everything in place and drilled all the holes.  Then it was the clean, deburr, file & finish routine.  Now time for my favorite task, priming!!

Priming today was the pits.  I'm using a water based primer and added to much distilled water to the paint.  I'd been spraying without thinning but decided to follow the directions today.  The directions stated to add 1/2 to 1 1/2 times the amount of water as primer.  This was way too thin.  I started spraying and it would run off a flat surface (:  I made a mess and spent a couple hours cleaning it up.  I did manage to get it all primed with a new mixture of primer.  Ready to begin assembly.

Update: 11_16_01  There are two additional pieces that you need to fabricate when you attach the skin to the spar.  These could have been fabricated before and primed at the same time as the rest of the rudder pieces.

Nov 18, 2001  1.5 hours

Riveted the stiffeners to the skin.  We are having a beautiful November with the highs reaching the low 70's.  This makes it difficult to spend Sunday afternoon in the basement.  Here the skin is with all the stiffeners riveted.   

Nov 19, 2001  2 hours

I built the brake for the trailing edge tonight.  Then had the opportunity to squeeze the rudder together.   This turned out pretty well I thought.  The level is just used as a straight edge to see how it will look.   

I finished the night by riveting the rear spar together.  Here it is attached to the VS before riveting to insure that it all looks right before riveting.   Chris is home for Thanksgiving and helped me by bucking the last few rivets that I couldn't squeeze.