Note: Section 1 through 5 are general building instructions and best practices, Section 6 is the vertical stabilizer
Vertical Stabilizer: We Started building parts, and it feels sooooo good.
- Match drilled pieces per the plan
- Filed and de-burred all of the edges
- Buffed the edges with the Scotch-Brite wheel
- Fluted the ribs to straighten and fit the parts together to ensure proper fit
- Hours to date: 46
You need to start some where, and this part is a good place to get some experience with the construction manual
Vertical Stab cleco'ed together, we will un-assemble and prime the internal ribs and spars and then rivet it together
Vertical stabilizer parts after priming with AKZO 2 part epoxy primer, we love this stuff but it can kill you without the appropriate breathing protection.
This is me building the vertical stabilizer rear spar
The vertical stabilizer spar after riveting and ready for final installation
Making sure the vertical fin goes together properly, I usually buck and Raf usually shoots, this works for us
Rafael mans the rivet gun and I man the bucking bar, but right now I'm taking the picture instead. We finished the vertical stabilizer in this session except for the fiberglass tips. Per the manual, we will come back to these later in the build.
I left the blue film on until final airplane assembly on the RV 7, this worked out well. I had no issues pulling the film off after 2 years and it really did provide scratch protection. I put some painters tape over the rivet line, so we could slide it under Rafa's bed for storage, without a worry about scratching.
Installing the vertical stabilizer tip back plate
Here is a view of the backplate bonded in place with epoxy and glass fiber. We also used #4 washers to back up the fiberglass and keep the pull rivets from pulling in to or thorough the fiberglass. I bonded the washers in place with goop, works great to keep the washers in place while pulling the rivets.
After filling, priming and a lot of sanding.
Vertical Stab tip completed.
