Today I continued with the work on the HS. I got it ready to continue with the inboard left rib clecoed on and ready to drill its attach holes.
I got the angle drill out to get in there and went at it. A little bit later the drill was through and I looked to see my fine work.
Great.. My 1st screwup. I should have stuck to the #40 bit to make a pilot hole, but I went for the final size of #30 instead. And I wasn't paying enough attention to what was going on back there. The bit walked all over the place and made a giant oblong hole. Well, this will put me back a few bucks to buy a replacement rib, front spar and HS-710 angle, since the dill hole is way off in the angle and there is a big oval in the other parts.
Well, a email and pics went off to Van's and we'll see what they say. I suspect that I'm right about needing 3 replacemnt parts. Roberta on The VAF Forum pointed me to the parts price list, so it looks like it's gonna be a $50 mistake. Oh well. I put the HS away for now until I get my replacement parts and the new skin to replace the defective one I received. On to the Vertical Stabilizer! Here are the ribs, edges prepared and flutes made (the flutes were much better/easier this second time around).
Here is the rear spar with stiffener and rudder brackets clecoed in.
Man, this one went together quick!
Here it is ready to be final drilled. I love it when the skin goes on. It looks like airplane parts! But, alas, there is much work to be done after this misleading looking stage.
The stiffener after it's run-in with my brand new fly clutter. 7 lightening holes drilled out.
I drilled the countersinks and dimpled the spar and tried them out for fit. The first pic is of an area without dimples and countersinks.
This is the part with dimples and countersinks. Something isn't right here. After hitting the forums and sleeping on it, I figured out that I had not countersunk enough. I was using a AD3 (3/32") rivet to measure and it doesn't quite work with the hole/dimple is for a AD4 (1/8").
