Horizontal Stabalizer Fiberglass Tips

I am done with the Horizontal stablazier WOOOHOO! So I decided I wanted to perhaps put the fiberglass tips on soon so I was putting the tips on the ends just to visualize it and realized that the time are undersized as in they dont fit snug in the side. Usually people tell me that with fiberglass you will have to sand it down to fit it snug in the area.... But my problem is just the oppisite. In order to make them fit I would have to add material to make it snug.

I have no clue where tro begin, did I get faulty tips? Or what. I'm new to fiberglass stuff so any help is greatly appreciated.

Post a pic of your problem it will help people give you guidance.

My tips fit close but to get the look I wanted took some effort. Also be aware that the elevators make contact with the HS tips, requiring some trimming. So fit the elevators to the HS before you work on the the HS tips

hydroguy2 said:

Post a pic of your problem it will help people give you guidance.

My tips fit close but to get the look I wanted took some effort. Also be aware that the elevators make contact with the HS tips, requiring some trimming. So fit the elevators to the HS before you work on the the HS tips

Click to expand...

Will post a photo tonight, thanks for the suggestion as well, that makes sense!

FB inside the tip

Ian,
I am running into the same thing. On the length of both sides, there is a small gap between the aluminum and the fiberglass when I try to fit it. What I am going to try is to use a piece of the scrap aluminum, trace the outline of the fiberglass, and add about 1/8" on the sides. I will then fiberglass - epoxy it inside the fiberglass. This will spread the fiberglass out a bit like a spacer. It also will fill the end of the fiberglass making it solid too. Riveting may tighten it up, but I don't want to try it first and then have to drill out a blind rivet. I hear they are not that fun to drill out.

Im going to Denver today to pick up some West Systems epoxy. I think I will put a flange on the aluminum so I can blind river it too. I do not want any chance of anything coming lose and jamming the controls.

Are you going to feather the joint out or have a visible joint? I haven't decided, but the pictures in the post before this one sure look nice.

I think Ian's original question ...

...related to the width, or top to bottom dimension, of the tips. I looks like some of the responses are referring to the fore-aft dimension. In my experience, the latter always has to be ground down or sanded to fit, while the former varies greatly from one set of tips to another. My tips were almost perfect in the top-to-bottom dimension, but required a lot of grinding/sanding to fit fore-aft.
The advice about waiting until the HS and elevators are fit together and adjusted for clearances is spot-on.