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-   -   Ugh .. first muck up (https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=149486)

bkervaski 05-13-2017 05:53 PM

Ugh .. first muck up
 
Well, first major setback .. I get to rebuild my rudder .. almost had it buttoned up (literally about 10 rivets left and after that just had to roll the skins) and it was a really good assembly .. then got distracted and put a huge smiley in the skin with the rivet gun .. so I figured, and this was my mistake, I'll just put a bucking bar underneath it inside and smooth it out a bit which resulted in a crease and ruining the skin.

I started to disassemble and about 20 minutes into drilling out rivets and looking at what had to come apart I decided it was going to be easier just to rebuilt it from scratch. Vans gets my CC on Monday.

What stinks is the one thing I was really worried about was the trailing edge and that was just about the easiest part of the rudder.

Feeling defeated but I'll consider today a training session and build it better the second time around.

Av8rRob 05-13-2017 06:08 PM

Welcome to the second rudder club. Your not alone my friend.

Ps. you may want to consider just skipping it till the next kit. I just threw it into my fuselage kit to save shipping.

smash 05-13-2017 06:38 PM

Me too... Van's should save builders the trouble and just include parts to build 2 rudders LOL

Build on!

Kyle Boatright 05-13-2017 06:42 PM

IMO, very few people build perfect airplanes. This is a situation (too late, I know) where you make the mistake, finish the structure, and reconsider in 3 years. You might realize that your airplane is gonna have a few smileys, and that a little filler at paint time will take care of all of 'em. That may be a better option than spending the time and money to build everything twice.

If, at the end of the project, the worst oops on the project is on the rudder, maybe you do rebuild it...

BillL 05-13-2017 06:54 PM

You are fine - that was just the practice rudder kit. There are more hidden practice projects. :-)

Robert Anglin 05-13-2017 07:02 PM

Sounds right to me.
 
Building the tail is a good place to start because the parts are smaller and you can get the practice you need for those big part you will be doing later.
You are right where you need to be. Keep up the good work and you will look back on it and have a good chuckle when you are boring holes in the sky.
Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888

wjb 05-13-2017 07:57 PM

Hey Robert .. we've all been there. My biggest foo-bar resulted in a whole new set of metal for the canopy frame. I consider myself blessed that I can screw things up on the weekend, put an order in to Vans on Sunday evening, and have my do-over parts in SF ready to go by Wednesday, shipped by slow boat from the Mother Ship.

My rule: if I'm not happy, chuck it, order it, and don't look back. Gotta love those secret practice kits.

bret 05-13-2017 08:46 PM

O ya, the start of the aluminum scrap pile, 2 rudder club member here also.....

Av8rRob 05-13-2017 09:17 PM

If I remember correctly, the total price for a new rudder on the 14 is $300 and change. By throwing it into your next kit the shipping is essentially free. I know for me $300 is worth not grimacing each time I look at my tail.

bkervaski 05-15-2017 08:09 AM

Thanks for all the responses!

Yep, just over $300 for the new rudder parts.

Looking forward to many more hidden "training" assemblies ...


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