Pre-bent rudder

FlyBoy8 · #1 10-11-2014, 10:05 AM

I have the RV-8 pre-bent rudder.
Does anyone have any tips on how much I can bend it open in order to deburr, dimple, and rivet the stiffeners on?
It seems the row of holes closest to the trailing edge will be very difficult.
Do I just go ahead and spread it open as much as needed to get tools in there?
I don't want to screw it up?

Thanks for any tips.

cjhammes · #2 10-11-2014, 11:01 AM

Yep, just go slow and be gentle.

FlyBoy8 · #3 10-12-2014, 07:59 AM

Thanks Charlie.

Also, my rudder skin stiffeners are a little bowed. Is flutting the stiffener flange a possible solution?

David Paule · #4 10-12-2014, 08:45 AM

My stiffeners were a little bowed too, and before cutting them out form the blank, I gently straightened them.

But mine, being for an RV-3B, were just plain angles. Yours might have some details prepunched in them, which might affect that. Still, worth a try.

Dave

FlyBoy8 · #5 10-12-2014, 10:08 AM

they are just plain angles too, but you have to trim the flange where it needs to squeeze in to the trailing edge. That must have stretched the flange a bit and caused it to bow. I flutted lightly and that straightened them out.
Thanks for the advice!

N546RV · #6 10-12-2014, 01:05 PM

For deburring holes in tight spaces like that, I just hold and spin the deburring bit between my fingers.

These in-and-out deburring tools look pretty cool too. I've been doing the finger-spin thing for tight spots for a while now, and it gets old. Might be worth dropping $40 on one of these, especially for the wing ribs that I'll be doing soon.