What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Confusion about breaking the edges on the elevator counterbalance skins

StressedOut

Well Known Member
I'm just finishing up all the steps required before I prime my parts. On page 09-09, Step 6 it says:

"Break the trailing edges of the E-913 Counterbalance Skins
and the E-00900A, E-00900B, E-00901A and E-00901B Skins
slightly towards the interior of the elevator."

I'm a little confused about the skins portion. Exactly which edge are they talking about on the skins? I have several choices: forward, aft, inboard and outboard edge. What do they mean by break it towards the interior?

Can someone decode this for me?

I've been away from building for a while now so I've forgotten some things. Is it OK to do the break after prime? I'm using Akzo epoxy primer so that stuff is tough. I always dimple after prime so I think I'm safe doing the break after prime too.

Edit: I just realized the title of this thread was inaccurate. I meant the elevator skins and not the counterbalance skins. It's clear where to break the counterbalance skins.
 
Last edited:
I'm just finishing up all the steps required before I prime my parts. On page 09-09, Step 6 it says:

"Break the trailing edges of the E-913 Counterbalance Skins
and the E-00900A, E-00900B, E-00901A and E-00901B Skins
slightly towards the interior of the elevator."

I'm a little confused about the skins portion. Exactly which edge are they talking about on the skins? I have several choices: forward, aft, inboard and outboard edge. What do they mean by break it towards the interior?

Can someone decode this for me?

I've been away from building for a while now so I've forgotten some things. Is it OK to do the break after prime? I'm using Akzo epoxy primer so that stuff is tough. I always dimple after prime so I think I'm safe doing the break after prime too.

Edit: I just realized the title of this thread was inaccurate. I meant the elevator skins and not the counterbalance skins. It's clear where to break the counterbalance skins.

Break the entire trailing edge of all skins but only the trailing edge. These will be riveted to the trailing edge eventually but break it now as this is the only chance you get prior to dimpling these holes.

I used a different primer but I didn't seem to have any issues breaking after priming.
 
Art

Are you referencing the WIKI plans? there have been three related questions posted on there. Might help for your future build steps. The salmon color notes are all VAF hyperlinked threads. Link in my signature.

.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the feedback everyone. My confusion was that I didn't connect the "break the trailing edges" part to the skins. Reading it again and it's clear what they mean.
 
The elevators also don't have leading edge skins, they are rolled. You will need to break the leading edge of on of the "top" skin this should be called out.

Someone else got confused about the elevators skins as they come with a bend in the trailing edge already (and it's backwards from what you would think). This is a bend to make room for the reverse wedge, you still need to break the trailing edge in the opposite direction.

Finally, the edge break is so when you rivet it together you don't get a edge that bends upwards due to the rivets. You should always keep an eye on any places where a skin edge ends at a flange as that is most likely a place you will want to break the edge on. If you are doing edge breaks correctly you can hardly, hardly see it, so its not the end of the world if you do it to something that didn't really need it.
 
Hi, I have the same question (the first I post on this forum :) )

"It's clear where to break the counterbalance skins."

This is not clear to me. The E-913 counterbalance skins are underneath the elevevator skins. Should I break the counterbalance skins towards the fairings?

Thanks for input.
 
Hi, I have the same question (the first I post on this forum :) )

"It's clear where to break the counterbalance skins."

This is not clear to me. The E-913 counterbalance skins are underneath the elevevator skins. Should I break the counterbalance skins towards the fairings?

Thanks for input.

Here's where you should break the counterbalance skins:

break.JPG
 
Thanks for the reply. I am not understanding why I should break the counterbalance skins there. As I understand it is below the elevator skin. What am I missing?
 
You are trying to provide a smooth transition for the skin to lay on top of instead of a sharp edge that could show through the thin skin.
 
Maybe it is in the general instructions somewhere,
but I recall old school methods to include rounding off edge of the inside sheet (where overlaped) so the top sheet does not 'shadow' the inside edge so much.
Anyone else doing this, or am I dated?

Im doing this on the counterbalance skins as well as edge breaking.
 
Back
Top