Bullseye
Well Known Member
Well, today was the low point in the build so far.
I was fiddling around with the empennage, trying to set it up to look like a tail for the ?completed empennage? picture everyone posts, and I dropped the rudder.
[horrified silence]
It hit on the bottom aft edge, bounced a little, and then hit in the top rear edge.
First bounce.
Second, and worse bounce.
I was (am) devastated.
After staring at it for a good ten minutes, and flashing through all of the days and hours I put in on the rudder, I finally figured out I could probably drill out all the skin rivets and replace just the skins. (After a thorough investigate of each part in the skeleton, as well.)
But.
I?ve also always wanted to put the smaller RV-8 rudder back on the airplane, which should save weight and bring the CG a little further forward. I?m going to find a copy of the RV-8 preview plans tomorrow and see how hard it will be to build the RV-8 rudder from what I have.
Here?s the thing that really stings. While I was messing around with the vertical stabilizer and rudder, I was even thinking about how much effort this was for a stupid picture, and that a second pair of hands would be helpful.
This was me just being cute (STUPID) trying to get a picture for the site, and being careless. I wanted give everyone this example of what NOT to do so people don't make this same mistake.
The good news I that the wing arrives this week and I can busy myself with the inventory while I think about what to do.
I'm just glad the "I'm gonna quit" thought lasted only about 0.05 seconds before I decided that I have to press on.
Anyone have experience putting the smaller (-8) rudder on their RV-7?
I was fiddling around with the empennage, trying to set it up to look like a tail for the ?completed empennage? picture everyone posts, and I dropped the rudder.
[horrified silence]
It hit on the bottom aft edge, bounced a little, and then hit in the top rear edge.
First bounce.
Second, and worse bounce.
I was (am) devastated.
After staring at it for a good ten minutes, and flashing through all of the days and hours I put in on the rudder, I finally figured out I could probably drill out all the skin rivets and replace just the skins. (After a thorough investigate of each part in the skeleton, as well.)
But.
I?ve also always wanted to put the smaller RV-8 rudder back on the airplane, which should save weight and bring the CG a little further forward. I?m going to find a copy of the RV-8 preview plans tomorrow and see how hard it will be to build the RV-8 rudder from what I have.
Here?s the thing that really stings. While I was messing around with the vertical stabilizer and rudder, I was even thinking about how much effort this was for a stupid picture, and that a second pair of hands would be helpful.
This was me just being cute (STUPID) trying to get a picture for the site, and being careless. I wanted give everyone this example of what NOT to do so people don't make this same mistake.
The good news I that the wing arrives this week and I can busy myself with the inventory while I think about what to do.
I'm just glad the "I'm gonna quit" thought lasted only about 0.05 seconds before I decided that I have to press on.
Anyone have experience putting the smaller (-8) rudder on their RV-7?