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Skin deburring (RV-12)

ravenstar

Well Known Member
Now that I'm well into my empennage kit, I'd like to get some advice (or really reassurance) about deburring. I'm building an RV-12iS, and I'm having trouble determining when I've done enough deburring. I've read endless posts about feeling the edge and if its not likely to induce injury it's probably good enough. I have no experience with other kits, but the RV-12 parts seem pretty refined to me. Right out of the box the edges are really smooth, and, aside from the holes I've drilled which have obvious burrs, only the antiservo tab skins were close to being hazardous, which I found while removing the vinyl.

I've been smooth the edges of the skins and ribs (hand sanding and/or scotchbrite wheel depending on the size of the part) to remove any feeling of roughness from the original machining, and deburring any holes with perceptible edges, but honestly, the parts don't seem much different when I'm done. I was really expecting rougher edges from the factory, more like the burred holes I get when I match drill holes so it'd be obvious when I deburred sufficiently. I don't mean to suggest I'm not deburring at all. It took 2 hours to get through the HS ribs with Scotchbrite in a Dremel to get all the little notches, but I didn't hit every hole in the HS skin as they were already very smooth.

Am I missing something that's going to haunt me later?
 
Deburring

Sounds like you may be over thinking it.
If you shine a light on a factory sheared edge, you'll see the sgear marks. A few passes with a Vixen file will remove them leaving a mirror shine reflection. A quick pass with maroon scotchbrite will take any sharp edge off.
Holes are just a quick light turn or two with a speed debur tool till you can't feel any pointy sharp edges.
 
As a Tech Counselor, I see more cases of too aggressive deburring than too little.
 
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