bret

bret

Well Known Member
What did you do on the elevator tirm. I have read so much about trouble here. and I am here.
 
you can try to bend it first. If that doesn't work, then you can cut off your bends with a dremel and rib it the second time around.

I do think the rib is a more elegant solution to closing the ends on the tabs.
 
I did a rib on the inboard end because on the early kits, the control horn was riveted to the end. I made a rib and set it back enough that the horn ended up flush with the end of the tab.
 
Phil said:
you can try to bend it first. If that doesn't work, then you can cut off your bends....
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Bret,

I agree with Phil. This is an area of assembly that seems to have gotten a bad rap. I really don't know why that is, but then using a simple block of wood my efforts at success are two tabs out of two. I suggest you try bending the tab exactly as Van's suggests. Then, if you do mess it up, the poor bend can always be cut away and the tab modified as Phil suggested.

bettmf.jpg
 
The rib method.

I'm a sheet metal person by trade, and couldn't get it to fit into my 4 or 8' sheetmetal brake. :)

L.Adamson -- RV6A
 
Rib here

I ribbed mine after I cracked it, the crack extended into the skin (scrap that one) and the second one turned out bad (again I was bending).

I'm not really happy with the one I made so I still plan on redoing it down the road, but this one is going flying. That'll be an easy side project after phase one.
 
Bent mine and very happy with the result. My friend has used a rib and I don't think it looks as good, by hey I am sure he doesn't think so :)
 
Darn. I was looking for one way or the other, I gess I will try bending and hope for the best. I oak hard enough?
 
More than hard enough. I made my block from dense particle board, filed a radius on the corners, and bent the tabs using a flat rivet set in a gun turned way low. Be sure you are bending the bottom tab first as it is difficult to switch after the fact. The trim on my -6A and all the elevator tabs on the -10 were done this way and I like the result. I used the V-notch I cut the bending block from to make a clamp for the outside to hold the inner block in place while bending the tabs.
 
Ribs

I'd vote for installing ribs. They're pretty trivial to make (just use some posterboard to make a template).

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One advantage is that you can reduce the clearance between the elevator and the trim tab since there is nothing that could catch and cause binding.

CIMG0205.JPG
 
Ta Da! bent the tab yesterday and turned out perfect, I cut the blocks with a sharp edge on the inside wedge, soaked the wood in water ( for a better grip on the alluminum) and went to town.
 
bret said:
.... I have read so much about trouble here....
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bret said:
Ta Da! bent the tab yesterday and turned out perfect.....
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Bret,

Congratulations! You followed Van's advice and success followed your very first attempt at bending a trim tab. Food for thought. Later on in the build process, recall all those other reports of trouble you read about fuel tank construction and cutting Plexiglas. Later on when you are finally flying, remember too all those reports about how hard it is to slow down an RV. :rolleyes: Something tells me you just learned a valuable lesson about wheat versus chaff...RV style. :)
 
Rick6a said:
Later on when you are finally flying, remember too all those reports about how hard it is to slow down an RV. :rolleyes: Something tells me you just learned a valuable lesson about wheat versus chaff...RV style. :)
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Rick,

Be sure to report back, when you get that new RV8 with a constant speed prop...............flying.. :D

And if you keep quiet on the subject, I'll understand! :)

L.Adamson --- RV6A, Hartzell C/S
 
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