[Greenley]

Hey everyone,
Just new to the club, I just finished inventorying my RV10 tail kit. Found one damaged part, HS1001, one of the horizontal stabilizer skins, with a small dent near the leading edge, and wonder if you think this is worth requesting a replacement, should I just try to bend it out and make sure any dent left is filled as part of painting, not sure how picky to be.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Mike S]

Welcome to VAF!!!!

Hey everyone, new to the club,
Bill

Hey Bill, good to have you aboard

I would start by contacting Vans, see what they have to say about this.

As far as the actual damage, it looks to be very minor, and can probably be repaired easily------but then sometimes photos can be deceiving.

Speaking of photos, congrats on getting one into your first post, probably a new record

 

[Greenley]

Talked to Vans

Thanks for the welcome.

Talked to Vans and they have left it up to me as to whether I want this replaced or not. I know I can push the dent out, but will the crease that is left be easily dealt with at paint time? Sorry if this is an obvious question, but I have no aluminium construction experience.
Bill

 

[RV10Rob]

I'd save myself the headache and have it replaced. There will be enough opportunities to fix your own mistakes later, without worrying about this one. This should be Van's or the shipper's problem, not yours.

-Rob

 

[Flying Scotsman]

I'd opt for a new one. New kit, first subassembly...you might be able to fix it, but then again, maybe not, and it'll sit there and irritate you (or at least, it would me) for the rest of the build.

Damaged in shipping, to me, almost always means starting with a new piece.

I do enough damage on my own, thank you!

 

[pierre smith]

Welcome Bill....

....ditto the replacement. Believe it or not, I once had a dent very similar to that on the oil pan of an IO-520 Continental and the pan cracked exactly where your sharpest crease is, on the left side of the dent.

Best,

 

[Phil]

You don't need a replacement, but I'd ask for it and get it right.

You'll also send up with the original skin to chop up and use as scrap and for testing.

 

[Greenley]

thanks

Thanks for all the advice, I am going to ask for a replacement and make sure all my dents are my own . What was interesting was that the two HS skins come nested inside each other, and this was the inner one.
Bill

 

[aarvig]

Good move! My official policy is to replace all dented objects unless they have been riveted down. At which point its a cost/benefit thing. Van's sent me one damaged skin...they replaced it for free. I damaged one skin, dropped a bucking bar into it...OOOPS! Not only was it a bucking bar but it was one of those tungsten bars so it really pushed the skin out right on the leading edge. I had only one rib attached to the skin at the time so I replaced it. Other dents will happen that you will live with and have filled at some point. Have a blast building and don't be afraid to make mistakes because most everything is fixable.