[KnotKrazy]

Does anyone have a close-up pic of the radius / bend on the leading edge of the rudder skin? I just finished 'pop-riveting' the radius and while I think it looks okay, I don't have anything to compare to. Thanks!

 

[jcbarker]

This is the only picture I have. The upper section is formed and riveted and I'm in the process of forming the lower section. What a B**ch! One of you clever people out there needs to come up with a better forming tool. Anyway, I think if it clears the VS it's OK. Nothing too critical about it.

Hope this helps

JB
N819WB (reserved)
mounting the wings

 

[Pirkka]

I'm not yet there but have some experience with the training project... I didn't bent enough skins and the leading edge became a bit wavy. After bending second skin, you can't (not impossible, but difficult) bent more the first skin so make sure bent it enough at first time.

 

[DanH]

Don't know if it has been done before, but....

Time to bend my rudder/elevator leading edges. The tape-and-pipe method works fine, but it is difficult to keep the pipe down on the table so you don't bend a crease where the skin comes over the spar.

Sometimes the direct approach works. I made two 3/8 J-bolts from an old muffler clamp. They wrap around the pipe and go through two holes drilled in a section of plywood at the hinge locations. A sheet of 4-mil plastic under the control surface lets it slide forward as you roll. Works well, hope it helps.

 

[Pirkka]

DanH's method looks very good especially if you are doing all by yourself. The hand hold you can see in DanH's upper picture is not overkill or having friend helping you.

Tip to the beginners: I would start from rudder as it is thinner material and therefore easier to bent. You'll learn during it and you'll need that when working with thicker elevator skins. Having bigger pipe (than with elevator) with rudder is good as well.

You will not make correct bending anyway for first time, but try make sure that you don't bent too much skin which comes bellow and minor over bending of topmost skin is better than not bending it enough. It's hard to change radius after it's once done as said earlier.

And finally to answer original question: there is no waving (inside or outside) and skins are sitting against each other where they overlap -- can you do more?