Can I rectify this rudder mistake?

[shiney]

Up until now, I have been moving along with this project just fine, no major mistakes and I was becoming rather sure about myself, that was until now. Last night I decided to nip into the garage to do some work which I didn't really have time for but hey, its only pro-sealing the rudder trailing edge, thats no big deal! Becuase I was rushing I ommitted to cleco the finsihed part to the straight edge, overnight the clecos have'nt held the proseal too well at all. So the next big mistake is that I decided I could sort it out by pulling the edges together by riveting them, the riveting is just great, but it didn't do the trick. So now I'm left with a trailing edge looking something like a cardiograph print out! bloody awful! Question; can I remove rivets and seperate trailing edges without damage, i.e. can I ply apart from the proseal that has taken? also, is it possible to remove the proseal and start again? or should I just accept it and buy new skins? I'm really annoyed with myself for this but it's my fault for doing work when I didn't really have the time.

Shiney

 

[kentb]

I would need to see it to understand completely, but...

I sounds cosmetic. It will probably fly OK.
If you drill out the rivets the proseal can be removed by cutting it with a thin blade and then using solvent to clean it up.

Good luck.

Kent

 

[gbrasch]

Try Glass

I saw another builder cover the trailing edges on his tail by folding over a 2" strip of fiberglass tape over the edges and finishing it that way. I don't know if he was trying to cover any mistakes, but it looked beautiful, and also covered up sets of rivet lines. I plan on doing that to mine. Hope this helps.

 

[Rivethead]

I'd like to see a picture of what you think looks awful.

 

[rickmellor]

The rudder is nothing ... by the time you're to the FWF you'll be nostalgic about the good old days with the emp kit. I'd drill it out and if parts get damaged in the process, just replace them. It's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

Just my $0.02

-Rick

 

[shiney]

I'll post a picture later today when I get back home, Glen, do you have a picture of the fiberglass tape rudder, I'd like to have a look at what he did.

Shiney

 

[hevansrv7a]

Rudder Balance?

I saw another builder cover the trailing edges on his tail by folding over a 2" strip of fiberglass tape over the edges and finishing it that way. I don't know if he was trying to cover any mistakes, but it looked beautiful, and also covered up sets of rivet lines. I plan on doing that to mine. Hope this helps.

If anyone uses this technique he or she should double check for balance on the rudder because weight and mass have now been added to the trailing edge. Just a thought.

 

[gbrasch]

I'll post a picture later today when I get back home, Glen, do you have a picture of the fiberglass tape rudder, I'd like to have a look at what he did.

Shiney

I'm sorry, I don't.

 

[FlyerJumper]

...Becuase I was rushing I ommitted to cleco the finsihed part to the straight edge, overnight the clecos have'nt held the proseal too well at all...

Did you weight it down at all? Just thought I'd mention incase you do have to do it again.

 

[osxuser]

Doesn't sound horrible. If you are good at drilling rivets, drill the heads and punch them out with a pin punch. Then peel the skin from the proseal. Should come off pretty easily.

 

[shiney]

update

To all those who contributed in my hour or need! Today I de-riveted the trailing edge and with the help of a modeling knife (thanks for that tip Kent) I seperated the two skins. Took a while to clean things up but everything is now back to new, just waiting for the proseal to arrive and I'll be ready to start again, many thanks for the suggestions fellas.

Shiney