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Elevator fiberglass tip

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

Well Known Member
The down side of taking 7 years (so far) to build an RV is that's 7 years when stuff can get misplaced. I've looked everywhere for the second elevator fiberglass tip but have concluded it's not going to be found. Great, that $30 I didn't need to spend.

I'm curious, though, if the elevator construction has changed since I bought my emp kit in 2001. Is the trailing edge still bent,or is that now done using the wedge (like the rudder?)

I ask because it seems to me it'd require a different fiberglass tip. I see on the Van's site an E-612 is going for $30 and I don't want to commit to buying it until I'm sure it's the right one.

Also, why is the RV-9 elevator fiberglass tip so expensive? $54??????
 
I bought my emp kit in Aug '06 and the elevators were still of the bent variety.
 
Last edited:
wedge

Putting these on as we speak. Bought my RV7 empenage this year. HS tips are wedge very similar looking to VS tip.
 
Nice Tips

Bob,

Why not take a female mold of the one you have, (as far as I am aware they aren't handed), then lay up a new tip, you will need some 110 uni weave and may be a couple of layers of 145 and then some epoxy resin and may be the best part of a day. If you vacuum seal while the resin is going off you may get the weight down too. Out of interest I built an empennage set of tips in Carbon fibre, it took 3 days (but I still have the molds) and I reckon the materials cost 20 quid about 40 of your bucks. Pre preg is quicker but a lot more expensive. If you want to reduce the weight further then you can use peel ply, but of course the cost goes up. If you haven't done this sort of work before you should allow some contingency for time and materials. If you include finishing may be a week. On that basis I could do you a carbon set cheap at about $143.

I do hope that makes you feel better about shelling out $30 for a spare

The elevators are bent skins not aex
;)
 
Bob Collins said:
The down side of taking 7 years (so far) to build an RV is that's 7 years when stuff can get misplaced. I've looked everywhere for the second elevator fiberglass tip but have concluded it's not going to be found. Great, that $30 I didn't need to spend.

I'm curious, though, if the elevator construction has changed since I bought my emp kit in 2001. Is the trailing edge still bent,or is that now done using the wedge (like the rudder?)

I ask because it seems to me it'd require a different fiberglass tip. I see on the Van's site an E-612 is going for $30 and I don't want to commit to buying it until I'm sure it's the right one.

Also, why is the RV-9 elevator fiberglass tip so expensive? $54??????
Click to expand...


Order by phone and build number, Van's will know what you have for sure.
 
Nouj said:
Bob,

Why not take a female mold of the one you have, (as far as I am aware they aren't handed), then lay up a new tip, you will need some 110 uni weave and may be a couple of layers of 145 and then some epoxy resin and may be the best part of a day.
Click to expand...

Ha! I knew someone was going to suggest that. ;) I'm saving that for my magic act: How to turn $30 into $100.
 
9's are constant chord

Hi Bob,
The 9's have a constant chord stabilizer and elevator. So yes, it is bigger at the tips per the elevator envy post above :p. However, due to that, it does not have the svelt good looks of the tapered surfaces of the 6, 7 and 8. :D:D:D
 
Bob Collins said:
Ha! I knew someone was going to suggest that. ;) I'm saving that for my magic act: How to turn $30 into $100.
Click to expand...

It's actually pretty easy and could be done for much less than $30 I think. I've used fiberglass cloth & resin purchased from Menards for the female mold before, and I'm not sure you couldn't use their glass for the tip as it's not structural. If you want to give it a go, let me know and I can run down to your hanger or you can come over to mine.

-Brad
 
7 Emps Have Changed

Bob,

Current elevator construction is different, but for the life of me I can't remember if it affected the tip. Builders above can clarify...

Bob's kit uses two lead counterweights bolted together across the tip ribs' common web. One is exposed on the HS side, the other completely covered by the fiberglass tip. Current production has a blob of lead that slides under a strap forming the ribs' nose. The blob replaces and becomes the very forward end of the glass tip. The old tips can simply be cut away to accommodate. What I don't remember is if Van's has made this cut already. I suggest ordering your plans part number and clarify with Van's regarding your installation so you don't get tips with a nose job.

Fairing-etc. does a good business because shapely glass layup is such a pain. Your time is worth far more than $30 in my less than humble opinion.

John Siebold
 
This was an old thread but timely nonetheless. I ended up buying a new tip and, of course, found the one I couldn't find as soon as the credit card got charged. Oh well.

Oddly enough, I've been installing it this week and documenting it here. Every year once it warms up I come up with some target project I want done (or at least mostly so) by the time Oshkosh comes around. This was this year's.
 
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