I have a few suggestions for those of you who are building the tail kit. If you read ahead to the end, you will find that you need to remove the vertical and horizontal stabilizers to install the tips and the tail cone. Keep that in mind when you build the tail section. So, for example, there is no point in installing the forward stabilizer skin until final assembly. Also the wires to the trim motor do not need to be connected and clamped to the tray, because you will just have to remove them to take the horizontal stab off. The connectors are very tight and you risk pulling a wire out of a connector when pulling them apart. Don?t ask me how I know. If you glue the washers needed for the horizontal stab, they will just fall off when you remove the stab. Figure out which washers you need, but glue them later when you do your final assembly. You need to rotate the counterweight arm to install the stab, so if you install the bolts, you will just have to remove them to get the stab off. I suggest that you get a few hardware store bolts and cut the threads off and grind a point on the shank and use those to hold the counterweight arm in place so you can easily rotate the arm to remove the stab. Also use those tapered bolts to connect the control arm to the anti servo tabs, because you just have to remove the bolt to adjust the linkage. I see no point in installing a cotter pin in the castle nut on the bolt that connects the trim system to the aft bulkhead. The nut will not fall off when adjusting the linkage. If you do as I suggest, be very careful to go back and follow the instructions step by step when you do your final assembly to make sure that you put all of the washers and bolts and cotter pins, etc. in place as called out in the plans.
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Tail cone suggestions
- Thread starter jamescone
- Start date
Agree
I agree with all your points. I did not even try to fit the H & V stabs on. I trust they will fit just fine. I also just clecoed the top side baggage compartment skins, to make it easier to paint the interior ( when it gets warmer in this part of the country ). Those pieces go back on fairly easy. I left the rear glass clecoed in, so it can get used to the form it needs to be in. Should help later on final assembly. I finished all I can do this afternoon at 1:45. I am now waiting for the finish kit.
John Bender
Iowa
I agree with all your points. I did not even try to fit the H & V stabs on. I trust they will fit just fine. I also just clecoed the top side baggage compartment skins, to make it easier to paint the interior ( when it gets warmer in this part of the country ). Those pieces go back on fairly easy. I left the rear glass clecoed in, so it can get used to the form it needs to be in. Should help later on final assembly. I finished all I can do this afternoon at 1:45. I am now waiting for the finish kit.
John Bender
Iowa
Geico266
Well Known Member
I'm sure Jim will add comments, but I thought I would too.
I "broke" them all per the plans. The side skins don't need much. The top skin defiantly needs to "shaped" to fit the curve of the aft section. Don't use the "wood block method" as described in the plans. Sliding a block of wood along the edge can warp & stretch the metal and make it wavy. Avery's edge tool worked good, I used a 2x4 about 2 feet long and pressed the edges down. You don't need much, just a few degrees, until you get to the aft top skin. I had to take the skin off a few times and "tweak" it a little more to get it to lay flat.
I'm not real happy with the way my top skin turned out, and I may pull it off and redo it due to the waviness I referred to. It's one of those things that just bugs me. If the rivets were flat you could work it out during paint prep, with the pulled rivets I think you are limited.
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The block method actually works very well if done correctly. Their is a bit of learning curve to doing it correctly. The key point is to not expect to do it in one pass of the block. You can actually do as many passes as it takes to get the result you are after.
Geico266
Well Known Member
Scott, how wide was your block?
I did many passes, probably too many. For a time I was acting like it was sand paper.
I'm sure there are better techniques that can be used. I like the idea of clamping a tool to the edge and bending the metal to a certain angle. Just seems more precise to me, but the top skin takes a little skill and judgment, by the time I learned it was too late. Nothing hard, just finesse.
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Paul the Overlord
Well Known Member
Hi,
I'm not Jim, but I did break the edges and especially more breaking towards the tail. Mostly for the top skin though...
MartySantic
Well Known Member
What tools or methods worked the best.....first on the side skins, and then on the top skin. Will get to that step this week. Any lessons learned?
Paul the Overlord
Well Known Member
I bought the tool from Avery. $10.00 I think. Practice on scrap and do a little bit at first. I think I over did it slightly on the sides, but needed to take the clecos off for the aft section (top skin) which needs quite a bit more. I think that one could get by pretty well with just doing the top skin.
Yes, I did break the edges. I used the tool that Cleaveland sells that puts a 2 degree break with two rollers mounted in a vise grip tool. It works very well and will not over bend or stretch the edge. Since the tail cone is tapered and round, more or less, you need to break the edges.
MartySantic
Well Known Member
Jim,
What is the proper way to use the Cleaveland tool?? I have practiced using scrap and visually it appears the tool puts a crease in metal in forming the bend. What I did was place the tool partly on the sheet, tightened it until the rollers made contact, reset the tool such that it is fully engaged (up to the edge of the beveled roller), then pulled the tool and formed the bend.
I still end up with somewhat of a crease, at least visually.
Any hints?
What is the proper way to use the Cleaveland tool?? I have practiced using scrap and visually it appears the tool puts a crease in metal in forming the bend. What I did was place the tool partly on the sheet, tightened it until the rollers made contact, reset the tool such that it is fully engaged (up to the edge of the beveled roller), then pulled the tool and formed the bend.
I still end up with somewhat of a crease, at least visually.
Any hints?
To use this tool, open up the set screw and close the jaws. Then put the tool on the edge of the piece to be broken with the rollers just barely on the edge. Then tighten the set screw just enough to get the rollers to touch the metal. Then open the jaws and close them with the tool set with the edge guide against the edge of the material. Then just pull the tool along the edge without twisting it down. The tool does the work and only bends about 3/16ths inch of the edge down. If the tool does not pull along easily, you have it too tight. Remember, you are not putting a large bend in the edge, but just a 2 degree tilt on the very edge. The tool does that without twisting the tool at all. If you twist the tool down, you will put a crease about 5/8ths inch in from the edge where the inner edge of the tool is. That is not where the break is supposed to be.
MartySantic
Well Known Member
Thanks Jim,
I was twisting the tool while pulling it. The crease was about 5/8" in from the edge. It works just fine and is very consistent following your instruction.
Thanks again and keep posting your hints.
I was twisting the tool while pulling it. The crease was about 5/8" in from the edge. It works just fine and is very consistent following your instruction.
Thanks again and keep posting your hints.
Dgamble
Well Known Member
I did that too
That's what I've done with my two bottom skins. What happened when you riveted those skins? Is there something I can or should do to undo the bends that I have now?
That's what I've done with my two bottom skins. What happened when you riveted those skins? Is there something I can or should do to undo the bends that I have now?
