| Tail Group Parts Manufacturing | ||||
| Construction Time | 71.00 | hours | ||
| Date | Description | Time | Assembly | |
| 01.02.28 | Bent the horns to 15 degrees (I had to figure out how to do this). I protected the horn with a piece of UHM while I squeezed it in the vise. | 0.50 | ||
| 01.02.27 | Made a new rudder horn (the original one had a edge distance problem with the lower bearing attachment hole. I still have to modify the outside bends to 15 degrees. | 1.50 | Rudder | |
| 00.09.09 | Closed stabilizer (inspection was done yesterday) | 1.00 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.07.10 | Made parts for elevator horns (this includes upper horn, lower horn, horn doubler and L bracket). | 2.00 | Elevator | |
| 99.06.29 | I tried to correct the radius of the stabilizer skin. It worked, but the skin, after all the manipulations was in too bad shape to be used on my aircraft. I made a new one with the 3/4" steel tube. My wife, who was helping me was impatient to go to sleep, so I rushed a little bit. As a result, there are some kinks in the skin, but at least, they are all on the bottom side. I then marked the lines for the front spar and for the middle ribs of the bottom skin. | 2.00 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.06.24 | Because I can't work on my stab skin (shops are closed), I decided to start the elevator. I formed the elevator skin. Before doing this, I practiced three times on small pieces of al. I was happy to see that I succeeded right away. To finish forming the inside flange, I made a tool out of scap L angles. I also assembled the center ribs with the channel (that I also made today). It is noticeable that I made 5 channels, looking for the exact right dimension. In the end, I found that my second one was the good one. The center section has been primed and riveted. | 4.00 | Elevator | |
| 99.06.23 | Made stabilizer skin. I made the radius too small. About half of the time on was spent figuring out what I should do. I will try to reform it with a larger steel tube (I used a 1/2 inch tube -- with o.d. of 7/8). | 4.00 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.05.16 | I was not sure of the quality of my spar attachment (6T2-3), so I made a new one (2h). I also attached the spar doublers to the rear spar and I clecoed the spar attachment and shim to the spar (2.5h). The time does not include 1/2h of cleaning my garage. | 4.50 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.05.14 | Made parts 6T2-1 and 6T2-2. I started to make part 6T2-3. For these three parts, I had to make form blocs because of the 1/4" radius (my bending brake does not do this). | 3.00 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.05.11 | Formed missing spar doubler (6T1-5). Made the two end ribs (6T1-1). Started to make a form bloc for 6T2-1,2 and 4. | 3.00 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.05.10 | Formed rear spar 6T1-4. Made form bloc for end ribs (6T1-1). Cut Trim tab (ETR-3). Prepared sheet to cut the missing doubler for the front spar | 3.00 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.05.09 | Made the spar doublers (except one of 6T1-5 that I forgot), formed front spar 6T1-3, made shim 6T2-6. (I did that over the three last days). | 4.00 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.05.06 | Ha Ha! After discussion with N. Heinz (Zenithair) and my advisor, all my parts are OK… I misread the plans. Good! The form blocs were fine. Yesterday night and this evening, I spent about 3 hours just to cut the two spars for the stabilizer. I also cut one of the doublers. Nothing formed. | 3.00 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.05.04 | Formed remaining 4 center ribs. Made the 6 elevator ribs. F***, once this was completed, I noted that my form blocs are not of the right dimension. There must be a difference between the previous versions of the plans (from which my form blocs are made) and my version (V.3). I will really build this airplane twice! :( I have to buy some MDF and make the stabilizer and elevator form blocs and repeat what I just did during the last two days. | 3.00 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.05.03 | Cut the 6 center rib blanks for the horizontal stabilizer. Formed two ribs. It would have taken much less time if I did not make the mistake of cutting 6 ribs in 0.025 aluminium. I made the work twice. | 3.00 | Hor. tail | |
| 99.04.07 | This morning, I found that my spar was fat… too wide. I made another one this evening and I clecoed the spar doublers inside the spar (made all pitched holes). The new spar is much better, but still a bit fat for the RR1. I will see what I do with it tomorrow (I think I can keep the spar... it would be easier to make a fatter RR1--if the other ribs are all OK). | 2.00 | Rudder | |
| 99.04.06 | Made the second spar doubler… it was not easier than the first one and I decided to be less perfectionnist.. we'll see (2 hours). Square-cut and folded rear skin (1 hour). For folding the skin, me and my wife have put it in the brake and bent it to 115 degrees. To complete the bend, I made a human metal brake good for 0.016 thick alumimium. I made a radius on a 1/4 masonite sheet. Then, after putting the masonite inside the rear skin (properly position to complete the radius), my wife stepped on the masonite to hold it in place. Then, I have put pressure on the back end of the skin with a 2X4. I stepped on the 2X4 and applied pressure on the entire lenght of the skin. It worked! | 4.50 | Rudder | |
| 99.04.05 | Cut doublers and made the bend… NOT GOOD (again). The brake does not apply equal pressure over the length of the doubler and apparently, one side was pulled up by the lever (which made a doubler far from straight). Well, at least, I am getting to know that bending brake. I cut new doublers this evening and I made one of them (2.5 hours). The angle is 5.5 degrees at the bottom and 4.2 at the top of the doubler. I also completed my nose rib (that I cut yesterday)... well, failed again due to a nick that was caused by the solding bar that I use to form the flange. I made it a fourth time and it seems to be OK now (1 hour). | 3.50 | Rudder | |
| 99.04.04 | For the fun of it, I evaluated the cost of my rudder kit (including rivets, horn and extrusions). It is less than 95$ Canadian dollars (not including taxes). That is 60$ US! Sounds a bit cheaper than the Zenair introduction kit... :) | 0.00 | Rudder | |
| 99.04.04 | I corrected the rudder top rib nose end (15 min). I believe that it is smooth enough now. Cut and formed and smoothered the rudder spar (1.5 hour). As for the other components, this one is banana… I will correct that at assembly time. I lost quite a bit of time due to scratches that were caused by the bending brake. To prevent further damages like that, I cleaned the brake from dust (including aluminium dust). Sure I will take greater care the next time. Finally, I cut a blank for the rudder nose rib (1 hour)... it is clamped in the vise and ready to be formed. I also cut some 0.040 and measured one of the two spar doublers (15 min). I will make the cut with my band saw tomorrow. | 3.00 | Rudder | |
| 99.04.01 | Made the rudder rib 6T4-7. | 0.50 | Rudder | |
| 99.03.31 | FINALLY! I made the rudder rib 6T4-8 with success! You could not believe how much time I took to measure, verify, measure, position, measure, verify, etc… | 1.50 | Rudder | |
| 99.03.30 | I tried to make rudder rib 6T4-8 two more times this evening, without success. The first time, I folded the end tab on the wrong side (I should have read the plans). On the second attempt, for a misterious reason, the rib was misaligned (when I used a square to check that the tab is at a right angle from the center line of the rib... there is an ofset of 7mm from top to bottom!). | 1.50 | Rudder | |
| 99.03.29 | I tried to make rudder ribs (6T4-8 and 6T4-9). Well, I had to learn how to drill holes! I learned that if the piece is not held in place, the hold is not round… I also learned that drill bit slips when they start the hole. OK, after a second try (I had to cut new blanks), I successfully (I think) made the smaller rib (6T4-9). | 1.50 | Rudder | |
| 99.03.23 | Cut rudder rib blanks out of 0.016" 6061-T6 (RR2, RR3 and RR4) (1 hour). In my plans, RR2 is 515mm while on the assembly manual it is 535mm (looks like the number was changed). My rib block was also 535 mm, so I went with this measurement. | 1.00 | Rudder | |
| 99.03.22 | Made rudder horn. I still have to bend the bearing and the horns (27 and 15 degrees). | 2.00 | Rudder | |
| 99.03.20 | I validated that I can adjust 6T4-6 with my flutting pliers (with Réjean Houles member of the RAA 415). He also said that the popping effect in my ribs is OK (if minor). Great!! Today, I purchased aluminium to continue making parts and I also purchased material to make my bending press. The L beam I purchased is twisted and not usable for the purpose :( | 0.00 | Rudder | |
| 99.03.18 | Formed 6T4-6. It looks like a banana… did it again… same problem. I need to ask a specialist if this is normal. I also formed 6T4-2 (the top rudder rib). This one is not finished… I am afraid of damaging it…! | 2.00 | Rudder | |
| 99.03.17 | I learned that my second 6T4-1 is wrong too (because of nicks due to misuse of pliers) I will make it again later. Today, I cut 6T4-2 and missed it. I did it again later in the evening and I also cut 6T4-6. 6T4-6 is ready to be formed. I have to remove material from 6T4-2 because I just learned that there is no flange on the rear side. | 2.50 | Rudder | |
| 99.03.16 | Made rudder nose rib (6T4-1) in the morning before going to work… the nose is really hard to form… and there is a crack! I made another part in the evening after making some corrections to the forming block. This is better, but really, it is not a nice job (the pliers left traces on the in-side. I also repaired (by filing) the part I made in the morning. I look very much forward to have these parts inspected. | 2.50 | Rudder | |
| 99.03.15 | Made forming block for rudder nose rib (6-T-4-1). | 1.50 | Rudder | |