Category Archives: Elevators

Getting back to it

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After a busy trip to HI for a NGAUS conference, I’m back in the shop working on the elevators. I finished disassembling both tonight in order to dimple one and remove all the blue film from both skins. The right elevator has already been dimpled but I found a few holes that he missed. I demurred on skin and sanded the edges down a bit to make them all nice and smooth.

I also laid out cut lines for my dimpler table that I have yet to build. It’s absolutely necessary for the skins so I can’t keep putting it off. The table saw is out and ready to go to work in the morning.

Finally tonight, I checked a few toys that came in the mail. The special bucking bar (one of which I already had and forgot about), another 400 silver clecos, and some future supplies. I found a great deal on VAF for the flush door handles, hardened door pins/guides, and a keyed alike flush lock set. At half price and brand new, it was too good to pass up. They will be stashed away for some time in the future. I also received the last of the Aveo Rockrack switches and caps. I heard a lot of folks having availability issues and didn’t want to lose out, so I got all the ones I plan on needing plus a few extra. I played around with the lights on a 9v battery and am really pleased with the way they look.

Hoping to get the table built tomorrow and get the elevators mostly irvine together this weekend.

That’s a lot of clecos

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I continued work on the elevators, pre-assembling the right one first. Most holes were already match drilled on the structure but I found a couple that weren’t so I’m glad I double checked everything. I started on the top skin and match drilled everything, clecoing along the way. On the spar, you are to start mid span and work out, clecoing every hole. By the time I was done, I had use a lot of clecos! I’ll definitely need more for the wings coming up. I flipped the unit over and finished the bottom skin as well. Next step is to disassemble, deburr, and dimple the skins. I’ll need to get my dimpler table set up this weekend.

Dusting off the…..dust!

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Tonight was the first night I actually got to put my hands on the kit. Having brought it home several weeks ago and inventorying it, I spent tonight reading up on the already completed sections just to understand what’s been done already. The previous owners have completed the horizontal and vertical stabilizers along with some work on the elevators. I verified each step in section 9 as I went along and created a check mark system to maintain accountability on completing each step.

The kit has sat for a long time in storage so it was pretty dusty. I used Simple Green aircraft cleaner to get all the dust and dirt off and was pleased that all the parts are cleaning up nicely. I had a couple of spots that had scratches with a bit of grime. Not sure if it was a precursor to corrosion, I buffed them out and will use a bit of spray can primer on the sections for extra peace of mind.


I picked up on laying out the components for the elevators. I demurred all previously drilled holes and followed the plans to get the spar and ribs laid out on the bottom skins. One skin is already dimpled, but the need for a dimpling table has arose quickly. I have the materials and will get that built tomorrow evening for this weekend’s work.