April 11, 2020
With the risky part of the trim tab completed successfully, the skeleton needed attention. A few match drilled holes, some countersinking and it’s all ready to go. For such a little part, it took a surprising amount of time though.
The countersink on the 607-PP trim tab rib definitely knife-edged the holes and made them larger than a #40. There was no way to keep the holes the correct size and countersink them deep enough to allow the trim tab skin to sit flush into the countersink. This piece is sandwiched between the piano hinge and the skin though, so having the holes a little over-sized shouldn’t affect the strength by much. The rivet will be held solidly in place by the #40 holes on the skin and the hinge, and the countersinks and dimpled skin will hold everything from sliding around sideways once its all riveted together. Not ideal, but any less on the countersink and there were major gaps between the skin.
Other than the trim tab, we spent a bit of time getting the garage ready for priming. Getting the plastic down and setting up the fans and filters always takes a bit of time. We also inventoried all the parts, made sure all the edges and holes were deburred, and labeled everything. It’s gonna be a trick to keep from getting the left and right elevator parts from getting mixed up but we’ve got a plan.
Cheers,
-Kacy
(Total Build Time: 119.5)