Leading edge of Rudder

Hello goup,
I am having a hard time bending the leading edge of Rudder. I have looked at other sites, and my bend looks about the same as others. I can get one clecko in, the next one has strarted to rip the hole out, so I stopped. How much force is needed to get the correct amount of bend? I don't want to ruin it this close to finishing. Thanks

Brent Colvin
7emp

My guess is your problem is at the bottom of the rudder, right? I had the same issue. If you look at most -9 rudders (the rudder now shipped with the -7), you'll see that there is not a smooth transition between the spar and the leading edge bend. In other words, there is usually a slight crease in the skin at the edge of the spar flange. Some folks may have been able to do better here, but I don't think the skins are long enough to provide for a smooth transition. I ended up just making it fit, which meant giving in to having the small crease there. This area is going to be hid under the elevators/h-stab and by the tailcone.

Get some help. Have the help squeeze the two sides together while you quickly put a few clecoes in. I started with one in the middle, then put one about half way between there and the edge and one right at the end, and the same for the other side. Put as many in as you can while squeezing the two skins together. But I believe that 5 was enough to hold it in place without any big kinks, bends or rips trying to appear. I then clecoed every hole in that section before starting on the riveting. I had to take mine back apart a time or 2 to get the bends just right so that the skins layed nice and flush with each other.

Van's seems to indicate that you should bend the whole leading edge at once... This is not good in my book. It has two cuts, giving you 3 indepenent sections that need to be bent. Do each one individually, it's MUCH easier to get it just the way you want it. I did the hole thing on my rudder and individual sections on my elevators after thinking about how tough it was doing the whole thing at once. I think the thicker elevator skins woudl have been impossible to do all at once...

Here's my page with the elevator leading edge bending on it...

I have built 2 of those rudders what i found works best for me is to make a break(bend) about 5/16 in on the top peice the one that overlaps the other then use a 1/2"iron pipe longer then the rudder duct tape the edges to the pipe with the rudder held in place in the vee blocks roll the pipe with vice grips at the ends yes it works better with help concentrait the curl toward the end away from the rudder spar once you have done both sides the holes will line perfectly with no crease if it ends up lopsided just massage it with your hands untill it is perfect this worked out great for me



RV-7 flying in maine

Having done my -9, I know exactly your problem. As someone earlier mentioned, this is a place where you really need a couple extra hands. Get some help. I found that if I did the squeezing, my wife could insert a couple of clecos along the length of that section so that all of the "rebound" force was not all on one cleco. One or two of my holes may have enlarged a bit, but the LP4-3's or whatever the rivet was seemed to hold everything together well. I too got a slight crease at the spar (about 1" long on one side) on my middle section, but only because I inadvertantly rolled the end of the pipe into it when doing the lower section. If you focus on keeping the bending pressure down against the work surface (and away from the spar) you should be OK.

Good luck.

Steve

Leading Edge of Rudder

I just curled the leading edge of my left elevator this last weekend. Agree with not trying to do the whole edge at once; just one section at a time, or two small sections together.

When it came time to cleco the leading edges together, I got help from my wife. I also used a lot of duct tape to help hold them together until most of the clecos were in.

Here's some photos.

http://www.aircobratech.com/Bill/LeftElevator/LE-1Apr05.html

Bill Cloughley
RV-7
Fininishing up wings, waiting for Fuse kit
Severna Park, Maryland

Thanks to all that replied. I will try again when my helper (Wife) gets back from visiting kids and grandkids. I was using a 3/4" water pipe (clamp) to bend with, think I will use 1" Dowel next time. Thanks again

Brent Colvin
7 emp

Even after rolling it with a pipe, I needed an extra pair of hands. I squeezed the two skins together as hard as I could while my wife speared the holes with a cleco before the circulation in my hands was cut off.

Martin