Van's Air Force
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aileron Trailing Edge (proseal or not)
- Thread starter mquam99
- Start date
Jamie
Well Known Member
Mike:
For what it's worth, I ended up building two rudders for my -7 -- both of which were the same as the -9 rudder.
My first rudder was destroyed in an unfortunate hangar door accident.
On the first one, I pro-sealed the rudder. On the second one I did not use proseal. I honestly think the second one came out straighter.
I used a long piece of thick aluminum angle and match-drilled it to the trailing edge of the rudder. Then I enlarged every other hole in the angle with a unitbit...just large enough to get a squeezer die in there. Then I clecod the angle to the trailing edge of the rudder and set every other rivet. I removed the angle then set the remaining rivet. I believe the trick is to not set the rivets all at once. I went down the line setting them a little bit at a time.
Again, I think it came out pretty darn straight.
Be sure to set the double-flush rivets fully though...many folks have gotten timid with those rivets and had the rivets pull through when the airplane was tied down in a strong wind!
For what it's worth, I ended up building two rudders for my -7 -- both of which were the same as the -9 rudder.
My first rudder was destroyed in an unfortunate hangar door accident.
On the first one, I pro-sealed the rudder. On the second one I did not use proseal. I honestly think the second one came out straighter.
I used a long piece of thick aluminum angle and match-drilled it to the trailing edge of the rudder. Then I enlarged every other hole in the angle with a unitbit...just large enough to get a squeezer die in there. Then I clecod the angle to the trailing edge of the rudder and set every other rivet. I removed the angle then set the remaining rivet. I believe the trick is to not set the rivets all at once. I went down the line setting them a little bit at a time.
Again, I think it came out pretty darn straight.
Be sure to set the double-flush rivets fully though...many folks have gotten timid with those rivets and had the rivets pull through when the airplane was tied down in a strong wind!
If you do proseal it... use it SPARINGLY... otherwise it will pucker between the rivets.
FredMagare
Well Known Member
I used T-88 Epoxy, clecos, a piece of angle aluminum, and a clothes-pin between each cleco (to minimize puckering). When it was all set-up, I riveted slowly and according to Van's instructions. Worked great.
thanks
Thanks for the pointers. I did the trailing edge of the right aileron last night and it turned out real good.
I ended up using a piece of 3/8" plywood with a cutout for the back rivet plate, so I didn't have to cut into my table.
I inserted the rivets on the top side of the trailing edge and taped them in. then flipped the aileron over and starting in the middle worked out one rivet at a time using 50 lb bags of gravel for weight and the back rivet set.
Once the rivets were partially set, I turned the aileron over and used the mushroom set to finish the job.
overall good results
thanks again
Thanks for the pointers. I did the trailing edge of the right aileron last night and it turned out real good.
I ended up using a piece of 3/8" plywood with a cutout for the back rivet plate, so I didn't have to cut into my table.
I inserted the rivets on the top side of the trailing edge and taped them in. then flipped the aileron over and starting in the middle worked out one rivet at a time using 50 lb bags of gravel for weight and the back rivet set.
Once the rivets were partially set, I turned the aileron over and used the mushroom set to finish the job.
overall good results
thanks again
