Question on trailing edge wedge

As I get closer to completion of the rudder for my -14, I've run into a bit of a snag with regard to the instructions. I've consulted multiple build pages and see a number of different methods for installing the wedge, but I've yet to find when most of you guys are actually adhering the top skin to the wedge.

My reason for my quandary can be found in the RV-14 manual on page 07-09 (pictured below):

Step 1 says to use adhesive and adhere the wedge to the right skin.

Step 2 in line two it says to adhere the wedge to the left skin

Step 3 says to have someone roll back the left skin so that the aft end of the stiffeners can be riveted.

How can the skin be rolled back if the trailing edge is already stuck together?

I called and spoke to the Mother Ship on this and got a very long pause. Then, was told to try and open the skin from the front to reach the back rivets. The gentleman I spoke to stated that the word "rolled" and the picture in the manual were incorrect. I cleco'd the trailing edge to see if I could spread the skins apart without creasing the skin at the trailing edge. No luck. The skin can be spread apart a little, but not enough to get a hand in to squeeze the tool without causing a crease. (pop rivets are used here).

I've seen many of your build pages with the skins rolled back during this process. For those of you who did it this way, when did you install the wedge?

Lastly, I'm leaning toward the Proseal route for adhesive as I like the idea of additional working time as opposed to the tape method. For those of you that used Proseal, did you put the Proseal on the skin or on the wedge before installation?

Recap of questions:

1) How can the skin be rolled back if it's already adhered to the wedge?
2) If you rolled back the skin, when did you install the wedge?
3) If you used Proseal, did you put it on the wedge or on the skin?

A picture of the manual is below. See red arrows for specifics.



Thoughts?

Thanks,

Fred

All of the instructions are correct except for the use adhesive part of Step 2.

The part that says use adhesive on the -L skin should be part of Step 5

I've made a note to have it revised in the future.

If a mod would move this to the sticked Gotchas thread would be great...

This is great. I was wondering the exact same thing yesterday while I was working on the rudder.

Reflex said:

Recap of questions:
1) How can the skin be rolled back if it's already adhered to the wedge?
2) If you rolled back the skin, when did you install the wedge?
3) If you used Proseal, did you put it on the wedge or on the skin?

Click to expand...

1, 2 > The forward edge of the rudder skin is rolled up in order to reach back towards the trailing edge from inside between the rudder skins.

3 > I have usually found it easier to apply proseal to the part that is not handled as much in the assembly process, in this case probably on the skin edge surface. I used two layers of the double-sided adhesive tape on the wedge.

Just did this

i just did this step last night on my -10 rudder. First you slather up the wedge with pro seal, just lay it on the skin you have lying on the workbench. Lay the other skin on top. Cleo the bottom rib, and either use a stick or a helper to hold the top of the other rudder skin up. As you blind rivet the stiffeners and shear clips, put clecos in the trailing edge. Don't go any farther with the trailing edge clecos than the last stiffener you riveted.

You kind of "zip" it up from the bottom. Makes sense once you start.