Van's Air Force
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21-16 break the edges
- Thread starter spriteah
- Start date
Edge breaking is when you put a slight bend along the edge of a sheet lapping another sheet. Various tools are available. One is a pair of vicegrips with a pair of contoured rollers which you run along the sheet. The other style is like a hockey puck with a pair of rollers. I've used both, and I prefer the vice grip version.
The purpose of breaking the edge is to make the lap joint a little neater and tighter.
Hope this helps
DaveH
120485
The purpose of breaking the edge is to make the lap joint a little neater and tighter.
Hope this helps
DaveH
120485
Jim, this is the vicegrip roller tool that Dave was talking about: http://www.cleavelandtool.com/Edge-Forming-Tool/productinfo/EF60/#.VE45GdgcQpg
It works very well. The break in the skin is very slight - barely noticeable for most of the skins.
It works very well. The break in the skin is very slight - barely noticeable for most of the skins.
waterboy2110
Well Known Member
The tail cone mentions breaking edges as well as section 5 which describes it. I've found myself breaking edges (ever so slightly) in many places. Makes for a nice tight fit that doesn't feather up when riveted. I use the roller puck. Practice on some scrap (anyone who made it to section 21 has scrap right???) and it will seem natural.
Construction manual Chapter 5, Section 5.10 located HERE
Often times when a new builders (hopefully) reads through it at the beginning of their build, a lot of the information doesn't make a lot of sense.
It is worthwhile looking back through it occasionally, to pick up on information that wasn't absorbed the first time.
Often times when a new builders (hopefully) reads through it at the beginning of their build, a lot of the information doesn't make a lot of sense.
It is worthwhile looking back through it occasionally, to pick up on information that wasn't absorbed the first time.
RFSchaller
Well Known Member
The easy way to do this is to lay the skin on your work table so it overlaps the table edge about 1/2" and rub a wood block back and forth to establish the bend being careful not to crease the skin. I've tried this method and I've used seamers, but the wood block seems to yield a more controllable and uniform result.
