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In or Out?

JoeG

JoeG

Well Known Member
I decided to make a riblet for my left elevator trim tab notch. Can anybody tell me whether its better to place the web of the rib facing in or out as in the pictures below...

Here's the Web facing inside...
inar4.jpg


And here it is facing outward...

outhy8.jpg


Which do you think is better, and why?
 
Depends on how you intend to rivet it

Pop or squeeze.

Web out looks nicer, but you have to plan ahead or you may end up using pop rivets.

Mike
 
I vote for web in. Seems to match the rest of the area better and easier to rivet with squeezed AN rivets.

JMHO

Roberta
 
Web in... seems to match other areas of the plane. Oh, and nice job on the riblet! ;)
 
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In. Then you can squeeze the rivets.

BTW, that's a dang fine idea! I've been rebuilding the elevators on my RV-4 and really didn't like the way this area came out on the elevator. I'm going to make a riblet tomorrow! Great idea!
 
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Out!

Use C/S pop rivets and a dab of filler before paint. You won't sse the rivets and its less drag that way.


Frank

7a
 
JoeG said:
outhy8.jpg


Which do you think is better, and why?
Click to expand...

I did mine like this one and used flush pop rivets. My EAA TA like it and said it would work well. My main reason to do it this way was because if you bent the tabs, you would have basically the same look.
 
I did mine in!

I faced the same decision you are making. I ended up going "in" for a reason. When you align the trim tab with the elevator, to get everything to line up nice, you may have to do some minor filing on one side or the other of the opposing elevator flanges. I had to file off about 1/16 of an inch of the left side where the riblet was to get everything even. If you go "out" with the riblet, you don't have this option without filing into the web.
Al Thomas
RV-8A QB
Fuselage
 
Riblet creation

Oh, one more thing. I "fabricated" the riblet from an extra E709 I bought. Just sawed the end off and presto - instant riblet. Fit perfect!
Al Thomas
RV-8A QB
 
glider4 said:
When you align the trim tab with the elevator, to get everything to line up nice, you may have to do some minor filing on one side or the other of the opposing elevator flanges. I had to file off about 1/16 of an inch of the left side where the riblet was to get everything even. If you go "out" with the riblet, you don't have this option without filing into the web.
Click to expand...
There is an easy solution for this... plan on mounting it with the web flush, but don't drill and rivet the riblet until AFTER you have mounted the trim tab. That way you are able to make any adjustments and get a nice even gap between the end of the trim tab and the riblet. YMMV.
 
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Did mine out

I did this exact thing by bending a piece of scrap with my hand seamers.

I also put the web to the outside. If I did it again, I would wait till the trim tab is mounted in order to get the best gap/alignment etc. like the previous poster mentioned.
 
Riblet 101

Good responses. Gives me something more to think about.

Here's how I made my riblet...

ribletzo1.jpg


Used the wedge for the form, the clecoes to hold the metal in place, and the flush set in the rivet gun to bend the edges. Basically the same method that you would use to bend the tabs on the elevator. I had no problems bending my trim tab tabs. But when it came to the elevator, I had to go to the riblet.

As for in or out. I originally was thinking "out" because everybody else does it that way. But I want to use flush rivets and it's much cleaner to do that with the web in.

Probably one of those decisions that I've spent way too much time pondering. I closed up the right elevator last night and will work this one today. I guess I'll figure it out when I get there.
 
I would put the web out...This will fill the "gap" better and smoother with the Horizontal Stab., and provide better airflow during flight.
 
Results are "In"...

Well I finished the elevators today and I put the riblet with the web facing in. As a result, I was able to use all flush rivets on the top skin, the bottom has a few blind rivets but they turned out nicely as well.

Got one of the elevators temp mounted to the HS. Had to trim the HS edge a bit to accomodate the counterbalance arm. I'll trim the left side tomorrow and I will officially be finished with the empennage construction.

Next up; SB wings!
 
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