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Cutting Rudder Stiffeners

GPV

Member
Hi All,.

I'm just about to cut my rudder stiffeners to size and was wondering if anyone has any tips before I go butchering them. How did you do yours?

Many thanks,

Greg
 
Band saw

A band saw with a metal cutting blade was easy and accurate. I would highly recommend it.
 
cutting stiffeners

Bandsaw works well. I had access to a sheet metal shop and could just punch out along the marked lines, which was even easier.

In either case, touch up the edges and remove the sharp corners with a scotch brite wheel afterward.

David
 
I used the throatless shear in the sheet metal shop. I also had good luck using a heavy duty paper cutter like the one in the copy room at work.
 
I used a cut-off wheel on a RotoZip, then finished to size with a 3M 6" medium deburring wheel mounted on a bench grinder. Fast and efficient.

The el-cheapo bandsaw I bought from Homedepot was not up to the task.
 
Not sure about the 14, the the 8 rudder stiffener trim length fit on my 6" corner notcher. I did all of them in about ten minutes with a resulting very clean cut. It was like "butter"! But of course you have to have a notcher handy. It can be a handy tool for small trim jobs and such. I found mine (Diacro) on Craigslist for cheap.
 
Agree with others re using bandsaw. I shaped all these types of parts and also did much of the deburring of many other parts using a Harbor Freight buffer on a stand (https://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-buffer-94393.html?_br_psugg_q=buffer, https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-bench-grinder-stand-3184.html?_br_psugg_q=grinder+stand) and 6" scotchbrite wheels (I used two on my buffer - one finer, one more coarse. The coarse one is great for removing extra material from trimmed parts.

I like the buffer better than a grinder because the spindles are longer and there are no guards on the wheels - makes it much easier to position a part just right to work on it. It takes some practice to avoid damaging thinner parts (some thinner parts I just deburred using other methods).
 
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Thanks everyone, I'll give the bandsaw a go. Hopefully I can rig something up to keep the cuts straight. Dreading this job!
 
Bandsaw - I created a jig:

IMG-0763_25_A.JPG


I believe the clamp attached to the board is a toggle clamp.

I rounded the corners after cutting using the disc sander portion of a desktop belt sander, and finished with a Dremel 500 wheel. For flimsy parts like the stiffeners, I prefer this smaller wheel to the scotch brite wheel.
 
Mark the cut, use tin snips from each end to the center then bend the
piece to break off the center part. Shape the end with a disk sander
and debur with 3M finish sander.

I drilled another hole between the end rivets to prevent cracking on the elevators and rudder.
 
Mark the cut, use tin snips from each end to the center then bend the
piece to break off the center part. Shape the end with a disk sander
and debur with 3M finish sander.

I drilled another hole between the end rivets to prevent cracking on the elevators and rudder.

Learn to use your hand tools..... They will save you a lot of time and money. By the time you set up a jig, the parts can be done.

When using a band saw, lower the blade guide down close to the part for safety and accuracy,
 
Shear...

I used the shear portion of my 30" Harbor Freight combination shear/brake/roll to cut the stiffener angles, and then the 3M scotch bright wheel to debur

Cheers!
 
Same Here

I used the shear portion of my 30" Harbor Freight combination shear/brake/roll to cut the stiffener angles, and then the 3M scotch bright wheel to debur

Cheers!

I used a hand shear then deburred on a 6" scotchbrite wheel. Shear gives a nice clean cut straight up. I think it took longer to remove the vinyl than to cut & deburr each piece.
 
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Both methods

I have the Andy Snips, band saw with metal cutting blade, 1" HF belt sander, and the 6" scotch bright wheels. Based on my extensive (practice kit) experience I have found a quick rough hand cut on the band saw or snips (currently have no preference) followed by 10 seconds on the belt sander gets me ready for deburring on the bench grinder. If my bandsaw wasn't a permanent fixure, then I would deffinately just stick with the snips.
 
Bandsaw - I created a jig:


I believe the clamp attached to the board is a toggle clamp.

I rounded the corners after cutting using the disc sander portion of a desktop belt sander, and finished with a Dremel 500 wheel. For flimsy parts like the stiffeners, I prefer this smaller wheel to the scotch brite wheel.

OH man, I remember when I was trying to do that. +1 on the don't let perfection slow you up. Or better yet, when it's not perfect, feel comfortable to move on. The parts in my "corner of shame" for my tail were way too numerous; most of them would be been just fine, but I was being a perfectionist.
 
I used the shear portion of my 30" Harbor Freight combination shear/brake/roll to cut the stiffener angles, and then the 3M scotch bright wheel to debur

Cheers!

I did something similar. My RV guru, Jody Edwards, told me to use a paper shear to cut them. I took a few pieces of scrap wood, hot glued the wood to the paper shear. The wood aligns the stiffeners to the proper angle. This way, you only have to set up the angle once.
This temporary jig, made this job quick, easy and fast. Greg, I'll email you a photo or two of this set up to night when I get home. I'll try to host the photos somewhere and add them to this post later.
The hot glue will hold the wood, yet allow you to easily remove the wooden guides when you are done.

OK Here are links to 4 photos.

https://www.snapfish.com/library/share?via=link&token=K0BoVGUBFGSHUpB8hHM17A/AUS/27950480797070/SNAPFISH

https://www.snapfish.com/library/share?via=link&token=K0BoVGUBFGSHUpB8hHM17A/AUS/27950480457070/SNAPFISH

https://www.snapfish.com/library/share?via=link&token=K0BoVGUBFGSHUpB8hHM17A/AUS/27950479496070/SNAPFISH

https://www.snapfish.com/library/share?via=link&token=K0BoVGUBFGSHUpB8hHM17A/AUS/27950480929070/SNAPFISH

This method ensures fast, clean & accurate cutting of all angles.

Charlie
 
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Thanks for the responses everyone. I agonised over it for a long time but in the end I just marked with a ruler and cut by hand with the bandsaw. Most of them turned out pretty well except one. I sent a photo to Vans and they said I was good to continue so all good! Not such a big deal after all.

Cheers,

Greg
 
Since they are so thin, I just knocked them down 100% of the way with the medium-duty scotch brite wheel. It took a little while but it worked perfectly.
 
Since they are so thin, I just knocked them down 100% of the way with the medium-duty scotch brite wheel. It took a little while but it worked perfectly.

Faster & less wear and tear on your ScotchBrite wheel if you had rough cut them first with the tin snips.

See my previous post. I've added the web links I promised earlier.

Charlie
 
Wow, I really should have listened to this suggestion more. I didn't realise you meant simple benchtop office grade paper shears. That's too easy. Gonna have to find myself a set. Almost makes me want to redo my stiffeners just so I can get them perfect.

 
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