Vans RV12 Build Log
Empennage
Everything Rearward of the Baggage Compartment/ Sub-Kit 1 of 6
Vertical Stabilizer3/12/2018 Spent nearly the entire weekend working to complete the Vertical Stabilizer and I have to say it was a proud moment holding up the completed product. Well nearly completed, still awaiting the bearings which are on backorder so I can finish the hinge brackets. Before all that happiness started though my little 4 gallon air compressor that ive had for atleast 10 years finally crapped out. Off to Harbor Freight to pickup a new compressor. So far it works great, much louder than my ol husky but it isn't running nearly as much. Ill post an update if the cheaper HF compressor ever goes out. I initially started just hand pulling rivets as I had not bought a pneumatic rivet puller as the RV14 I was originally going to build didn't use any pop rivets, well pulling rivets with a hand squeezer went to shit realllllly quick. So back to HF for a pneumatic puller and I absolutely LOVE that thing! Getting the VS1201 skin to fit around the VS1205 and VS1202 ribs without creating a bulge took up most of the time. I had to fit, clecko, disassemble, file the edges of the ribs and try again several times until finally the rib edges didn't create a pressure point on the skin. I'm pretty sure my right forearm muscle strength grew by atleast 10%! Its just clecko after clecko, whew I'm worn out just thinking about it. Well eventually once it was all fit together nice and snug I began riveting the leading edge on each side doing 2-3 rivets at a time then switching sides so the riveting was uniform. After an 8 hour day on Sunday the VS was finished up and put in our guest bedroom upstairs. My wife caught a picture of our boys, who are actually surprisingly entertained by me working in the garage. In that picture I was countersinking the upper and lower flange brackets.
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January 2019
Empennage Total Build Hours: 82.24
Inventory: 1.45 Vertical Stabilizer: 13.26 Rudder: 7.5 Anti-Servo Tabs: 4:30 Stabilator: 24.11 Tailcone: 30.42 |