Step 1.   Remember the close out tabs?  Well, drill out the 1/8" hole in the one for the top skin right through the tab of the bottom skin.  Then cleco that and proceed to drill out the holes in the E-1022 shear tab and on into the close out tabs.  I needed to use the 12" #30 drill bit.  A right angle drill attachment would also work. 

12/27/06  -  20 minutes

Step 2.  Remove the clecos holding the root ribs to the front spars and attach the WD-605 elevator horns, both left and right.  Then final drill the holes common to the root ribs and front spars with a #30.  (I don't know why, but this looks so cool.  Maybe because you know these elevator horns are key to a flying machine, as if everything else isn't, of course, but this just means you're getting closer to an actual moving part!  I know, my life needs perspective, but really!) 

12/27/06  -  30 minutes

Step 3.   Final drill the holes in the skins to the underlying structure.  Use a #40 ream or drill bit. 

I started with the forward spar, then moved to the rear spar, then the ribs, then the trailing edge.  There is no logic to any of the order other than I think it's best to start with the spars. 

The plans remark that one should begin drilling from the mid point on each spar, moving outward.  Also mentioned was to cleco every hole in the spars.  I wondered about that, being lazy and all, but decided to go ahead and cleco every hole.  With match drilling, I also wondered why they were worried about the direction of the drilling.  As I was doing it, however, I saw that there was plenty of play in the skin, and it was, indeed, a good idea to have every hole clecoed and follow the instructions about starting in the middle, working your way towards each end.  It takes longer and more work is involved, obviously, but do it.  I think you might have some oil canning if you don't.  You might anyway.  Who knows, but it seems to be fine for me at the moment.  Maybe following these directions is like snapping your fingers to keep the elephants at bay. 

Speaking of which, do you realize that the elephants of Africa are being poached to oblivion.  I'm going to find out how to contribute to their preservation.  It turns out ivory is now a very hot commodity on the black market.  But what the hell, they'd probably go the way of the polar bears anyway, right?  Oh, we are such intelligent beings!   

12/29/06  -  4 hours

Step 3 (continued).  When you get to the trailing edge, don't forget to drill perpendicular to the chord of the elevator, not to the skin.   I use the same technique I did on the rudder, namely to raise the structure up and rest it on the front edges of the skins.  This makes the chord straight up and down.  I then put a small string level on the drill that allowed me to verify I was 90 degrees to the (now vertical) chord. 

Step 4.  Skipped for now.  I'm waiting for rivethead-aero to send me replacement WD-415 units.   I think the ones I have from Van's are the ones that are supposed to be okay, but I tell you they just don't look strong enough to give me confidence.  This is a step one can skip and keep going. 

Well, they did ship and I have finished this step.  Simply follow the same directions as for Van's part WD-415.  The new piece is wider, but the length is the same so the measurements on the plans hold. 

01/20/07  -  20 minutes

Steps 5 & 6.   Dimple the E-616 cover plates for the #6 screws.  Do the same for the corresponding holes in the E-615 and E-1015 reinforcement plates.  

After this, dimple all the #40 holes in the reinforcement plates to accept the K1100 nutplates, which also have to be dimpled.

12/28/06  -  30 minutes

Steps 7 & 8.   Time to say goodbye to the assemblage.  Take the elevators apart, marking all the parts so you can get them back together again.  As it states in the plans, make sure you mark which side of the skins are the insides, although it should be obvious given the direction of the tabs. 

Once apart, begin to deburr all holes and any unfinished edges, which there will be, especially the portion of the tab edges that you left alone knowing they would be easier to get to once bent into position. 

Note the use of the chair as a professional positioning tool for better hole deburring. 

12/30/06  -  2 hours

Step 9.  Skipped for now.  I'll dimple the skins last, after returning from yet another business trip.  In the meantime, I've skipped ahead to the ribs and other parts that I can do before having to leave. 

Ok, I finally got to this, and took the time to set up the new dimpler, build the platforms, etc.  Note, for those of you thinking about getting this type of dimpler, that my platforms are different than the one recommended.  I just wanted a big space in case I build my 747.  No other reason.  The one they recommend would be just fine.  That's packing material that you see.  It'll be replaced by some type of padding, maybe.  Bruce Breckenridge cautioned about a rug.  He used the set-up to dimple his tank skins, and for a part of the dimpling had to have the inside of the skins facing down, which means that the dimples may catch on a rug if dragged across it. 

01/28/07  -  2 hours for dimpling.  4 hours to build the platforms and set up the dimpler.