1055- Elevators- p.9-17 step 5-6

Elevators - 1 hr 19 mins (Elev. 32:07, Empennage 136:32, Total 150:28)

Rivet count: 0 (Total 2,154)

It may have been a short 1.5 hrs, but the construction on the Elevators is complete! If I had more time, I'd have started the acetone cleaning process, but I'll save it for tomorrow. I'll also bust out the alodine tanks again tomorrow, and be on my way to getting priming done in preparation for riveting next week!
Tonight, I took apart the trim tabs, and deburred edges and holes, then dimpled all holes except for the two lines of countersinking. Very short night, but progress! -M

1054- Elevators- p.9-16 step 4-5 & p.9-17 step 1-4

Elevators - 2 hrs 34 mins (Elev. 30:48, Empennage 135:13, Total 149:09)

Rivet count: 0 (Total 2,154)

Started tonight by finishing the main bend in the trim tabs. I used a makeshift brake and then settled for hands. This worked out really well until the next step which is to bend the side tabs on the trim tab. All the previous bending was negated while trying to get tools, wedges, and rivet guns in the tight spaces. I def screwed up one of the four corners, but not so bad to warrant a new part. I'll keep building for now, and if I have to reorder, then I will.
Next, I deburred the edges of the trim tab spars and then make the 15 degree bend in the two bottom edges of the trim tabs. Easy enough. Then, I used a washer to measure out the arcs on the trim tab brackets which I cut off with the bandsaw. I felt using the washers was a whole lot more accurate than eyeballing it, AND since the pieces sit back-to-back, it guaranteed me consistency and now the pieces are flush with each other. A little more edge deburring before match-drilling everything to end the night. 
Hole deburring and dimpling/countersinking are next for tomorrow and then its cleaning and alodining time once again. I was originally planning for 80 hours on the elevators. I would expect to be right around 40 by the time I finish priming. Seems I'll be able to make up for a little more time on this piece as well. -M

1053.1- Future RV-10 will be flying as N1010S...

I don't think I had ever mentioned this before, but our RV-10 project will be flying as N1010S... It may be early to be naming the aircraft, but I couldn't pass up on 1010 and S as our last name when I came across it months ago. Also, -E got me a little present earlier this week, as seen below. So there, N1010S will hopefully fly one day 3+ years from now! -M

1053- Elevators- p.9-9 step 7-8 & p.9-16 step 1-3

Elevators - 2 hrs 2 mins (Elev. 28:14, Empennage 132:39, Total 146:35)

Rivet count: 0 (Total 2,154)

Started off the day with a quick trip to the airport to help -E with some soldering for his RV-8. While I was there, I also managed to get into -B's hangar and use his vise-grip dimpler for the 12 holes from last night. It worked like a champ, and I saved myself $45 as quoted in Avery as the price for the tool. Nothing like great friends. Thanks -B!
At home, I started by making the bend in the trailing edge of the skins for riveting the elevators later on. The next step called for scuffing the locations where the foam ribs would attach, but i had scuffed the whole skins already. Later on, I'll have to mask off these areas so I can prime everything but them. Then it was time to jump ahead 6 pages in the plans to work on the trim tab pieces, but first the directions called for fabrication.
First, the wooden pieces that will hold the trim tabs together. I made eight instead of six expecting I'd screw up a few, and sure enough, I screwed up on one. Seven. Then I fabricated the six foam ribs for the trim tabs. This was the easiest cutting job ever. Last step was to scuff. I went ahead and scuffed all the trim tab pieces while I was at it. I'm in town with -L for the second time this year, so I may actually get to work on this during the weekend. If the weather holds this week (Rain forecast for Monday), I should be able to prime parts and begin riveting by midweek... -M

1052- Elevators- p.9-9 step 3,5,6

Elevators - 2 hrs 2 mins (Elev. 26:41, Empennage 131:06, Total 145:02)

Rivet count: 0 (Total 2,154)

Every night a little closer. I spent an hour just scuffing the rest of the parts of the elevators. Also I dimpled all the rib halves, as well as the tip ribs. I am still missing the last three holes on each end of the E-903 tip ribs, and spent a few minutes trying to get the pop rivet dimple tool  to work. Even the mandrel for this tool is impossible to work with in such a tight space. Hopefully -E or -B have a vice grip dimpler at the airport because that's the only thing I've found online that works. I really don't want to spend $20 just for the modified grips, but I will if I have to. Lastly, I countersunk the trailing edge on both sides. Next I need to add bends to the lap joints on the skins and then I'll be skipping ahead a few pages to work on the trim tabs so i can get everything alodined and primed at the same time. -M

1051- Elevators- p.9-8 step 1-4 & p.9-9 step 1,2,4

Elevators - 2 hrs 19 mins (Elev. 24:39, Empennage 129:04, Total 143:00)

Rivet count: 0 (Total 2,154)

As promised, tonight consisted of scuffing and dimpling: front spar, rear spar, root ribs, wingtip ribs, and shear clips. There was also a little bit of countersinking too. My hands hurt from using the squeezer.
The most difficult part is arranging the squeezer to get into the hard to reach areas. I have even resorted to using the pop rivet dimpler in some areas. I did screw up the first shear clip and had to flatten the dimple before dimpling the opposite direction. Otherwise, the steady and monotonous work continues, and we are two hours closer to getting the elevators complete! More dimpling and scuffing to follow tomorrow. -M

1050- Elevators- p.9-7 step 9

Elevators - 2 hrs 23 mins (Elev. 22:20, Empennage 126:45, Total 140:41)

Rivet count: 0 (Total 2,154)

What a great day to start dimpling... Unfortunately, I only made it past four parts, but they are the most difficult as the skins. Luckily all the holes were easily accessible, it was just a lot of them to get through. Also, page 9-7 is finally complete after 15 calendar days to get through it!! I took a quick look ahead, and progress (page wise) should crank up now. There is quite a bit of dimpling and machine countersinking left to accomplish on these elevators. Until tomorrow, -M