10/17/2005 - Started work on the Vertical Stabilizer I clecoed the VS-808PP Spar Doubler to the VS-803PP Rear Spar. Then I clecoed on the rudder hinge brackets and drilled out the two missing holes in one of the brackets, using the holes in the spar cha ... read more
10/18/2005 - Final drilled the #40 holes in the Vertical Stabilizer skin I took a 4 inch thick foam mattress and cut out 2 pieces that fit between the clecoes on the side of the vertical stabilizer skin. This kept the clecos from hitting the workbench top while I worked on ... read more
10/21/2005 - Countersinked the reinforcement spar and dimpled rear spar After walking back and forth multiple times looking at the plans to make damn sure I was working on the right side of each spar, I started countersinking and dimpling the spars. I dimpled the main rea ... read more
10/24/2005 - Finished dimpling, sanding all of the VS parts I used my various grades of sponge type sanding blocks to get all of the edges rounded as suggested by Van's manual. Now I will rub all of the ribs and spars down with a Scotchbrite pad to get them re ... read more
10/26/2005 - Finished riveting the rear spar components together I was really smokin' on putting these rivets in using the Avery rivet squeezer until I got to the middle rivets on the bottom elevator brackets, just inside the elbow bend. I had to drill these two ri ... read more
10/27/2005 - Clecoed on the VS skin I finished riveting the ribs to the front spar but forgot to take a picture of it. All of the rivets went in easily except for the bottom ribs where they attach to the front spar. I just couldn't seem ... read more
10/28/2005 - Finished riveting the VS skin to the front spar and middle rib I started thinking that maybe I'm getting the hang of this riveting thing, slamming these rivets in one after another. Then I got to last rivet and screwed it up. Murphy strikes again. Get the Drill! ... read more
