February 25, 2006
Okay, I'm totally frustrated by that stupid elevator tab that needs to be bent. Come one, Vans. Stop being so damn stubborn and just replace the ends with a little rib. Sheesh...what's the problem here???
I just had to put it aside and move on to something else. I know! Let's try bending the trim tabs ends!
To make a long story short, things slipped a bit while I was aligning the trib tab for the bends, and here's the results. I didn't even have the pleasure of bashing it into a pretzel with the rivet gun (as is recommended in the manual). Double GRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Left over trib tab from Tail I to the rescue. Here I am very carefully laying out the line for the bend...
...and here I am just cutting the damn tab off. I didn't even bother trying this time around. Cutting them off is WAY easier
I'll deal with the ends later. This is the servo getting fitted and drilled. For those of you with electric trim, check the litte hardware bag that came with the trim servo. In there, you'll find pre-trimmed horns so you don't have to make the cuts like it shows in the plans. I guess you can make earings out of the "stock" horns or throw them out.
There isn't a whole lot of guidance as to how you align the hinge, where you trim it, etc. I just kinda, sorta used my head and eyballed the rest.
Here's how the end ribs on the trim tab came out. It took some fiddling fussing, but the end result is sharp.
The other side was a significantly tighter bend, and didn't come out as well. I'll fill it, glass over it, and it'll look fine.
Don't ask...see the band aid in the picture above? This was just a bad building day and I have a funny hole, two useless holes, and a hole in my finger to prove it. Tommorow will be better...