April 16th and 17th update

Another airplane weekend.  Mark started work on the elevators Saturday morning and then went flying after lunch.  The wind was blowing and there were strong crosswinds at the airport so Mark got to practice crosswind takeoffs and landings.  He said he had fun dancing with the winds during landings, must be a guy thing.  He disappeared back into the the shop shortly after arriving back home.  I came out to help and take some pictures.  Here, Mark is dimpling the skin on one of the elevators.

Another pic of Mark riveting the stiffeners on the skin of an elevator.

This one is of Mark milling the elevator counterweight to specifications.

One of the elevators being fitted together for match drilling.

The lead counterweight for the elevator machined and fitted in place.

Sunday, we completed the last step on the rudder, riveting the trailing edge.  We have been waiting several days for some slow drying epoxy to set which would hold the trailing edge while we riveted it. This was a tricky job as the rivets are countersunk on both sides and the trailing edge must be kept very straight.  I was not sure this one would work but the rivets came out looking great and the edge was straight within .075"!  That was a tense job but we have another part completed!  

Mark holding his new rudder.

 Still a long ways to go before it looks like this.