Riveting Trim Tab Trailing Edge

It's very easy to mark either the top or bottom skin when double flush riveting the trailing edge. I've put a strip of painter's tape where the skin has a small crease about 12mm from the trailing edge - this is to protect the skin as the the diameter of the back-riveter comes very close to that bend.

This shows how I've propped the front of the elevator with some sheets of Perspex to ensure the bottom of the trailing edge is flush on the back plate.

This is a close-up showing where I put the tape in an attempt to limit marks on the skin caused by the back-riveting gun.

Sealant time - Static vents & Elevators

This stuff is kind of like a chocolate sundae in that no matter how hard you try, you always end with some above your left eye-brow - very sticky stuff.

Proper preparation helps though.

Today is the day I install the trailing edge wedges in the elevators and also using a little bit to install my flush static air vents into both side skins.

The instructions only ask you to coat the "mating surfaces" that are going to make contact with the inside of the elevator skins. I decided they would have greater longevity if the entire foam wedge was coated in sealant.

Now I've got to try and squeeze it in here without touching anything...

There you go - fully coated trailing edge wedge

Here's the previously prepped and cleaned hole to fit the Cleaveland Static Air Vent. The Van's version is smaller and more agricultural - these look much better and aren't that much different in profile even though I've read some forums talking about the flush versions sometimes providing inconsistent readings. These are also stuck on with tank sealant.

And the left static air vent hole...

Well, the wedges are in. Now to leave them alone to set.

This is the left elevator. There are two wedges in the left trailing edge and six in the right.

Love the look of the Cleaveland Static Air Vents

...and the right one...

Here's how the left air vent looks from the inside (obviously)

..and the right...

Aft Fuse - Continue left skin

All too slowly looking like a plane for my liking.

This is one of those difficult rivets I was referring to last post. The rivet above the stiffener had to eventually be replaced by an oops rivet (NAS426AD4-4) as the normal AN426AD3-3.5 would not set straight at all. The rivet below the stiffener was drilled out and re-done also.

Getting there. Looks good.