Rudder Covering

[Mark Dickens]

I finally finished covering my elevators and now it's onto the rudder. I am in a quandary trying to figure out how to terminate the fabric by the rudder horn. I've used the aluminum brackets furnished in the kit for the elevators and the rudder top, but I won't be able to use the last one by the rudder horn. What am I missing? Any ideas? The hinge takes up all of the space available in that area. Any photos available of how you did it?

 

[Utah-Jay]

Spacers in the kit???

 

[Nev]

I finally finished covering my elevators and now it's onto the rudder. I am in a quandary trying to figure out how to terminate the fabric by the rudder horn. I've used the aluminum brackets furnished in the kit for the elevators and the rudder top, but I won't be able to use the last one by the rudder horn. What am I missing? Any ideas? The hinge takes up all of the space available in that area. Any photos available of how you did it?

Mark, try this link. This method seems to be working well.

 

[Mark Dickens]

I'm talking about the below. I got 6 of them in the kit and their purpose is to provide a way to terminate the fabric around the empennage hinges

 

[Mark Dickens]

Very nice idea, if only I had a tig welder and some knowledge of how to do it. Still, it has me thinking of possible alternatives!

 

[Nev]

I'm talking about the below. I got 6 of them in the kit and their purpose is to provide a way to terminate the fabric around the empennage hinges

Yes they work sufficiently on the elevators and the top rudder hinge, however you will need to cut them down a lot to fit the lower rudder hinge. I tried this and wasn't satisfied with it. So I then simply welded a small bar in place and used that to terminate the fabric on.

 

[Nev]

Haha. Phone a friend

 

[alaskabearhawk]

I just used a scrap piece of AL and made this flat spot for the fabric to adhere to as it was too late to weld in the bar like some do. Riveted it to the rudder horn. Worked out just fine. I'll try to find a picture without the fabric on it.

 

[Utah-Jay]

I'm talking about the below. I got 6 of them in the kit and their purpose is to provide a way to terminate the fabric around the empennage hinges

I did not know those were in the kit, I made those myself. I guess at need to open some of the stuff I have not opened

 

[alaskabearhawk]

Hey Mark, this is the best I could do. I zoomed into a section of my rudder during the fabric process, before painting, and made a snip of the area. I don't have any photos of the AL piece by itself after forming, but you get the idea. I made the piece, ran it through the alodine process and installed it on the bottom of the rudder. It worked well for me.

 

[Mark Dickens]

Thanks! This is the direction I'll probably go.

 

[Mark Dickens]

I do have a nice mig welder and after a few practice welds to dial in the power, I was able to copy Nev. I wouldn't use a mig welder for anything significant on an airplane but it filled the bill for this oppty