Assembling the right elevator for riveting

Finished riveting the skeleton tonight and put it all together ready to rivet on the skin.

Riveting the right elevator skeleton

Began to rivet the right elevator skeleton tonight.

Primed the right elevator

Over the last 2 nights, primed the skeleton for the right elevator.

Over the last 2 nights, primed the skeleton for the right elevator.

Etched and Alodined the Right Elevator skeleton

After a few days hiatus to sort out some work issues, back into the garage.
Etched and Alodined the skeleton of the right elevator.

Drilling, deburring and dimpling the Right Elevator

Good progress tonight, drilled all the holes to final size, deburred all edges anddimpled everything.
I also did the #12 ( big ) dimples and countersinking for the lead counterweight.

Right elevator understructure

Assembled the right elevator understructure tonight, including drilling the holes through the lead counterweight, that is heavy stuff for a drill.

It went together quite quickly really, it looks more complete than it is, it will have to come apart again for plenty of work before any riveting takes place.

Elevator stiffeners all riveted

Both left and right, and the plate for the trim as well.

Back riveting the right elevator

I was making good progress too, until I riveted the wrong stiffener,
and only discovered it when I got to the last rivet.

I drilled out the full line of rivets, it wasn't too difficult in the
end, but enough for tonight.

Back riveting the elevator stiffeners

Just one rivet tonight, I came back quite late from our EAA Chapter
(315) meeting this evening. I got a look at Claudio Tottino's excellent RV-8 for a few minutes and his in-progress RV-12, I will definitely be going back to get some more guidance from him.

Primed the elevator stiffeners

In 2 steps today, ready for back-riveting to the skin next.

Etched and alodined

The elevator stiffeners this afternoon.

Finished dimpling the elevator

Tonight, listening to Thomas Cahill's Mysteries of the middle ages