My shelf of completed tail parts is growing nicely. I have basically finished the first three sheets of plans, which is most of the rudder and vertical stabilizer parts. The third page is the stabilizer skin, but since that comes pre-cut and pre-bent in the kit, all I had to do was deburr the rivet holes and the edges...about a half hour of work.
I'm currently making the parts on page SNX-T10, which I believe will finish up the parts I need to make the vertical stabilizer. I'll then have everything I need to build the vertical section of the Sonex tail. Almost.
Almost? Yes, the rudder drive horn on the first page (and ironically, the first part I worked on) has been driving me nuts. It is required to be bent at a 5.2 degree angle to match the rudder angle. However, the piece is a very asymmetrical shape, with one side being perpendicular to the bend line, and the other side being about 45 degrees to the bend line. This means there is less material on one side of the bend than the other on that side, which tends to make the part bend toward the thinner part rather than on the line. The following image shows the plans build line (solid) and the actual line where the bend occurs (dotted):
I have ruined two of these parts (at $38 + shipping each) trying to get this right. I've about given up trying to make it correctly, and will employ the wizards at my local EAA chapter to help me get it right. In any event, eventually I'll get that correct and I have plenty to do in the meantime!
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