Empennage

Empennage Fairings ( 2 hrs )

Dimpled LH Elevator skins at Tip mounting holes.  Required removal of Counterweights to access most forward holes - so re-installed with new lock nuts & retorqued.  This time I applied JB Weld epoxy adhesive to each counterweight to reduce likelihood of ever coming loose.   Very carefully countersunk each fiberglass hole. These have to be deep enough for the dimples, but not too deep to start enlarging the holes !

When re-assembling Tip with clecos - I discovered a couple holes on top and bottom near center had the cleco "pull through".  Due to countersinks, insufficient fiberglass at those holes to pull the shell outward 1/4 inch toward the skins (during drilling I used wood spacers temporarily to push Tip outward to skin surfaces...but didn't want to leave them inside unless absolutely necessary.   So I reinforced hole perimeters with cyanoacrylate - then cleco's pulled fiberglass shells outward so flush with skin.  Yeah !   ( Van's should design/process the Tips so actually oversized in center area...so would require lightly squeezing between top and bottom skins...instead of having to pull outward )   Expect OK when I blind rivet these next.