Empennage

Horiz Stab (5.0 hrs)

Cont'd with Sect 8-12 at Step 1:  Riveting along Front Spar flanges for all four sides (R & L, Top & Bott)  using page 8-13 "map" of rivet lengths (four different lengths).   Being really careful to insure smooth as possible for these flush rivets.   Looking great !

I did 208 rivets.  This is approximately 1.5 minutes per rivet ...some were quick (less than 20 seconds), but many took some attention to align bucking bar, insure all layers "compressed", and apply rivet tape.    Another builder shared with me his tip to use rivet tape on each flush rivet to limit sliding or movement of the rivet gun.  Seems to work for me, but does take more time.

For the last one of 4 sides,  I applied masking tape to the Spar to protect from bucking bar, AND to prevent dropping it into the nose rib area via the lightening holes.    Worked well...no scratches now (you can see minor scratches in opposite side at channel inside radius.   Plus less tension about having to retrieve the bucking bar if I let go at wrong time.

Prior side worked w/o tape led to some minor scratches into the Alclad layer.