Bending the forward spar caps (aka hockey sticks) (0.5)

0.5 hours

I read about a few people having problems bending these parts accurately, especially with the latest revision that moved the bend line to a kind of awkward angle.  So rather than spend too much time thinking about it, I just brought them to work to use some real equipment!

Here's the bend line laid out on each part.

This definitely beats my little arbor press.

Done!

Spar channels (2.5)

2.5 hours

Finished forming the spar channels and drilled a bunch of holes

Completed spar channels with pilot holes.

This is about what the stabilator structure will look like when it's together.  This is the right side.

I can tell this is going to take a lot of messing around to get everything aligned nice and straight.  I'll probably need some more clamps too!

Alright I guess this is officially my first goof.  I realized once I looked at how everything goes together that I should not have drilled the middle hole in the second row of holes shown here.  Since they were rows of three everywhere else on this part, I just mindlessly drilled three there as well.  Whoops!  It doesn't seem like a very big deal, but I'll have to make sure that it won't cause any problems later.  Worst case I'll have to redo these two spar channels, and I have enough channel stock left over, so I'm not too depressed about it.

Note: I asked Sonex about this extra hole and they said it won't affect anything.  Problem solved!

Stabilator spar channels & root ribs (3.5)

3.5 hours

Not too exciting... More c-channel stuff. Got the root ribs done and the spar channels mostly done! 

Cutting channels to length and bending flanges.

Cutting the ends of the spar channels.

Stabilator Ribs - Part 2 (4)

4 hours

Worked on more ribs. I'm kind of getting the hang of it, but it's hard to really tell if anything will fit until I get them all done and try putting them together!

Here are the pieces of channel cut to length with the Hand-Powered Miter Saw.

Now I just have to do a few more 68° bends and these will hopefully be all done.  Like I said I can't really tell how well everything will fit until I try to put it all together.  I have one 48" piece of channel left though so if only a couple are hopelessly off I should be able to just remake them.

Stabilator Ribs - Part 1 (2)

2 hours

I pretty much spent this evening figuring out how to make these ribs out of the C-channel that comes in the kit.

The rib I ended up making didn't turn out perfect, but I think I learned how to make the next ones turn out better. I'll probably end up going back and remaking this one later.

I also spent a lot of time messing around with my band saw to get it adjusted properly. It works much better now than it did before!

Ruddervator Piano Hinges (1.5)

1.5 hours

Made WIX-T06-05 & T09-03

This $5 Harbor Freight miter saw works pretty well for cutting little stuff like this.

Here I have layed out pilot holes on a cheap yardstick so I can easily transfer them to the piano hinges.  This took about a half hour to make but it'll save me a lot of time whenever I have to make piano hinges from now on!

I clamped my yardstick jig to the chunk of piano hinge and drilled 4 holes, and then I clecoed both of them to the table.  Then I could quickly drill the rest of the holes.

Here's the finished part with 44 nicely laid out holes.  With the aid of my special yardstick this only took like 10 minutes!

Ruddervator root rib assemblies (2)

2 hours

Built WIX-T06-02L & 02R.

First rivet!  Only ~9999 to go...

Here are the completed assemblies: