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Elevator skin repair suggestions

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jdalton77(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 7:21 pm Post subject: Elevator skin repair suggestions

While removing the AN-3 bolts for the umteenth time that connect the elevators to the HS I slipped with the wrench and made a small tear in the skin of the elevator.  It's about 1" long.

  

 I would like to repair it, rather than replace the entire skin.  I thought I'd clean it up at epoxy a small square of aluminum to the underside of the tear and fill in the rest with filler.  It's is not visible when the the elevator is in the trailing position.

  

 Thoughts?

  

 Jeff 

   [quote][b]

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fehdxl(at)gmail.com
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Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:22 pm Post subject: Elevator skin repair suggestions

Jeff, I would make the tear a square hole, then fabricate a small piece to exactly fill the hole, as well as a larger piece which would rivet to the existing skin as well as create the lip for the smaller piece to rivet to.  Think of those repair kits used to fix a large hole in drywall.  AC 43-13 has all kinds of good information about this regarding edge spacing, minimum number of rivets per square inch, etc, etc.  Of course, if the tear is very close to the edge, on a curved part of the HS, or near a rib, the solutions become more complex.  Hope this helps.  -Jim 



 On 10/16/06, jdalton77(at)comcast.net (jdalton77(at)comcast.net) <jdalton77(at)comcast.net (jdalton77(at)comcast.net)> wrote:   	  Quote: 	
		    While removing the AN-3 bolts for the umteenth time that connect the elevators to the HS I slipped with the wrench and made a small tear in the skin of the elevator.  It's about 1" long.

  

 I would like to repair it, rather than replace the entire skin.  I thought I'd clean it up at epoxy a small square of aluminum to the underside of the tear and fill in the rest with filler.  It's is not visible when the the elevator is in the trailing position. 

  

 Thoughts?

  

 Jeff 

 	  Quote: 	
		  

	


	


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jdalton77(at)comcast.net
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 5:22 am Post subject: Elevator skin repair suggestions

Thanks Jim,

  

 Good advice.  The tear is both by the edge and  on a curve, but I think I can make it work.  Thanks.

  

 Jeff

 [quote]   ---

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apilot2(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:01 am Post subject: Elevator skin repair suggestions

Give serious thought to reskinning that area. Elevator is a balanced

control surface. So either you will have a small difference in counter

weight on that side if you add metal for a patch, or not. The skin

isn't that expensive, it is mostly the time involved. I tend to think

you will be happier in the long run with fresh skin, but that is your

decision.



On 10/17/06, jdalton77 <jdalton77(at)comcast.net> wrote:

[quote]



 Thanks Jim,



 Good advice.  The tear is both by the edge and on a curve, but I think I can

 make it work.  Thanks.



 Jeff



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jdalton77(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:09 am Post subject: Elevator skin repair suggestions

Do you think a 2" square piece of .32 aluminum will affect elevator balance? 

I could always add this extra weight to the other side (can you even weigh 

something that small?)



I would consider changing the skin if it were visible AND I wasn't almost 

completely assembled.



Jeff

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Jack.Phillips(at)cardinal
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:31 am Post subject: Elevator skin repair suggestions

If you choose to add any weight, be very careful when flight testing the

airplane.  The reason for balancing the control surfaces is to control

flutter.  There have been cases where the extra weight of adding paint

to control surfaces caused them to flutter at high speeds.



I would doubt that such a small piece of aluminum would cause the

balance to change dramatically, but by the time you rivet it in place

with a doubler to support it, you might add enough to cause a problem.

Read Vaughn Askue's book "Flight Testing Homebuilt Aircraft" about how

to conduct flutter testing.



If it were me, I'd replace the skin before I would add weight to it.



Jack Phillips

#40610

Working on the HS



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rvbuilder(at)sausen.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:02 am Post subject: Elevator skin repair suggestions

Square patches indicate 90 degree corners and 90 degree  corners equals stress risers.  Try to avoid any sharp corners in that type  of repair.  I also agree with others that you might want to seriously  consider reskinning.  It will bug you until you do it anyway.  

  

 Michael Sausen

 -10 #352 Should restart building Jan  1

  

   From: owner-rv10-list-server(at)matronics.com  [mailto:owner-rv10-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Jim  Beyer

Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 12:20 AM

To:  rv10-list(at)matronics.com

Subject: Re: Elevator skin repair  suggestions

 

Jeff, I would make the tear a square hole, then fabricate a small  piece to exactly fill the hole, as well as a larger piece which would rivet  to the existing skin as well as create the lip for the smaller piece  to rivet to.  Think of those repair kits used to fix a large hole in  drywall.  AC 43-13 has all kinds of good information about this  regarding edge spacing, minimum number of rivets per square inch, etc,  etc.  Of course, if the tear is very close to the edge, on a  curved part of the HS, or near a rib, the solutions become more complex.   Hope this helps.  -Jim 



 On 10/16/06, jdalton77(at)comcast.net (jdalton77(at)comcast.net) <jdalton77(at)comcast.net (jdalton77(at)comcast.net)> wrote:   	  Quote: 	
		        While removing the AN-3 bolts for the umteenth time that connect the    elevators to the HS I slipped with the wrench and made a small tear in the    skin of the elevator.  It's about 1" long.

    

   I would like to repair it, rather than replace the entire skin.  I    thought I'd clean it up at epoxy a small square of aluminum to the underside    of the tear and fill in the rest with filler.  It's is not visible when    the the elevator is in the trailing position. 

    

   Thoughts?

    

   Jeff 

 	  Quote: 	
		  

	


	


-- 

o=\o [quote]



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