Well, I’m waiting on HS forward spar parts, so I thought about what I could start working on that won’t get me completely switching gears. The RV-7 rudder was very hard with its trailing edge wedge, etc. so I was a little weary, but then I remembered that the RV-8 rudder is a bent skin, so completely familiar to me from the RV-7 elevators.

Let’s dive in!

I only have a single picture tonight. It turns out that I don’t have my aviation shears anymore, so I had to borrow a set of “straight” shears, which (instead of being left or right shears which sacrifice either the left or the right half of what’s cut to preserve the other side without deformation) tends to ruin both sides of whatever you are cutting.

This worked okay to rough-cut the rudder stiffeners, but I didn’t want to make any of the finer trims required without the right tool. Amazon to the rescue, but the tools won’t arrive until Friday. Ugh.

I guess I can get started on the rudder spar….but not really.

It turns out that after you cleco the reinforcement plates on, you need to trim the rudder horn brace (sitting by the pencil sharpener in this picture.

I didn’t want to deform that, so I guess it’s time to quit for the night.

0.5 hours on the rudder.