Sorry about where to post this. My problem is on a High Wing, but I understand the tail is common to other models. Moderators, feel free to move where appropriate.
The left side horizontal tail went together with no problem. However on the right side I have 4-5 holes where the match drilled holes do not line up. The problem is top and bottom, inside edge of the leading edge of the horizontal tail. On the most inboard hole, I cannot see the hole underneath at all. As you move to the next 3-4 holes, the edge of the hole underneath begins to be visible. The rest of the tail clecoed up with no (significant) issues.
Has anyone run into this? Suggestions? I just emailed Sonex, but that was at 4:45 on a Friday afternoon. The attached pic shows the problem.
Use a pick or awl to line them up. Work from the aft spar forwards, if at some point they dont line up remove some cleco’s line it up and/or work in a little different order of cleco-ing.
Using the pick will move the underlying structure into place so it lines up but you cant have too many cleco’s preventing it from moving a bit.
It helps to have two people when first folding the skin over and doing the opposite side, one person can hold the skin down and lined up while the other gets a few cleco’s in the aft spar.
It is a little strange that the one cleco is in place and those other holes are that far off but its also amazing how much a little pick can move things into alignment. Have you tried taking the skin completely off and cleco in a different order?
On my Waiex I had a couple of tail ribs that were the wrong length. If the Highwing plans have dimensions for the parts, check them. But I’d follow Chris’s advice first.
(I replied to the email directly. Looks like that didn’t work, so I’ll try it again here.)
Chris,
Thanks for your tips. I did work aft to forward when inserting clecos and I had a friend helping me fold the nose over. When my TC showed up (Joe Nelson), we removed the skin (clecos) from one side to take a look at the holes etc. Then we reinstalled the clecos - still didn’t line up.
The bottom holes that aren’t lining up are on the forward spar bracket, not on the ribs going front to back. I can try removing some clecos to allow the skin to shift around a bit. Worth a try. I did use a pic to try to line up the holes. I was able to get a couple more clecos installed. It helped a little but I got to a point where I was starting to elongate the top hole. Maybe backing out some of the clecos might help.
BTW. Your build pics from the builders log have been really helpful. When I’m not sure if I am understanding some aspect of the drawings I usually go to your pics to (hopefully) confirm my understanding. So thank you.
Matt McManus
1 Like
Thanks Bryan,
The drawings don’t have dimensions for the parts. Just part numbers and where they go. I’ve replied to Chris. Got some things I can try. Fingers crossed.
Matt McManus
1 Like
Maybe compare them to the parts on the other side. Could be a bad part.
Hmmm. Make sure everything is installed correctly in the structure and maybe remove all cleco and start on this side and try that. I’d be surprised if it’s drilled wrong. But I can also see how it could get a little bound up and not align. You could cleco it together 5 times and I think it goes together a little bit different each time. I also cleco only about every third hole at first.
Success! I took your recommendation to remove a few clecos and actually removed all of them. Then started over beginning with the front spar area that had the issue. Got that corner secured and put in a half dozen or so additional clecos. Then flipped it over and did the same thing starting with that front spar area…and just worked it. Ended up I did not need to do much with a pic when I used this approach. Got both sides clecoed, then up drilled. I was almost afraid to take it apart to debur. But I did and I put it back together the same way again. Worked out really nice. The left stabilizer went together so smoothly without any gyrations. But the right side gave me fits. Thanks again for your recommendations Chris. The recommendation to remove some clecos is what clicked.
4 Likes
Excellent! I’m sure your post will help others down the line as well.
1 Like
