theviginian

Nice to see someone else's, the cover plates are there just to hide the ugly glue line you get with a different colour surface, on a white surface like you have the epoxy microballoons will not show up so much, I suppose you could add some food colouring to the mix, but I don't know what that would do to the resin.

First a warning:

Carbon dust is carsonagenic it can and will cause Cancer growths so only cut this stuff in a well ventilated area (outside) and use a particle mask sutiable for carbon dust, being an old full size glider pilot I still have my oxygen mask and bottle, may seem like overkill, but if they are available why not.

I use a band saw to rough cut out four blanks, one of these blanks then has the template stuck to it, the first thing to do is to drill the holes into the blank at the position marked on your template, this blank is then more accuratly cut to line on a scroll saw, using this as a drill jig, drill three other blanks in a pillar drill to get accurate aligniment, ensure the drill used is an interferance fit for the bolts you will use to attach the ball link in this way you can bolt all four blanks together without using a nut on the underside which would stop the block of horns being laid flat on the scroll saw bed when you cut the bolted unit too a more accurate line. Then using a belt sander as theviginian or a bench grinder as I use sand or grind the whole unit to the outline of the original template. Obviously when doing the rudder you only need to make two. The reason for doing four at a time is to ensure the wing or elevator horns are all the same shape. Whilst you have all these bolted together drill a few more holes in the bottom of the horn where it will be inserted into the moving surface, this is to provide a mechanical link through the horn with the microballoon mix to the fixing block.

Next temporaraly put one of the horns into the moving surface and check its positon and if you can get full throw, if your cutting is not that accurate you may need to elongate the slot to provide clearance from the wiper part of the seal.

Bolt two of the horns together with a ball link between to establish the size of the cover plate if you are going to install them, this will also allow you to determine the space needed between the two slots, lay the bolted horns on the surface and mark the second slot position, alternatively use the cover plate. I use a Permagrit pointed file to mark and make the second slot, digging out the bits of the original block with the file, be carefull not to go through the top surface of the wing or tail.

Mike