I set the last few rivets in the Vertical Stabilizer tonight, then clecoed together the rudder spar, plates, shims, and a couple of ribs. They are ready to be riveted next.
I ended up bucking most of the rivets in the trailing edge of the VS, and they all came out ok. A couple of the shop heads are right at the max allowable dimensions. I contemplated drilling them out and redoing, but the reality is that the removal process will likely cause more harm than good. Since they are still acceptable by my measurements, they are staying as-is.
The last 3 rivets are pop-rivets since the back side of the rivet is completely enclosed. I practiced a couple of pop rivets then set these without any issues. Here is the final rivet before being set:
Here’s the finished product:
I picked up some more tools from Cleveland Aircraft:
I think the trailing edge tool will be a huge help in the near future as I get to forming the trailing edge of the rudder.
I clecoed together the rudder spar and the various pieces that are called out in the plans.
After this is riveted, some brackets are attached, the stiffeners are back-riveted onto the skins, the trailing edge is shaped, then the whole thing is riveted together.