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Rudder Spacer - The search for a straight edge

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jakecrause(at)yahoo.com
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:18 pm Post subject: Rudder Spacer - The search for a straight edge

Hey folks,

  

 99% of this list is probably further along than I am in the build but I just wanted to pass along a tip to the other 1%.  The rudder of my 801 has been slow going and hit a few speed bumps along the way.  Some self inflicted, some as a result of the curve balls life can throw at you.  Anyway, as I drew closer to skinning the rudder I got to thinking about what I was going to use for straight edges to jig the rudder skeleton in place as you prep for the skin.  The plans call for the use of 2x4s with a 32mm spacer under the board at the outer portion of the bottom rib.  This keeps the skeleton true and square.  Having worked with lumber a bit I really didn't like the idea of using a 2x4 because you can never find a truly straight perfectly dimensioned board, let alone two.  So I headed down to the local home improvement store to take a look at what I could find.  I looked at engineered lumber, I looked at  gutter material, I looked at aluminum and steel square tubing, I looked at trim material.  Everything was either warped or too flimsy.  I really didn't want to impart a wave into the rudder.  So, I started calling around to some steel outlets looking for some heavy wall steel tubing.  No real luck because it was either not straight or the guy didn't want to sell it in small quantities.  I knew if I kept scrounging I'd find something affordable and straight, but I was losing patience.  

  

 Anyway, what I ended up with was two cheap 6' aluminum levels from Harbor Freight.  They were about 10 bucks each and, although they are cheap levels, they were perfectly straight and ridgid.  No flex and no curve.  The addes bonus is I have two extra tools around the shop.  I've added a picture for your veiwing pleasure.  If you look closley you will see some of the speed bumps I was talking about ealier where the ribs meet the spar. 

  

 Jake Crause

 Pooler, GA

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keninalaska(at)gmail.com
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject: Rudder Spacer - The search for a straight edge

Nice solution!



On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 6:41 PM, Jake Crause <jakecrause(at)yahoo.com (jakecrause(at)yahoo.com)> wrote:

[quote] Hey folks,

  

 99% of this list is probably further along than I am in the build but I just wanted to pass along a tip to the other 1%.  The rudder of my 801 has been slow going and hit a few speed bumps along the way.  Some self inflicted, some as a result of the curve balls life can throw at you.  Anyway, as I drew closer to skinning the rudder I got to thinking about what I was going to use for straight edges to jig the rudder skeleton in place as you prep for the skin.  The plans call for the use of 2x4s with a 32mm spacer under the board at the outer portion of the bottom rib.  This keeps the skeleton true and square.  Having worked with lumber a bit I really didn't like the idea of using a 2x4 because you can never find a truly straight perfectly dimensioned board, let alone two.  So I headed down to the local home improvement store to take a look at what I could find.  I looked at engineered lumber, I looked at  gutter material, I looked at aluminum and steel square tubing, I looked at trim material.  Everything was either warped or too flimsy.  I really didn't want to impart a wave into the rudder.  So, I started calling around to some steel outlets looking for some heavy wall steel tubing.  No real luck because it was either not straight or the guy didn't want to sell it in small quantities.  I knew if I kept scrounging I'd find something affordable and straight, but I was losing patience.  

   

 Anyway, what I ended up with was two cheap 6' aluminum levels from Harbor Freight.  They were about 10 bucks each and, although they are cheap levels, they were perfectly straight and ridgid.  No flex and no curve.  The addes bonus is I have two extra tools around the shop.  I've added a picture for your veiwing pleasure.  If you look closley you will see some of the speed bumps I was talking about ealier where the ribs meet the spar. 

   

 Jake Crause

 Pooler, GA   

        

[b]

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n85ae

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 403

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 7:00 am Post subject: Re: Rudder Spacer - The search for a straight edge

I'm finished with all the structural assembly on my CH801, but working on

detail stuff like electrical, paint, etc. My advice is to take ALL of Zenith's

jigging recommendations with a huge grain of salt. I pretty much got

frustrated with their ways of doing things, and switched to using a

el-cheapo laser level which casts a really nice red line, and jigging 

assemblies straight with wood scraps which I simply screw to my work 

table with drywall screws. This has worked out to be a much faster,

and more accurate method than what I was experiencing following the

manual.



So my personal vote for invaluable tool is 'Stanley Laser Level'.



Regards,

Jeff

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