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Trimming the rudder stiffeners

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colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:46 am Post subject: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

I was trimming the rudder stiffeners with aviation snips last night,  

and it is fairly obvious to me now that that is not the right tool for  

the job.



I thought of using the die grinder, but I don't want to heat the part  

too much.



Thinking now of getting air nibblers which look inexpensive at about  

$100, another choice would be a bandsaw.



Thoughts ?



Thanks in advance.

Colm



http://oreillyrv8.blogspot.com/

tim.randles(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 6:17 am Post subject: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

Wow, I just saw the bent and cracked stiffener on your blog.  I didn't have any problems like that when I trimmed mine.  They came out nice and straight.  Make sure you're using the correct handedness snips for the direction you're cutting.

 

Tim



On Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 9:31 AM, Colm O'Reilly <colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com (colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com)> wrote:

[quote] --> RV-List message posted by: "Colm O'Reilly" <colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com (colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com)>

 

 I was trimming the rudder stiffeners with aviation snips last night, and it is fairly obvious to me now that that is not the right tool for the job.

 

 I thought of using the die grinder, but I don't want to heat the part too much.

 

 Thinking now of getting air nibblers which look inexpensive at about $100, another choice would be a bandsaw.

 

 Thoughts ?

 

 Thanks in advance.

 Colm

 

 http://oreillyrv8.blogspot.com/

 

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 get="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

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 http://forums.matronics.com

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 le, List Admin.

 ="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution

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 [b]

Xavier.Marshall(at)vcaant
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 6:19 am Post subject: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

I too did the first one or two with snips.  I switched to the band saw.  Made quick work of it. 



Xavier

 (Resistance is Futile (if > 1-ohm)



--

john_s_bright(at)yahoo.co
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 6:43 am Post subject: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

I would think snips would work well. Do you have left and right hand ones? Did you try trimming close to the finished line first and then a final trim to the line?



 Thanks,

John Bright

---

Michael Wynn

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 148
Location: San Ramon, CA

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 7:13 am Post subject: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

I ended up using a bandsaw.  I made a little jig out of plywood,  clamped down to the bandsaw table to get the angle correct.  Then cut them  all.  There are more stiffeners in the elevators that will require the same  treatment.

  

 I have never been able to get a very smooth cut with snips, but that could  just be me.

  

 Regards,

  

 Michael Wynn

 RV 8 Canopy

 San Ramon, CA

  

  

 

  [quote][b]

_________________
Michael Wynn
RV 8
San Ramon, CA

n223rv(at)wolflakeairport
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 7:13 am Post subject: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

Bandsaw, you'll use I a lot!!



Sent from my iPhone



On Aug 21, 2009, at 9:31 AM, "Colm O'Reilly" <colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com>  

wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com>



 I was trimming the rudder stiffeners with aviation snips last night,  

 and it is fairly obvious to me now that that is not the right tool  

 for the job.



 I thought of using the die grinder, but I don't want to heat the  

 part too much.



 Thinking now of getting air nibblers which look inexpensive at about  

 $100, another choice would be a bandsaw.



 Thoughts ?



 Thanks in advance.

 Colm



 http://oreillyrv8.blogspot.com/

mrobert569(at)hotmail.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 7:13 am Post subject: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

I agree.  Bandsaw followed by a sanding disk and the scotchbrite wheel.

  

 Mike Robertson

 

[quote] From: Xavier.Marshall(at)vcaantech.com

 To: rv-list(at)matronics.com

 Date: Fri C 21 Aug 2009 07:15:51 -0700

 Subject: RE: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

 

 --> RV-List message posted by: Xavier Marshall <Xavier.Marshall(at)vcaantech.com>

 

 I too did the first one or two with snips. I switched to the band saw. Made quick work of it. 

 

 Xavier

 (Resistance is Futile (if > 1-ohm)

 

 --

jfogarty(at)tds.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 8:20 am Post subject: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

Colm,  If you have a left and right hand snips  and you are cutting the stiffeners correctly, you should not have this  problem.  It looks like you drilled your holes prior to sizing the  stiffeners, I think I made all of my stiffeners and then drilled the holes, but  I'm not sure.  Mark you stiffeners and then cut them within 1/16" and then  use a file or belt sander to get them perfect.  If all else fails, look for  a builder in your area and ask for help, maybe at your local airport.  You  may need to order a little more material from Vans.  Good  luck.

  

 Jim

 RV9a building

 [quote]   ---

peterlaurence6(at)gmail.c
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:33 am Post subject: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

Colm,



My 2 cents-- Get a bandsaw and buy a few bimetal non ferrous blades(for cutting Aluminum in this case)

Get Harbor Freight's 12 inch sanding disk. Also, if you don't already have one, Get a "grinder" and use the brown and grey scotchbrite wheels for deburring small parts. You can use your die grinder with a scotchbrite rolac disk on larger parts.

 



Cut the part on the bandsaw a little larger than the final dimensions. Place on the 12 sander and cut to the proper size. Deburr on the wheels.

I'll be starting on my canopy soon. I have never had to use a snip.

 



Peter

On Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 9:31 AM, Colm O'Reilly <colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com (colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com)> wrote:

 [quote]--> RV-List message posted by: "Colm O'Reilly" <colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com (colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com)>

  

 I was trimming the rudder stiffeners with aviation snips last night, and it is fairly obvious to me now that that is not the right tool for the job.

 

 I thought of using the die grinder, but I don't want to heat the part too much.

 

 Thinking now of getting air nibblers which look inexpensive at about $100, another choice would be a bandsaw.

 

 Thoughts ?

 

 Thanks in advance.

 Colm

 

 http://oreillyrv8.blogspot.com/

 

 ===========

 get="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

 ===========

 http://forums.matronics.com

 ===========

 le, List Admin.

 ="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution

 ===========

 

 

 

 [b]

colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 7:17 pm Post subject: Trimming the rudder stiffeners

Thanks everyone for the excellent responses.



Motivated by these I was able to apply some patience to the problem  

and trim them just fine this evening with the left (red) snips and  

then clean them up with the scotchbrite wheel.

I am also chasing down a bandsaw and drill press.



Thanks,



Colm

http://oreillyrv8.blogspot.com/

On Aug 21, 2009, at 9:31 AM, Colm O'Reilly wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <colm.oreilly(at)gmail.com>



 I was trimming the rudder stiffeners with aviation snips last night,  

 and it is fairly obvious to me now that that is not the right tool  

 for the job.



 I thought of using the die grinder, but I don't want to heat the  

 part too much.



 Thinking now of getting air nibblers which look inexpensive at about  

 $100, another choice would be a bandsaw.



 Thoughts ?



 Thanks in advance.

 Colm



 http://oreillyrv8.blogspot.com/

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