Tip #1: Building the vertical stabilizer first gives you a finished product quicker than starting with the horizontal stabilizer. It is probably less difficult and easier to handle.
Tip #2: If construction time is a problem, get all the tools. A pneumatic squeezer will save lots of time, and a disk sander is just about a must.
Tip #3. I used draw dies to cut the VS doubler lightening holes. Greenley dies are easy to use, although you must do some serious deburring. Not a big fan of the flycutter type hole cutters.
Tip #4. I assembled the rudder to check for interference (with the stiffeners only clecoed in place.) Glad I did! One stiffener was a bit oversized and might have rubbed on the opposite stiffener.
Tip #5. I used AFS (aircraftfinishing.com) primer and was pleased with the results. It is water based but dries VERY hard. It seems to add a minimum amount of weight. Cleanup is a snap.
Tip #6. While not many people will have access to one, I used a Taig lathe with milling attachment to drill the rudder trailing edge wedge. A small support clamped in the milling attachment held everything at the proper angle, allowed exact depth setting, and prevented chatter. Setup was about 20 minutes and the whole job took less than an hour! I would love to put this in the Guide, but know that very few people would be able to do it. Perhaps it will give you an idea!
Tip # 7. Anodizing the ribs and smaller parts saves time and weight. I had the rudder horn and other parts that show done in black, the rest in lime green. It saves time in that you don't have to prep the parts for priming, nor do you have to prime them. Contact me for the address of a good anodizer!
Tip #8. Simple brackets to hold the elevators upright and open are easily made. They are a BIG help! The first photo shows the brackets on the inside of the HS for working with the C-frame. The clecos can be put in from the outside and the skin "flipped." The second shows the skin with the brackets on the outside for riveting the spar to the skin. The edges should be stabilized by clamping or clecoing on an angle or bar. The brackets can be steel (shown) or aluminum bent approximately 90 degrees and match drilled to the skin as desired.
Tip #9. Many people seem to have a problem with the inboard nose rib/front main rib/spar/spacer rivets. They are a bear; at an angle and right next to the attach brackets. I altered the assembly sequence and had no problems (okay, only MINOR problems. At least I didn't resort to blind rivets.) I only assembled the front spar doubler to one of the front spars (the left in this case.) I riveted the inboard ribs and spacer to the spar, along with # 2 and # 4 ribs as called for in the plans. This allows the inboard main rib to be pushed out of the way while squeezing the three rivets. This assembly is then installed in the skin. When I was ready to do the other HS half (the right side) I riveted the right spar to the doubler. Order was: spar to doubler, ribs and spacer to spar, and finally attach bracket to spar. The center nose rib was riveted in the right skin, then the halves joined. Also, a piece of scrap angle was clecoed between the trailing edges of the halves to stabalize everything while I riveted.
Tip #10. Leaving off the rudder counterbalance skin and associated parts allows easier rolling of the leading edge. Assembly is no more difficult, although the two top rib to spar rivets require blind riveting.
Tip #11. Basically, when working on the trim tab, do everything possible before setting a rivet! DON'T install the horns first, and especially, don't set the front rivets in the horns. I caught this, but many have had to drill them out. Also, it is very possible to use flush rivets in the bottom. A squeezer yoke with clearance works fine.
Tip #12. I used a standard 15 pin D-sub computer connector to attach the trim servo motor wiring. A bracket riveted to the inboard rib had to be fabricated, but removal will be easy and the connection is secured with screws (Loctite!) Servicing should be fairly easy.