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N264JP - The Tail Feathers

Here we are at the start of this project. I started this endeavor November 91 in a small garage in California City, CA. Cal City is a small town just north of Edwards AFB in the high desert of southern California and miles from anywhere.. It's pretty much in the western side of the Mojave Desert which is to say it's pretty desolate. Below is a picture of the shop as it stood when I began the Boredom Fighter.

Note the minimal tools here. Big table, and a bench sander. The ribs are actually from the Acro Sport II that I had started at an earlier date.

	Layout and lamination of the rudder trailing edge. First real part for the BF. The tail feathers were carefully drawn on a 4x8 sheet of plywood then built on top of the ply.
	This is the rudder laid out on the table. The L-shaped blocks are used to assemble the rudder, vertical and horizontal stabs, and the elevators. Since all these surfaces are symmetrical and not flat, you have to build them off the table surface.
	Here you can see how the rudder is loaded into the fixture. Once you figure out the drawings, it's really pretty simple. These are only a small number of the total clamps you'll need, both 2 and 4 inch.
	Side view of the rudder loaded into the fixture. It's all clear now....
	Finished Rudder and first major assembly!
	This is the wet bend of the spruce parts for the vertical stab leading edge. Soak in water for a long time then bend and clamp. When dry, laminate and shape as required.
	This shows the leading edge shaper I made from a razorblade and a 2x4 block. The blade is shaped to the leading edge shape and the block is split to accept the blade, then clamped together. This is then pulled across the leading edge to form a consistent curved shape. The trusty "Workmate" has proved indispensable and is still around today, none the worse for the wear.
	Here's the vertical stab frame loaded into the fixture.
	More of the vertical stab in the fixture. As I mentioned, you can never have too many clamps!
	Completed rudder and vertical stab. A big moment.
	Here's the outboard edge of the first elevator being laminated.
	Elevator trailing edge glued for laminating. The T/E was a lamination of four strips of spruce.
	After the outboard and trailing edges were complete, the inboard and spar get cut (routed) and are in the process of being fitted.
	First elevator frame in the fixture.
	Once the major parts are glued, the elevator is removed from the fixture, joints cleaned up, and gussets applied.
	The first elevator is complete and the second is going together. Outboard and trailing edges were shaped the same way as the vertical stab.
	Horizontal stab leading edge gets the lamination treatment. At six feet, this is the largest part of the tail assembly.
	HS in the process of assembly. You can see that all the tail feather parts are assembled in the same manner.
	Another view of the HS as it progresses.
	Almost done with the HS. Just finishing the application of gussets.
	Finishing the stab. Note the Dremal tool which proved invaluable. I thing I went through two of these during the course of the project.
	Completed tail assembly woodwork! On to the fuselage!
	Tail feather control horns in work. The metal work has been done and the birch ply is being laminated to the sides per plans.
	The stabilizers are mounted for fitting. You can also see the hinges that are used. Instead of using the machined parts called for in the plans. I substituted AN eyebolts which have proved to work well.