I apologize for the blurry foreground in this picture. (No, it's not your eyes). This is the left elevator being fitted to the skeleton. We're looking from the inboard end, and I've peeled the skin back and propped it with a box so you can see. It's upside down, as well. (The elevator, not the picture.)
This gives you an idea of how the elevator is constructed. You can see the skeleton -- it's the part in green. The green color is from the Du Pont Vari-Prime that I use to protect the parts. The red line on some of the parts is from a Sharpie - kind of like a magic marker. You can buy them anywhere. They work very well on this project, and I covet the box that my wife bought me for Christmas last year. The line is there just to make the (approximate) centerlines.
You can see the pieces of angle aluminum that are riveted to the skins about every 5 inches. These provide stiffness to the skins so you don't get that oil-can effect -- skins popping in and out -- without the extra weight of a full skeleton structure as used on the VS and HS.
The big hunk of metal in the foreground is the control horn. This is a welded steel assembly that is riveted to the skeleton. Van's does all welding required in this kit, and it looks like a very professional job.
The portion of the skeleton to the far right is the trim tab spar. If you look carefully, you will see that the skin extends about another 4 inches back on the other side of the box I'm using as a prop. Thus, the trim tab itself has already been cut out of the skin. When done, its hinge is riveted to the spar just mentioned.
The skin that hangs out to the left of the spar will be curled to form the leading edge of the elevator. This is pretty much the last step in elevator construction. There are two cutouts you see in the bottom skin (which is really the top, but never mind). The foreground-most notch will provide a hole for the control cable used to control the elevator trim. The further cutout provides access to the rod end that's used to mount the elevator to the horizontal stabalizer (HS).
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