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Trim Tab Sheetmetal Thickness?

dmat

Well Known Member
Advertiser
When I got my plane back from paint, looks as if the painter didn't put the trim tab back on. So.... I need to make one.

I didn't make my plane so I am not certain as the thickness of material I should use. I have some 0.32 material laying around. Is this acceptable or needs to be thicker?

Thanks,
D
 
Older kits (RV-4, -6) used 0.016 material (cut from the elevator skin). My new -4 tail kit use 0.020 for these skins, so the trim tab is also thicker.
 
Which tab?

Is this the elevator trim tab? Or is there maybe a trim tab on the rudder that is a bent piece of metal?
 
Vans sells the trim tab skin for like $19 bucks! Throw in the hinge, spar, and control horn.. all pre bent. I think the cost of these parts is cheap compared to the time to fabricate them from stock. I’m sure it’s doable, just not sure it’s worth the time.
 
Is this the elevator trim tab? Or is there maybe a trim tab on the rudder that is a bent piece of metal?

That is an excellent point. My comment assumed the OP was asking about the elevator trim tab. (I'm building new elevators with 0.020 skins so everything looks like an elevator to me.) If the question was in reference to the rudder trim tab (which makes more sense given that the painter did not put it back on :)), the 0.032 thickness is good.
 
Guys - read the original post - I seriously doubt that a paint shop would “forget” to put the [elevator] trim tab back on - I’d think it would be rather obvious it was missing.

I assumed he was talking about a rudder tab, and if that is the case, he might think of a wedge instead of a tab.
 
the AILERON trim tab was missing. It was kinda funny because when I noticed it, I looked for the tab and 2 of the 4 holes were pop riveted but no tab. Definitely left me scratching/shaking my head. Definitely left me disappointed with the work.
 
Might be a dumb question but did you get ahold of the paint shop? Seems like if they lost a part then they should be liable for the replacement of said part.
 
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