Canadian long-ez

I started on the elevators this weekend. I would like to say again that the aluminum bits on the long-ez are time consuming and have to be accurate so unless you really like building parts it is a far better deal to get them from the cozygirrrls at www.cozygirrrl.com. Their parts are very resonable priced for what I would consider low volume custom parts.

First I made the hinge inserts.

The first step was to surface the top and drill some holes. I’m sorry that some of the pic didn’t turn out very good.

Next I opened up the one hole to 0.250

Here you can see it surfaced and the two holes drilled.

Next the profile is cut.

Here is a pic of the profile finished. I machined it deeper than the .75 so that when I face off the bottom, the part still clamped in the vice, it will give an clean edge.

Next I come in from the side and machine the slot.

The last step is to flip it over and face the opposite side.

All four of them done minus the debur and the 1/16th” radius on the edges. I will be using the cozygirrrls offset torque tubes so I only need four.

Now I started on the 1″ tubes. I used the chop say to square up the edges.

Next I laid out the pockets to be cut in the tube.

Here is the pocket laid out. I use the tape for better reference when I am cutting. Its just easier to see.

Next I drilled four 1/8 holes in the four corners. The plans call for a 1/16 radius in the corners so if your careful with your drilling you will have close to finished corners.

I used the band saw on the first pocket. On the second slot I used my Fein tool. The Fein or multi-tool is a much safer way of doing it.

The next cuts are too small to use any cutting tool so I line drilled it. If you drill close enough together its easy to break the piece out.

A little bit of careful filing and you have most of it done.

When you read the plans it states that the slot must be plunge cut. So from the edge of the slot to the center of the tube must be filed flat and vertical. I know that probably doesn’t make much sense but if you look at the plans they show it.

So if you are careful you can use a dremel and a file and make it work. I did use the router to cnc cut the first tube but wasn’t happy with the alignment of the second pocket to the first. Really I needed a second vice to keep everything in line. It was still acceptable but decided the chance of scraping a tube was too great so I did the second one by hand.

I cut the elevator jigs out of 1/8 acrylic. Its kind of hard to see in the pic but its there. It reminds me of Wonder Women’s airplane 🙂

I used the elevator jigs to verify that my inserts were in line and then drilled the holes for the rivets.

Here is a pic of the fitment by doing it by hand.