The elevators are longer than a broom handle! So I visited a DIY store and bought a length of 1″ dowel to roll the skin LE’s. We decided to do this job before flush riveting the TE’s, since the clecos and Aluminum Angle helped to anchor the elevators on the bench during the rolling process. Another job best done with 2 people.

After securely taping the skin along the dowel with gorilla tape, the rolling begins. I pushed down and pulled away from the spar as Tim used a mole grip to rotate the dowel.

We found after using the 1″ dowel further bending was needed to ensure the holes in the skins lined up with minimal residual force. A smaller diameter dowel held tightly against the spar, together with manual bending over this dowel, seemed to do the trick. To ensure the skins sit flat where they meet also needed a tweak, achieved by holding a flat piece under the edges and gently manipulating.

A smear of JC5 along the joints, and an easy job pop riveting the skins together finished the job. Sigh of relief, I had not been looking forward to this bit. But it wasn’t too bad, easier than the Rudder LE.