Horizontal Stabiliser - Parts Prep

Once the kit arrived and inventory was done, I started by picking out all the parts for the horizontal stabiliser, which is the part Sling recommends you start with. Only problem is, two of the pieces that make up the rear spar were on backorder. I decided to box on regardless and complete what I can.

I will cover the steps I follow to prepare parts here and skip it in following blog posts, except where extra steps are necessary.

Step 1 - Dimpling

I start by dimpling parts before I peel the plastic off. This is to protect the part from scratches during the dimpling process, and it lets me draw on the part with permanent marker, so I don’t accidentally dimple holes that shouldn’t be dimpled. I dimple skins using the benchtop dimpler, and smaller parts such as ribs using a handheld dimpler.

I opted not to buy the more expensive DRDT2 dimpler, but this benchtop dimpler works well since the manufacturer added a spring to help builders dimple without necessarily needing other people to help hold the skin in place. You create dimples using a mallet.

When it came to dimpling the ribs, I had to modify the dimpler and dimple dies, as the holes that need dimpling is very close to the bend in the ribs. Here’s a before and after. You’ll notice I ground the nose and dimple die down.

Once the dimpling is done, I peel the plastic off. This is my least favourite part, ESPECIALLY for the skins. Once all the plastic is gone, I check the edges for burrs and deburr as necessary using a range of deburring tools:

After deburring, I spray the parts with a soap and water solution and give them a good wash. I then hang them up to dry in the spray booth.

Finally, I prime all mating surfaces, and the parts are now ready for assembly.