December 18, 2006 - Drilling Elevator Horn

Finally it occured to me to take a look at the Empennage Kit instructions.  There it was on the last page.  Detailed instructions on drilling the horns to the hinge bearing.  I had opted not to do it at the time.

Builders have match-drilled the horns a number of ways, but I ended up using Dan Checkoway's method.  I ordered a 1/2" long drill bushing from McMaster-Carr.  It had #40 inner diameter and 1/4" outer diameter.  I received it in the customary two days.  Problem was, it didn't fit in the hinge bearing.  I had to tape it to a n old #40 drill bit.  I held the drill bit with some pliers and held the drill bushing against my emery wheel on the bench grinder.  It took a couple of iterations, but I got the thing to fit in the hinge bearing.

Once in position, the drill bushing worked beautifully.  I did one elevator horn at a time.  I drilled #40 holes in each elevator horn.  Then I took the elevators off the HS and drilled each hole to #30, #19, #12 and finally 1/4".