Chapter 11

Building the Elevators

This chapter deals with construction of the elevator (the "wiggly thing" at the trailing edge of the canard). The steps are approximately as follows:
  1. Hot wire the foam cores
  2. Bond the cores to the torque tubes
  3. Layup the bottom skin
  4. Layup the top skin
  5. Installing the hinges
  6. Checking the travel
  7. Shaping and glassing the canard tips
  8. Installing the balance weights

(Feb 24, 2004)
A lot of metal are parts used in this chapter: torque tubes, elevator offsets, hinges, trim bellcrank and balance weights. I would like to try my hand at making some of these parts, and other metal Cozy parts, myself. I have some experience running a metal lathe, milling machine, sheet metal brake and TIG welder from spending time in my dad's well equiped shop as well as from working as a machinist in a local factory while in college.

It appears that most of the parts can be made using the tools I just mentioned. I've set myself to gathering the required information to make these parts. After scouring the drawings and plans, I've come up short for a few dimensions. Fortunately, Ed Richards has provided a CAD drawing of all the elevator parts. This CAD file can be found with many others at the Unofficial Cozy Builders Site.

Although Ed's CAD drawings do show all the required dimensions, I've noticed that the construction of the parts differs somewhat from Nat's plans. The material for some parts is changed as well. From some messages I've read, I gather that Brock makes the parts similar to how Ed's drawings are shown. An e-mail to Ed hasn't been answered yet, so I may have to ask the question in the group.