Earlier, (Brock) wrote:

For rails I was thinking about
something like standard kitchen
drawer rails or perhaps a tube
within a tube design. I wouldn't
think their would be a lot of
force on the slat...

The two factors that might surprise you are the worst-case loads on an
extended slat at design limit loading, and the consequences of failure
of the actuators or the support rails. Taken together, they suggest
that the structure should be about as bulletproof as any other element
of primary structure.

...perhaps it would have to be
custom made.

Almost certainly the case. Fortunately, the raw materials (bearings,
steel, aluminum) are all relatively cheap and plentiful. Let the
Aircraft Spruce (or Wicks) catalog be your guide and playground.

Any ideas on how to go about
building something like this?

Make a sectional model out of garbage (plywood, masonite, nails) and
keep modifying it until it gives good motion.

Then make a prototype of one of the actuator/support stations, and
load test it to validate that it supports loadings about 1.5x of the
maximum expected.

Then make a full-scale prototype and test it on the experimental
aircraft of your choice. Good luck.

The slats on the Me-109 (or Bf-109) might be a god model to start
from. I understand that they're just spring-loaded so they pop out
when the pressure at the stagnation point goes below a certain value.

Thanks, and best regards to all

Bob K.
http://www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24