Roger:

Just lay out the "U" shape with a fine point marker, the go to work with a
1/2" diameter sanding drum in a Dremil tool. Rough-out the opening, sand
into each corner, free-hand to within 1/16 of the three straignt lines, then
finish sanding by hand with a small sanding stick.

The whole procedure can be completed in less time than it took me to
describe it.


BJC

"Roger" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 17:33:17 -0500, "Morgans"
wrote:


"Roger" wrote

Just finished redoing the leading edge of the one elevator
shell...again!. Looks pretty good this time. Now I need to figure out
how to set up a small router to cut out the hinge access points so
they look good.

I would use a jig, and a router bit to follow the jig. Make a big letter
"O", of whatever size and shape you need, tape it to the surface, and let
the non cutting surface of the bit follow around the inside of the
template,
using rotation to force it to the template. I hope this is clear enough.

That's pretty much what I've been thinking, but the leading edge
curves down and I having come up with a form to follow the edge.
My big router, which is way too big for this job has some bits that
have ball bearings on the shanks for roll along the guide.
I'd like to come up with something like that on a 1/4" bit and I have
some aluminum channel that I could probably form to fit the shape of
the elevator skin. I'd use 1" angle for the back of the cut and run
the angle full length of the skin which would make the cuts uniform.
OTOH it takes a steady hand even with a guide. :-)) It that bit,
bites it can make it through the guides and half way across the shell
in an instant. Then I'd be rebuilding more than the leading edge.
No, I wouldn't. that'd be the point where I called New Glasair and
ordered a new set of elevator skins.

Thanks,

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com