Tail Fether Tabs

[grdev]

When I first looked at the tabs for connecting the stab, fin, and elevator to the cables I saw Banding Steel, so I went to my local lumber yard and they just gave me about twenty foot of 3/4" x .029 banding in perfect shape. It was just left over from and old roll and not enough for then to band anything. I looked it up and it has a breaking strength of 3,200 pounds which I can't see my plane ever coming close to.  Upon closer reading of the drawings it calls for .062" tabs, so which is correct? I think the banding steel should be plenty strong.

[rockiedog2]

I'd be a little afraid of that banding steel because of QC not aircraft quality. I've had both chromoly and stainless on mine. The stainless sure is nice cause don't have to paint all those fiddly little tabs.
062 does seem a little oversize but that's what I would use if that's what the plans say...Leonard might have been thinking about the tendency for those tabs to straighten out under load. Obviously if the bend is right there at the attach bolt it can't straighten out but some(lots) tabs probably end up bent some ways out from the bolt. I think mostly a theoretical concern not so much a practical one but that's aviation.

[Steve]

When I first looked at the tabs for connecting the stab, fin, and elevator to the cables I saw Banding Steel, so I went to my local lumber yard and they just gave me about twenty foot of 3/4" x .029 banding in perfect shape. It was just left over from and old roll and not enough for then to band anything. I looked it up and it has a breaking strength of 3,200 pounds which I can't see my plane ever coming close to.  Upon closer reading of the drawings it calls for .062" tabs, so which is correct? I think the banding steel should be plenty strong.

Gil:
Consider making the cable attaches shown by Murray R... Every flyer arrives at a point where the cables need to be adjusted... I would suggest the addition of a safety wire thru a hole in the spar attach tab up thru the cable end receiver... The tab safety wire hole could be right under the bolt safety wire hole to anchor bolt & the cable end... Flyers pay special attention to the Empennage assy. for fitness and with reason displayed by Sam Buchanan & Tim Floyd rearward facing UTube VID's... Forum Search on Turnbuckle for Murrays Post... BTW: The spar attach tab shown should be bent a little closer to the spar bolt head - the unsupported bend will relax in service and the cables loosen...
Steve

[grdev]

Steve, I like that a little better than the washer adjustment, Thanks
Gil