Source for Gap Fillers

[LSaupe]

Looking for a nice clean way to fill the gap between my rudder and vertical stab and elevator and horizontal stab.

I was thinking there might be a preformed item our there to adapt for this application.

Anyone have a source for this, or is this type of thing generally a custom fab?

[AirFox]

Cubcrafters sells a gap seal for between the Elevator and Horizontal Stabilizer for the Carbon cub that fits nicely.

[jiott]

Here is what I use http://store.cubcrafters.com/Gap-Seal-Kit-for-Experimental-and-LSA_p_1296.html

Kind of spendy, but simple and easy to install. To tell you the truth, the improvement in elevator authority is only barely noticeable at very low landing speeds.

[PropellerHead]

How about this for a home brew solution:?

http://thecornerguardstore.com/corner-guards/foam-rubber/foam-rubber-boing/corner-guards-slim-c/foam-corner-strip-slim-c-72-x-5-8-x-5-8-id-gray-clone.html

[mr bill]

I bonded wood to the horizontal stab, then covered with fabric

[jtpitkin06]

Bruce (airlina) posted one of the simplest and most effective solutions.

http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=4992&highlight=gap+seals

Look at post 23 and 32.

[jiott]

Mr Bill I like your idea; its the most elegant solution I have seen.

One more thing about the CubCrafters gap seals I used, they tend to start coming out of position if I do an aggressive forward slip. So far I haven't lost any but have had some tail ends flapping in the breeze when I landed. To be real secure they need to have at least one side cemented to the stab or elevator.

[LSaupe]

Great stuff! Thanks.

[WWhunter]

I used shelf liner on one of my planes. It's a clear heavy gauge plastic sheeting that has 'sticky' on one side. Can't get much cheaper and a roll will do several airplanes. Pick it up at any -mart store.

You can either cut short strips to go from hinge to hinge or cover the entire gap. I cut out the hinge area, I was advised that guys have applied a tiny bit of petroleum jelly or something similar on the hinge before covering it so the liner doesn't stick. Use you finger or some other rounded object to push it into the gap a bit. This allows for full deflection of the control surface.
I got this hint on cheap gap seal by a friend that works on Formula racers (Reno).

[colospace]

EAA Hints for Homebuilders recently added this
http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=3801322456001
A little more involved than the Bruce method that John provided the link to, but similar end product.