Man what a pain... wasn't really looking forward to tearing open something that was already complete, but better now when there is no problem yet.
Some aircraft had developed cracks in the h-stab tip ribs, were the flange was bent to attach to the rear spar. When I built the spar I made a .0025" aluminum doubler to beef this area up, but the factory has since come out with a mod... and they used a .0048" stainless doubler! Well I figured I should go ahead and incorporate this upgrade now, and while I was at it install the heavier tip ribs for sea fins. The standard rib is .0020", the new one is .0032". I'll include blind nuts on this new rib to allow the sea fins to be installed and removed as desired.
Couple of things about this mode... the new tip rib flange is all one piece, it doesn't have the 3 cutouts on each side for the stringers... so you start by straightening the rib, then making the stringer cutouts. Now you've got quite a bit of fitting to do to the stainless doubler... and that stuff is hard!
I was talking on the phone to a friend while working on this and complaining about how much time I was spending on it, and he suggested using a 4" angle grinder... now we're talking! Went through it like butter.
Anyway, no pictures right now, but I'll take some and add them tomorrow.
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