Finished the rudder ready for priming. Started by jigging the bottom tube to the rudder front spar on the bench and tack welding it then final welding it. The rear of this tube is progressively flattened to fit the V" section stainless steel trailing edge. Then mounted the rudder on the fin spar locked in a centralised position. Fastened in place the trailing edge from the bottom tube up past the top of the rudder to the top tube of the fin. This ensured that the slope of the trailing edge would align correctly into the top section of the fin. The trailing edge was then brazed in place at both ends. I then fabricated the top rib of the rudder from two pieces of 3/8" steel channel. The ends of these were tapered to form the aerofoil shape of the rudder and were then tack welded together with the forward end at the requisite 3/4" width to mate with the rudder front spar. The forward end was then ground into the semi circular shape of the spar with the length correct to snuggly fit between the spar and the trailing edge. This was then brazed into place. The second and third ribs were then fashioned in the same way and brazed into place. The trailing edge was then cut at the top of the rudder with the remaining section left in position to form the trailing edge of the top section of the fin. I had originally intended to leave this in one piece until I installed the ribs in the fin but realised that brazing the fin rib would also melt the top rudder rib joint if it was still connected.Only thing left before priming is to get all the brazing flux off the rudder. In theory this will come off with water - in theory.....
