Inventoried little bags of parts.  I attempted to clean up the garage as I didn't expect the empennage kit to get here for another week.  Made a shopping list of lumber to get in town if I can borrow/rent a truck.

After a couple of evenings and with the help of my wife, I completed the inventory of the empennage kit and put everything in it's place.  We noted no discrepancies with the kit shipment.  All parts were there.

Today, I began the Horizontal Stabilizer and Front Spar Fabrication.  Van's instructions start by having you taper and round the ends of the front spar reinforcements (HS-710 and HS-714).  The instructions have you taper back 2.5" and round the ends.  I took the end cap from my sharpie marker to draw out the rounded ends and drew a line back 2.5" for my taper cut.  I used a band saw with a metal cutting blade to make the initial cut, used the vixen file to remove material to the lines I drew and then used the scotchbrite wheels to finish the cut edges.

I assembled the rear spar with the HS-609PP spar reinforcements after I broke the edges of the spar reinforcements.

I installed all hinge brackets and I assembled the HS-411PP, HS-412PP, and VA-146 riveting the assembly together.  This shop heads on this hinge have the correct diameter, however, they do not have the correct depth on the shop heads (rivets were too short, however, this is what was called out by the prints).  A review of Van's instructions state that this may happen throughout building in certain applications and this is not of concern.  A thread on the Yahoo Users Group indicated that other builders are experiencing the same thing.  One builder stated that he called Van's on the issue and they stated that it was not a problem and that they required 6 rivets to hold the assembly which is way over what is actually needed.

Not a lot of detail here, however, this is was my first day working on the aircraft and I spent some time trying to figure out the prints and the instructions.  I will come up with a system.  If I don't go any faster than this, I won't be flying before I retire :)