"Ernest Christley" wrote in message
...
I've got to cut slots for the rudder cables in both the floorboards and
the rear skins. Are there any tricks for locating the necessary slots in
a way to keep them as small as possible?

Tape some light cardboard over the area where the cables exit the fuselage.
Cut a 6" x 6" hole in your "best guess" of where the slot will be.
Install the rudder cables.
Cut an 8" x 8" piece of the beer carton . . er . . light cardboard.
Cut a slot in it say 1/4" x 2" (kinda depends on the taper of your
fuselage).
Snip the cardboard so's you can slip it over the cable and then tape up the
snip.
Position the two pieces of cardboard together and tape the small piece to
the big piece.

Now here's the trick. Measure from witness marks on the big cardboard to the
structure which you will still see after covering. This will let you replace
the cardboard precisely after things are hidden. Snip and remove the
cardboard from the cables.

Cover the fuse, tape the cardboard back into position and cut the slot.
Start with just a small hole and expand it with a razor blade until it's
perfect. You can use this technique with most any skin penetration which
must be done after covering, such as aileron pushrod holes, throttle cables,
etc.

Rich S.