Rear Spar – Part 1

While waiting for an opportunity to prime (sensing a theme yet?), I decide to start section 15 – the Rear Spar.

The first order of business is to pull out the SB-16-03-28.  Initially I tried to figure out what steps I need to replace from the build manual (I’m working off revision 07/24/14).  Honestly it took me a while to figure out that the SB kit replaced step 2 on page 15-2.

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Wing Ribs – Part 3

Today I got some additional help in the garage.  My oldest was nice enough to help out her dad on the plane wile my wife and my youngest were off shopping.

We worked on attaching and match-drilling the ribs on the main spar.  It took me a few tried to properly translate what was written on the page to where and which direction each spar needed to face.  Once we figured it out, it was an easy process to put it together and match drilled.

This does make me wonder how to best pipeline the build to make sure I have sufficient room.  Another EAA table would be helpful, but really don’t have the space for another table.  I still have a wing cradle I need to pick up from a local EAA member in the next few weeks hopefully, but just need to work out where it will go.

Wing Ribs – Part 2

Continuing to work on the Wing Ribs, I separate and clean up the flap hinge rib and match drill them with the flap hinge bracket and the wing ribs. I also make the matching torque tube support bracket for the other wing.  I also pull start marking up the ribs that need to be modified based on the plans and use my snips to trim as needed.  I clean up the rough edges with my files and a combo of 3M deburring wheels as well as scotchbriht pads.

Overall I’m trying to be good and debur parts as I work with them.  I also make sure all the part edges have been deburred and cleaned up with my 3M wheel and in those harder to reach areas my files and scotchbright pads.

Honestly this update doesn’t have a lot of meat to it as I’m basically continuing match drill the flap hings brackets as and to deburr all the ribs.  This takes a lot of time, but I think it’s well worth it down the line.  Deburring the wing ribs is more difficult due to the shape and small gaps that have to be cleaned up.  I end up breaking out my Dremel tool with my cone deburring wheel to try to get into some of the nooks.  This really helped get things cleaned up quickly but eats through the wheel pretty quick.

 

Wing Ribs – Part 1

So I’m starting to get behind on my posts due to life!  Hopefully I can catch up on some of my videos and posts this weekend.  In the grand scheme of things, family and work come before my build project so no surprises that I have to take some brakes (not that the weather was helpful anyway).

Today in Northern VA we are on the back-side of pretty damaging wind event.  Most people were without power all day yesterday (and some are still without power).  We have reports of trees down on houses as well as at least 1 house fire nearby that basically gutted the house.  Not a good day.

Luckily our household while without street power yesterday, were happily having fun watching TV and playing with the kids while my generator was humming away outside.  First time I needed to actually use the generator and my checklists and planning some 10 years ago ended up paying off.

Well, enough with all that “non-aviation” stuff.  Read more

Main Spar – Part 3

Got a few more hours to work in the garage on my main spar.  I continued to countersink the various holes on the flanges of my main spar.  I’m sure I mentioned this in one of my Empennage posts, but I had previously had bad luck with the 3 flute countersink bits and opted to purchase some of the single-flute bits from Cleaveland tool.  In each bag that have a warning that its easy to break the pilot off of these countersinks if you apply a side-load on the countersink.  HA, I’m sure that warning is for other builders, not me!

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