Wings - Part I

Its been about a year since the blog has been updated, so this will be a length post... lots have happened on the wings.

Where the last post left off was getting the spars on the jigs, level and plumb.

Root ribs

First step is to FIND the root ribs (mine were mislabeled).  They then have to be modified to fit.  The root rib webbing needs to be cut and fit into the ribs.

Both root ribs cut and fit and ready to be drilled.  Doublers need to be installed on the rib flanges. 

Fully assembled root rib 

Once they are fit and drilled, corrosion proofing (both Alodyne and Zinc Chromate) and riveted, and finally placed into the jigs. 

Assembling the nose, main, flap/aileron cove ribs into the jigs.

The main ribs outboard of the inboard fuel tank are doubled up.  No real fitting required, but they have to be drilled for riveting later. 

The strut beam components are all pre cut and do not require much work.  Simply corrosion proof them and install. 

This picture shows the bracing I built to hold the jigs in place.  As I have garage doors to work around, I glued them to the floor of the shop and then braced them to each other, and then to the walls.  1 year in they have not moved at all (plumb bobs on each corner to monitor for movement). 

Nose skins going on.  You can see the wood block hot glued to the spar and rib to hold it square.  The outboard ones are easy to adjust through lightening holes in the spar, but the mid and root skins are not so easy. 

To hold everything in place and line it up to the lines on the spar I used strips of plywood and clamps to position everything and hold it in place while drilling.

Installing the spar spar caps was fun.  They double up the spar in the mid section of the wing on the top spars.  They help tie the nose and main skins together and add strength. 

Forward holes drilled in the spar caps. 

Main skins going on. 

One side done! 

Stiffeners for the fuel tanks. 

Pitot static mast going on the left wing.  Rather than purchasing the Glasair kit, I simple bought a mount from Aircraft Spruce and will buy all my own hardware.

This plate will go on the inside of the wing and ties into the  skin stiffeners.  

Moved to the inside to drill the holes. 

Pitot static mast installed.  Nothing is riveted yet, but all the holes are drilled, dimpled and deburred. 

Drilling the primary spar attachment holes to the root rib.  I made a little jig to make this a bit easier.