Leading Edge Assembly

Today we started by cleaning up the workshop.  We wiped down the wing skeleton and vacuumed the workshop.  After all of the match driling and deburring there was a lot to be cleaned up.  Next we riveted the leading edge together.  There are a lot of rivets and we had to work to get the skin to line up tightly.  We finished up the riveting and installed it on the main spar.  Finally we painted the overlap on the skin. 

Right Wing prep work is finished

Tonight we finished up the last of the preparations.  We reassembled the leading edge and installed the platenuts for the leading edge.  Finally we prepped and primed the spar countersinks and the remaining parts.  Next time we'll work on assembling the leading edge.

It was time install some pieces for the landing lights in the leading edge.... This pattern is ment to ensure the proper placement of platenuts.

The main spare after the machine counter sinced holes have been primed. 

This much fun should be illiegal

Well, today was another day of prep work.  We put in a lot of hours and now we're almost finished all of the prep work on the right wing. To speed things up we split up to cover more territory but I won't try to allocate the tasks to a specific person.  We worked on deburring and dimpling all of the remaining rivet holes on the wing skeleton and skins, In addition we installed the plate nuts on the right fuel tank "Z" brackets (the fuel tanks have been set aside until the new caps arrive.)  We also machine countersunk the main spar rivet holes.  Plus, we disassembled, deburred and dimpled the leading edge ribs and skin.  Next we drilled the plate nuts to "W-919" which is the place where the fuel tank gets attached to the leading edge.  Finally we prepped and primed the leading edge ribs and skins.  Of course, all of the skins still had the blue plastic protective coat on so that was cut off before any deburring or dimpling was done.  All in all, it was a great day of work but it looks like we've taken a giant step backwards now that we have a bare wing skeleton sitting in the stand.  Next time we'll start riveting the right wing leading edge together so the wing starts to look like a wing again.  Scott working on one of the leading edge ribs. Darren machine countersyncing some holes on the main spar. Darren drilling out some holes for the platenute attachments on the the wing tank re enforcement plate. Scott priming some of the pieces... it gets a little cloudy in there.

More fun than a barrel of monkeys

Not!  We spent all of today doing prep work.  First we match drilled the fuel drain flange to the left fuel tank skin and that was the end of the fun tasks.  Next we disassembled the left fuel tank and proceeded to deburr and dimple all of the parts.  Once that was done we set the left fuel tank aside.  We are waiting for the delivery of the nice, shiny, stainless steel fuel caps.

We then moved onto the right wing skeleton.  We removed the top skin and starting working on deburring and dimpling all of the parts.  Luckily with two of us we can employ a divide and conquer strategy.  Darren worked on removing the blue plastic protective coating from the main skin.  He then deburred both sides of the sheet and beveled the skin overlap.  While he was doing that, I worked on deburring and dimpling all of the holes in the wing skeleton.  Afterwards, we teamed back up to dimple the main sheet.  Lastly we prepped and primed a few of the fuel tank parts and the main wing skin.

Scott either taking some clecos out, or putting some clecos in (the process is repeated alot...).

 

Darren doing some pre-paint prep work. 

Fuel tank progress

Today we did work on both fuel tanks and finished up the preparation work on the right tank.  The first task was to use the flycutter on the drill-press to cut out a hole in the inboard tank rib for the access cover (both left and right tanks).  Next we match drilled the access covers to the end-ribs and then match drilled the stiffner rings to the ribs.  Because the access panel is secured using screws, we had to install platenuts (which means 2 rivet holes in addition to the screw hole).  Before the platenuts could be installed, the rib needed to be deburred and dimpled and the stiffner ring was countersunk.  We next drilled the holes for the fuel pickup tube, fuel vent line and the capacitive sensor connector.  Once that was done, we then installed the stiffner and platenuts to the rib (this was done on the left and right fuel tanks.)  Next we match drilled the fuel tank drain flange to the right tank skin.  Finally we concentrated on the right fuel tank.  We disassembled, deburred and dimpled all of the ribs and skins.  We are waiting for the new fuel caps to arrive before we start to seal the right tank.  Next session we will wrap up the prep work on the left tank in the hopes that the tank caps arrive before we're ready to start sealing the tanks.  

Since we are using a capacitive fuel sensor we had use a different acess cover for the tank.  We used the access cover included with the base kit to place the hole used for the fuel pickup tube.

The end rib, re-enforcement plate, and access cover prior to some prep and assembly work. 

Darren cleaning up a re-enforcement plate. 

 An end rib with the plate-nuts, and re-enforcement plate riveted into place.

 The access cover sitting in place.

A close-up of the skin after some dimpling work. 

 The skin more or less ready for assembly.

Another  close-up of the skin after some dimpling work.  

Tank stiffners and "Z" brackets

This update is being posted a little late.  We spent the evening working on the stiffner plates which attach to the two end ribs, preparing the capacitive fuel sensing plates (these measure how much fuel is in the tank), and the "Z" brackets which connect the fuel tank to the main wing spar.  Darren and I split the tasks for the evening -- I worked on the stiffner plates and capacitive fuel sensor plates and Darren worked on the "Z" brackets. 

The stiffner plate were made by cutting the proper shape on the bandsaw and then I used the grinder to fine-tune the fit to the tank skin.  After that I match drilled the stiffners to the ribs.

Next I match drilled the capacitive fuel sensor plates to the proper ribs and did the work necessary to install the platenuts on the sensor plates.

While that was going on Darren took care of a lot of things with the "Z" brackets.  He first match drilled platenuts to the brackets for the screws that will connect the fuel tank to the main skin.  Next he countersunk all of the rivet holes for the plate nuts and started the preparation for priming.

Scott match drilling a tank rib stiffner. 

Right Fuel Tank Progress

Today we continued working on the right fuel tank.  First we finished match drilling the "Z" attach brackets.  Next we installed the rear baffle and temporarily attached the "Z" attach brackets.  Once that was done we installed the fuel tank on the wing and match drilled the "Z" brackets to the main spar.  After that we checked the wing for twist.  The plans allow for a 3/32" difference.  Well, after careful measuring and confirmation we determined that our difference was 0/32".  Not too shabby!  Next we took a divide and conquer approach, Darren match drilled the fuel tank ribs and skins while I manufactured (cut out of aluminium angle, drilled and polished the edges) an attach bracket.  Finally we countersunk the tank skin where the rear baffle gets attached.  We called it a day at that point. 

The wing with the fuel tank cleco'd into place. 

A close-up of the tank. 

 Darren match drilling the tank skin / rear baffle.

Scott taking a turn at match drilling. 

Right Wing Leading Edge and Fuel Tank

After a couple of weeks of delay, trips to Oshkosh, trips to Regina, etc we returned to the workshop.  We wrapped up the prep work on the leading edge (we match drilled it).  Next we started working on the right wing fuel tank.  As usual it was a struggle to cleco the ribs into the skin but now that we've mastered the technique it went relatively smoothly.  Next we manufactured and match drilled the fuel tank stiffners to the tank skin (essentially these are installed in the tank to add a little rigidity to the skin).  Finally we began the work on the fuel tank attach "Z" brackets.  It's actually quite amazing how much faster this goes on the second wing.

The tank with skins cleco'd in place.

The tank with skins cleco'd in place (from a different angle).

Scott match drilling the tank stiffners. 

Fuselage kit ordered

We decided to take advantage of the strong Canadian dollar and order the fuselage kit.  It has a lead time of 8-10 weeks plus shipping so we expect to have it arrive in Ottawa sometime in early to late October. Van's will let us know when it is getting close to shipping.