Nose Ribs

Finished de-burring and final adjustments on the nose ribs tonight.  Had a slight delay because I had to get a fluting pliers from Aircraft Spruce.  Had to do a bit more fluting on the ribs to keep them straight.  All the nose ribs and half of the main wing ribs are ready for installation.  Also got my order of CCP-42 rivets from Wicks which are used to attach the ribs to the wing spar.

Need to clear off the table and start setting up the ribs on the spar.  Tomorrow night I'll start that task.

Thanks for checking in -

Greg.

Center Spar Complete

The center spar is ready.  Main spars are ready too.  Spent some time getting the work table cleaned off and ready for wing layup.  Here is the center spar:

This evening I plan to set up the left spar and start clamping ribs to get final alignment and make them ready for drilling and rivets.  Still waiting for my rivets to ship.  Not sure what the delay is.  I will probably update with the rib/spar assembly later today.

Preparation for Wing Construction - 3 hours - Wing Rib Alignment

Back at it today.  Couple of hours doing some important preparation for wing construction.  Including fabrication of wing rib placement/alignment tools.   Per plans I constructed a nose rib and main rib alignment tool.  First the nose or leading edge rib tool was fashioned from some scrap 1/8" aluminium bar that I had.  Then shaped and drilled to match alignment holes in the leading edge ribs.

This is the leading edge rib alignment tool.  It will be used to set the leading edge ribs the proper and uniform distance from the spar attachment angles or intercostal angles.

This is the rib alignment (leading edge) tool on top of a rib showing how the alignment is set. 

This is the main rib alignment tool.  Again fashioned from some scrap 1/8" aluminum bar.

Tomorrow I will start laying up and clamping the ribs to the right main spar in preparation for riveting and continued wing construction.

Thanks for checking in  -


Greg.

No - I Have Not Given Up

Just a lull in the work process.  I spent a lot of time de-burring all the ribs and related parts.  I am waiting on my rivet order and some other things that I ordered.  Also waiting for my 8' 3"x3" steel angle to put on the workbench.  That will be used for shaping and bending the ailerons and other pieces.  I am ready to start laying out the wings.  All the ribs are done.  Including the center section ribs and floor supports.  I need the rivets and a fluting plier that is on order.  So - once all that comes in I will start the wing assembly.  May starting with the center section.

I will post some pics of the completed parts that are waiting assembly.

Thanks for checking in!

Greg.

Wing Parts Prep - 4hrs

This work session included about six total hours.  Four hours were spent shaping and finishing (deburring and surface prep) of the wing ribs.  Both the nose ribs and the main ribs.  I used a home-made deburring tool and some 3M green pads to smooth out the edges on all parts.  I have ordered this deburring tool from Aircraft Spruce and it should speed things up for the next round.  Also did the .040 inboard most ribs.  I also spent about two hours straightening up the workshop and moving my large tools.  I moved the drill press and bench grinder off the assembly table and onto a separate table.  This is in preparation for the wing layup.  I should start that later this week.  That task will include setting up the wing spars and attaching the ribs to the intercostal angles.  First with clamps and then drilled for rivets per the plans.

Rib finishing - deburring and adjusting flanges to 90 degrees

I had to drill out the rib form for the lightening holes.  Here I am using the fly-cutter with my drill press.

Should start the wing assembly later this week.

Thanks for checking in.

Greg.

Bulkhead 12 and Tail Spring Support

Did some fabrication of the bulkhead 12 tail spring support today. About 2hrs on this piece.

It came out pretty good. Here's a pic. 

Going to make the other reinforcements tonight.

Riveting - "Practice makes Perfect" - Does it?

Regarding my last post on hosing the center section spar - I want to learn from the experience.   Allow me to examine what happened prior to my failure.

I did a fairly good job at producing the parts.  The extruded angles were cut accurately and prepared according to standard practice. (deburring etc)  The 4130 steel straps, probably the hardest material I have ever worked with in my limited experience, were fabricated with a level of accuracy and quality that surprised me.  I had doubts in my ability to cut the web material (.040 sheet) with a straight line but the result of my efforts were also a surprise to me.  My confidence was booming after preparing these pieces.  

My drilling of holes for rivets and bolts after clamping the pieces together was at first challenging.  I improved during the process and any misalignment of holes was acceptable so I continued.  Cutting and shaping the intercostal angles was the hardest part for me.  But I did develop the skill and formed those too.  

Now we get to the riveting part of the story.  Yes.  I mucked it up.  But I'm going to learn this skill as it is something that I need to do.  And there are some other bucked rivets in the CX4 that I must contend with.

So I took the center spar out of the scrap heap and completed riveting it.  Even though it is not airworthy quality it will serve well as a training/test piece for developing my riveting skills. 

I did it.  Rivets set.  Some good, some not so good, but my technique improved and the good ones outnumbered the bad ones as I went along.  Here are some things I learned/did regarding bucking rivets:

1 - I watched the EAA video several times.  http://eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=1200014906001

2 - Found that when the spar was clamped to the bench it was easier and I had better results riveting the top rivets.  The top row was easier to set properly.  I think this is because there is some "flex" in the material when it is clamped to the bench.  The bottom row rivets were harder to buck and I made more mistakes.  I think when riveting the lower row the spar was too rigid and didn't give much tactile feedback to me through the bucking bar or the rivet gun.

3 - Make absolutely positively sure the rivet gun and bucking bar are 90 degrees in all axes.  This is VERY important for passable results.

4 - Keep a firm grip on the rivet gun but do not choke it.   Too much of a grip and you loose control and feel for what is happening as the rivet is set.

5 - I have a whole new respect for those guys that build with bucked rivets like RV's and such.  

6 - Practice Practice and practice some more. 

Thanks for listening - 

"Illegitimi non carborundum"

Greg.