Wings Forum

KevinC · Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:39 am Post subject: Wing work

Finally starting to cover the wings and a couple of questions came to mind:

How did everyone mark out/line up/drill the rivet holes for the rivet stitching? make a jig? snap a chalk line? inboard or outboard side of the rib web?

how did you handle the fabric over the fuel tank area? glued solid? strips? not at all?

thanks

K

DaveU · Joined: 16 Aug 2006 Posts: 173

Kevin,
I marked and drilled the wing ribs before covering. I put the rivets on the butt rib all the way out, except no rivets on the end rib that the wingtip attaches to.

I scribed a line on the side of the rib that did not interfere with the tanks or other items and then marked the spacing on the end ribs and snapped lines across the rest of the ribs.

I covered the wing and then melted the holes with a soldering iron, wiping the iron with a rag after every couple of holes.

I brushed a coat on the entire top of the fuel tank, none on the bottom. I then covered and shrunk the fabric then wiped the contact areas on the tank with MEK to stick it down.

Hope that helps.

Dave

scubarider2 · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 286 Location: Cleveland, GA

Yep, did exactly what Dave did. Except I did NOT cover the whole tank with glue. Just the edges. Then shrunk the fabric tight. I went outboard side of all ribs except the ends where the end tips go. I would make sure that you drill the holes FIRST before putting on the fabric. Burn them after. Really layer the glue "lots" of coats is what Troy recommends especially on the bottom of the wings. Use your small iron to get out ALL of the wrinkles immediately. You are not going to cover them with paint...I know! :? Double and Triple make sure you have everything done BEFORE covering the wings. You can't get in there after. Mount everything and test it FIRST. {the wings were the hardest to me}
Good Luck!
Dennis