Wings Forum

b1x4nqb · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 176 Location: Orwigsburg, PA

Tonight I finished sanding off some of the body filler to the Aelerons and Flaps. Got them all finished except for the Flap return spring and sanding down the top ribcap to meet the fiberglass leading edge. After talking to Dave U. about the flap return spring I will pay attention to its mounting position to make it most effective. Also got started on the extrusions tonight cutting out the "V" relief's. Will finish sanding them REAL GOOD tomorrow and see if I can get them to slide in real cooperatively.

alan · Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Baytown, TX

The extrusions can go in easy or hard. You don't have to sand the surface much at all, just lightly bevel the ends to remove any sharp edges. Then get some "C" clamps and clamp them on the spar on the sides opposite from where the extrusions will touch. In other words, you will try to temporarily reshape the round spar to a slight oval so that the extrusion has more room to slide in. You want to mark your spar in such a way that you can look through it at the shear web of the inserted extrusion and also see the mark on the spar for proper alignment. A little grease will help too.

I cut a notch in the butt end of an axe handle and used that to push and twist the extrusion to final alignment. When you are twisting, just tap on the spar lightly in the area of the extrusion while holding the axe handle (or whatever tool you are using) in position. This will jar everything just enough to allow the slightly twisted extrusion to spring straight.

I hope this has helped you and not added to the confusion.

Alan

b1x4nqb · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 176 Location: Orwigsburg, PA

Alan,

Thanks for the advice. Will try it in the morning. Sanded some more tonight and have 2 left to smooth out. I would like to get them in and secured. Troy told me to place my struts on the brackets while doing it as well to make sure everything lines up exactly before riveting.

Thanks,
Paul

b1x4nqb · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 176 Location: Orwigsburg, PA

They went in fine last night. I originally used about 500 grit sandpaper to remove any wild gauges then returned over the whole thing with 1000 grit to smooth it over real nice. Rounded the corners off with a file before sanding also. Then I oiled one at a time with some left over compressor oil and guided it into the end of the spar. I started off with a rubber malet until they made it to the spar end then I rigged up some spare aluminum (didn't have any steel laying around) tubing. Notched the end to grab the center of the extrusion and used it as a punch so to speak to send the extrusion the correct depth in. I had to resort to using a 3lb hammer the farther they went but they continued to go smoothly in all the way. No problems at all! I had mounted the lift struts so the brackets were in exact position and redrilled the center hole in them to secure the extrusion in place and to see how well I did with alignment. They all came out great but I was nervouse on the second one as the cleco wasn't visible when I first looked in, then I looked harder and it was there. It was just closer to the center of the extrusion. I'm glad they went as easy as they did. I think I set myself up for more work than they were. After church today I'll finish drilling out the rest of the holes and epoxy/rivet the brackets in place. I'll read upon which ones get countersunk, left open for the fabric plate, are long rivets and those that are shorts. My 4 year old daughter told me that if I would get out to the hanger this morning BEFORE church I could finish off the whole plane that way when we get back we could fly it around. I said there is only one problem! She responded, oh yea we'd have no paint on it! So she now understands why it is only my hope it be done in time for our return to Oshkosh and today is out of the question. :D

Paul

karmath · Joined: 09 Aug 2008 Posts: 1

Thanks for the advise. No problems at all! I had mounted the lift struts so the brackets were in exact position and redrilled the center hole in them to secure the extrusion in place and to see how well I did with alignment.
-------------------------
Karmath

Pennsylvania Treatment Centers

b1x4nqb · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 176 Location: Orwigsburg, PA

Another PA guy? That would bump us to, I think 4 now??