Jim Gries's RV-12 Project: Wings

8/25/2013 6.0 hours. 198 hours total. Instead of a new post I figured I'd edit yesterdays post. I [we] finished the ribs. Got some help from Dane today, three hours, and we were able to get the remaining main ribs finished. Next task is to install the flaperon hinges and then prime everything.

8/24/2013 8.0 hours, 192.0 hours total. Well, between last weekend and today, I put in another eight hours work on the airplane wings.

In this first picture you'll see the one each, left and right nose ribs. In a later picture you'll see a single nutplate and a small doubler plate installed on each of the ribs. You'll notice I only primed the area of the rib where the nutplate and doubler or installed. I've decided to do this so I can complete the small subassemblies. Eventually I'll prime all internal assemblies of the wing. I want to wait until I have enough pieces to do all the priming on one day. There is a lot of set-up time and clean up when using the air sprayer. I'd like to minimize the process time!

Pictured below are the left and right flaperon hinge doubler plates. These are preped and ready to go. You'll also see the two nose rib doubler plates. The four doublers below will be installed, two of the left and two on the right main ribs. The flaperon hinge will be sandwiched in between the rib and the doubler plate.

As mentioned above, nutplate and doubler installed. The rivet holes and the nutplates are both dimpled and attached using AN426 3 3.5 rivets. There are eight holes in the rib and the doubler plate. The doubler plate is mounted to the rib using six LP 4-3 pull rivets. Two holes each side are left open to attach electrical connectors.

Pictured below are the left and right wing main ribs. This is the way the ribs arrive and are packaged by Van's.These will mount aft of the main spar on each wing.

I spent the remainder of last weekend removing the protector wrap from the left/right ribs. Each, but time consuming.

The stack on the left and middle have been deburred, sanded and fluted. I have eleven more main ribs that need to go through the same process. Hopefully I'll get that compled tomorrow.

8/25/2013 - Okay, first, the stack of completed main ribs.

So here's an example of what I'm doing. The rib on the left is as delivered with squared edges from the cuting and forming process. The right rib is an example of the rounded and smoothed edges. This is what takes all the time.