Wings 7
8/12/2006 4 Hours
This evening I stopped by the hangar for a bit to try to make some headway with the wingtips. I needed to have the nutplates on so that tomorrow I could get this thing finished with the foam reinforcement. Here you can see the strips cleco'd in place and the VOR antenna.
I managed to get all the nutplates on, and a nice smearing of peanut butter floxed epoxy to bond the backing strips in nicely. I'll leave that to set up, and by morning, we should be good to go.
8/13/2006 8 Hours
Today I wanted to get these wing tips wrapped up. That involved getting the foam strips laid in, and a lay up of glass on top.
The first task was to countersink the screw holes so the tip could be mounted. I did this with a countersink cutter in my electric screwdriver. Came out pretty nice. It's tough to use a countersink cage in a drill because of the small step in the fibreglass to take into account the wing skin.
Once that was done, I mounted the tip and positioned the rib. Here it is, drilled and cleco'd.
I countersunk the holes and epoxied and riveted it in place.
I pop riveted the VOR antenna in a few places to secure it ready for glassing over.
Here's a foam strip laid in place. I had to slit the strip so it would conform a little easier to the shape of the wing tip. I put the tip back on the plane for this to set up some. It's quite a nice warm day today, so it shouldn't take long.
In the meantime, I laid in the upper reinforcement foam for the left wingtip. You can see how I slit it for it to conform to the shape of the tip. It broke in a couple of places, but that doesn't matter really as it's the glass that you lay over it that really gives the strength. You can just about see the the other foam strip already glassed over on the opposite face of the wingtip. The Comm 2 antenna is resting against it.
A shot further back. It's quite important you get back here as this is the area where the wing tip is it's most flimsiest.
Today, I managed to glass over all but one strip of foam on the right upper wingtip. Most everything else is done. I glassed over the VOR antenna too. I also need to lay in a marker beacon antenna before I can call it done. For that I need some more bit's and pieces. I put the tips back on the plane to set up overnight. The tips are holding their shape even off the plane now!
8/19/2006 8 Hours
Today I finally finished the reinforcement in the wing tips. I had just one foam strip to glass over that I didn't have time for last weekend. I put the other one on the plane to set up before I got a photo, so I'll snap a shot of it next time. Here's the other wing tip with the Comm 2 antenna glassed into place. It's not pretty!
Next week, I should get the wing tip lenses done too. I have one to do for the right landing/taxi light, and the Nav/Strobe lenses covers too. The wing tips will then be put on the plane for the last time.
Well sooner or later these wing tips will be done. I did almost exclusively wing work today, so I figured it warranted posting in 'Wings'.
I still haven't made the lens for the taxi light, so now I have finished aiming it last night, I guess I should go ahead and get it done. I took the one from the landing light, and made a paper template. I then transfered this to the perspex and cut away at it with the cutouff wheel. Easy. It's funny, the second one of everything always goes quicker, since you've already learned on the first!
Next was the wing tip lenses. I cut the big lens as shipped from Van's in half, then set about trimming it to fit each wing tip. This stuff is much softer than the other plexi used on the plane. It's so pliable, it's easy to cut it with aviation snips. Beats the cutoff wheel anyday! I wouldn't recommend making the initial cut it in two cut with snips though!
Iteration number 2378 of 3487...... Striving for perfection..... I found that the belt sander worked well for shaping the lens after initially trimming it with snips.
Finally, it fits! Here it's held with tape ready for drilling the hole for the retaining screw.
Drilled and cleco'd.
I riveted the nutplate on and fitted the lens. Lovely jubbly.
I nearly wrapped it up after that, as it seemed to take me sooo looooong that I couldn't face the second one. Fortunately, I never and stuck it out. Putting things like this off means they never get done, and sooner or later you have to face it. Well it didn't take nearly as long to do this one (there's that quicker the second time thing again). Here it is fitted. You can see where the lens is contacting the wing tip, coz I put it on before it had dried. I used some PPG Acryliclean on it, and it's slow to evaporate.
The wing tips aren't finished yet. I still need to glass in the marker beacon antenna. This will likely be next week, as I'm waiting for the female BNC connector to arrive from SteinAir. It's on it's way, I know that much. Nearly done with then though, the marker beacon won't take long.