Looks good Andy. When we skinned our wings we did the top first, then flipped it over for the bottoms. Something to consider when riveting the nose - the very forward rivets are a pain because the skin wants to spring up. The top is more important for aesthetics and aerodynamics so that is a benefit to riveting the top nose skin first.
Good point, thanks Bryan and guess I can look at riveting topside first. Fwd rivets will be a pain, but the Cleco went in relatively easy, so expect the rivets to do the same.
Looking good Andy! the art of the double checking procrastination. I get it. An observation here, I notice the canopy open on the fuz. A suggestion, if there's no good reason to have it open, close it. Been a number of glider canopies damaged from the wind slamming a canopy shut with a sizeable repair bill following not to mention many lost hours waiting for the repair to be completed. Keep on posting up, tis looking great!
It may be just out of camera angle, but the canopy is tied off to a roof rafter with 2 red nylon straps. I leave it open and subsequently secured off as I constantly am in and out of there as part of the build. Good tip, glad you made it as it will be something I need to be aware of when the aircraft is completed…perhaps a solid rod will need to be manufactured.
@@pandyseven You learn to park so the wind will try and blow the canopy open - that way you can have it open when you are getting out. If it's really windy we take turns getting out and holding the canopy when we fly two up. To gonegliding's point, it is fragile when open. Although I don't really worry about it in the shop.
Looks like your approach is working out. The forward-most holes are a pain. I built a simple fixture from wood that presses the forward skin down against the ribs to hold everything in place before I drilled. It ensured that there was no space between the two (especially those holes closest to the leading edge) that might allow an offset hole if I drilled just slightly at an angle. I drilled the forward skin up to 7/64", too. I think the #31/32 drill bits the plans call for are too big once you dimple the forward skin. 7/64" seems to be the sweet spot where you can still hold everything together with silver clecos before dimpling and copper clecos after dimpling and still have an acceptably tight fit for rivets.
@@pandyseven If you can get a helper for the very last nose rivet that is a real benefit. When we did ours I pushed the skin down hard and Adam set the rivet. We did the top spar to the front, then flipped it over and did the rear spar to the front. Besides that last nose rivet they are really easy and with two people the last one is not bad.
I'm not sure if youtube will let me post a link to one of Adam's videos, but here is our timelapse of riveting one of the wings together. ruclips.net/video/Xa4O4vRuJrU/видео.html
Hi Bryan, got it thanks, Adam certainly has grown up since then. Here is my question, as I noticed copper Cleco’s on the LE skin. In the process of upsizing the RHS wing and namely the L.E skin. How do I Cleco it when upsizing using a 7/64, the silvers will go through, but not lock into position. I haven’t done it yet and tried it on a piece of scrap aluminum, and it passes straight through. When dimpled I will assume a copper will then go through as the hole will enlarge after the dimpling and therefore hold the skin against the ribs. Do I drill both ribs and skins separately or opt for a larger drill bit, say a #31 or #32.
@@pandyseven Andy, we actually drilled ours up to #30 before dimpling. A copper cleco will barely go in a #32 hole and a #31 is a little better. I think you are going too small. Sonex does not recommend going to #30 before dimpling.
So if I stick to the 7/64 then I will need to upsize skin and rib seperatly, then dimple both, then reassemble using a copper cleco as the hole will now be larger enough? OR do what you did and upsize now to #30
Looks good Andy. When we skinned our wings we did the top first, then flipped it over for the bottoms. Something to consider when riveting the nose - the very forward rivets are a pain because the skin wants to spring up. The top is more important for aesthetics and aerodynamics so that is a benefit to riveting the top nose skin first.
Good point, thanks Bryan and guess I can look at riveting topside first. Fwd rivets will be a pain, but the Cleco went in relatively easy, so expect the rivets to do the same.
Well done Andy. The pace of progress seems to have really picked up since you moved to the new shop.
Hi John,
Yes progress is going well and really enjoying the wing build and am glad when I finish this one, there’s another to do.
Looking good Andy! the art of the double checking procrastination. I get it.
An observation here, I notice the canopy open on the fuz. A suggestion, if there's no good reason to have it open, close it. Been a number of glider canopies damaged from the wind slamming a canopy shut with a sizeable repair bill following not to mention many lost hours waiting for the repair to be completed.
Keep on posting up, tis looking great!
It may be just out of camera angle, but the canopy is tied off to a roof rafter with 2 red nylon straps. I leave it open and subsequently secured off as I constantly am in and out of there as part of the build.
Good tip, glad you made it as it will be something I need to be aware of when the aircraft is completed…perhaps a solid rod will need to be manufactured.
@@pandyseven You learn to park so the wind will try and blow the canopy open - that way you can have it open when you are getting out. If it's really windy we take turns getting out and holding the canopy when we fly two up. To gonegliding's point, it is fragile when open. Although I don't really worry about it in the shop.
Good advise, can I also not make up some sort of solid arm as a "stay" type device?
@@pandyseven Would be a cool idea. If you get one to work out then definitely post it on youtube!
I will see if I can come up with something and post it...
It's looking good! I'm out of town for work again, so I'll have to live vicariously thru your video this week. 😕
Please let me know your thoughts
Looks like your approach is working out. The forward-most holes are a pain. I built a simple fixture from wood that presses the forward skin down against the ribs to hold everything in place before I drilled. It ensured that there was no space between the two (especially those holes closest to the leading edge) that might allow an offset hole if I drilled just slightly at an angle.
I drilled the forward skin up to 7/64", too. I think the #31/32 drill bits the plans call for are too big once you dimple the forward skin. 7/64" seems to be the sweet spot where you can still hold everything together with silver clecos before dimpling and copper clecos after dimpling and still have an acceptably tight fit for rivets.
I am not looking forward to riveting the LE skins and hope I can iron it out flat against the rib, geting good contact for rivet/rib
@@pandyseven If you can get a helper for the very last nose rivet that is a real benefit. When we did ours I pushed the skin down hard and Adam set the rivet. We did the top spar to the front, then flipped it over and did the rear spar to the front. Besides that last nose rivet they are really easy and with two people the last one is not bad.
sounds like good advise, and will do the same
I'm not sure if youtube will let me post a link to one of Adam's videos, but here is our timelapse of riveting one of the wings together.
ruclips.net/video/Xa4O4vRuJrU/видео.html
Hi Bryan, got it thanks, Adam certainly has grown up since then. Here is my question, as I noticed copper Cleco’s on the LE skin.
In the process of upsizing the RHS wing and namely the L.E skin. How do I Cleco it when upsizing using a 7/64, the silvers will go through, but not lock into position. I haven’t done it yet and tried it on a piece of scrap aluminum, and it passes straight through. When dimpled I will assume a copper will then go through as the hole will enlarge after the dimpling and therefore hold the skin against the ribs. Do I drill both ribs and skins separately or opt for a larger drill bit, say a #31 or #32.
@@pandyseven Andy, we actually drilled ours up to #30 before dimpling. A copper cleco will barely go in a #32 hole and a #31 is a little better. I think you are going too small. Sonex does not recommend going to #30 before dimpling.
Correct me if I am wrong, but Sonex do not recomend to drill to #30? and you did?
@pandyseven correct
So if I stick to the 7/64 then I will need to upsize skin and rib seperatly, then dimple both, then reassemble using a copper cleco as the hole will now be larger enough? OR do what you did and upsize now to #30