This weekend we made some good progress on fabric backing plates and gussets for the right wing. There is a fabric plate at each point where a cable exits the wing to control the flap or aileron, and additional plates are located at the lift-strut attach brackets. The fabric backing plates were trimmed carefully around the cable exit points and deburred, then they were clamped in place temporarily while we drilled holes for the rivets. We used a hole-locating tool (which we had previously made when working on the left wing) to match the hole in the fabric plate to the holes that were already drilled in the lift-strut brackets. Additional holes were drilled for nut plates that will be used to fasten cover plates on the bottom side of the wing. All holes were deburred and the ones that require flush-mount rivets were dimpled. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough nut plates so couldn't finish up the two fabric plates that needed them. We ordered some more from Aircraft Spruce and will finish those up when they arrive. We will epoxy all fabric plates on the top-side of the wing once those are completed.
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| Three fabric backing plates |
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| Fabric plate for lift-strut at leading edge |
While we had the wing oriented upside right, we installed the fabric plate for the upper aileron hinge point. Since no nut-plates are needed for that fabric plate, we went ahead and attached those permanently (Using Hysol epoxy and small alum. rivets).
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| Fabric plate for Aileron |
We installed small wood gussets for the right wing. We turned the wing onto the leading edge and clamped it vertically so that the gussets would not move while the epoxy was curing. Surfaces were cleaned, then these gussets simply epoxied in place. After the epoxy had cured 30 minutes, the fillets were smoothed with a wet finger. Hours: 5.0
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| Wing tipped up vertically and clamped in place |
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| Two gussets epoxied in place |
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