A little progress XL H-58

[Chuck in Indiana]

add to confusion Hope these PDFs work. first time new printer and it is smarter than me.

I understand that when the machines revolt against us, the printers will sit it out. They tend to go their own way.. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

As the first wing sits today.

Hmmm, doesn't look much different. Have you been slackin? 
The difference is the ribs (except the double ribs on the ends) are glued to the spars. The outboard ribs can't be glued until the aileron spar is fit up if you are using the Iron Design drawings and method of building the ailerons.
I wanted to tie down the location of the rear spar, so didn't glue the butt ribs either.

Yesterday, I glued the fronts. Here's how I glued the rears. I've read some questions on this, and this is how I did it. It's not the only way, or maybe even the "right" way, but it worked well.
Once I had the rear spar located as closely as I could measure.. not very.. I squared up all the ribs and drew a pencil line around each.

As the rear spar can no longer move, I could move the rib sideways, apply glue, slide it back and clamp it.
How did I do that, you say?
If you built your ribs per plans, there is about 1/16" clearance on the front vertical rib member. Push that aft, and there will be some clearance so you don't wipe off the glue. Slide it over to line up with the previous pencil marks.
I had a batch of popsickle stick with a shallow taper ground on the end with a disc sander at the ready.They are 1/16" thick. Slide them between the spar and the rib, keep your square handy to make sure everything is  and go to the next rib. Repeat as necessary. 

And now for something completely different.

While the glue is curing, I'll make the steel parts for the drag struts.

[jrbirdman47]

Looking really good!  Since I don't have to do all the tedious things, (like make 27,693 gussets), I can enjoy your build and live vicariously through you!

[Chuck in Indiana]

You exaggerate. There were only 27690 gussets..
Somehow, I miscalculated and have some left over for the next (not)  wing.
It *is* interesting, though. Gives me something to think about and look forward to solving the *next* problem. Most of airplane building, IMHO, is problem solving.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I'll go out this morning and see how many of these clamps are bonded to the ribs. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Drag struts in.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Drag strut gussets installed and strut tied to the ribs.

Tomorrow, I'll finish up the 4130 piece for the inboard drag strut,fit up the root ribs for the last time, and glue them.
 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Root ribs installed for the last time and glued. My ever present Delrin blocks hold them 1 inch apart, and the square checks to make sure.

Time to make some pins to locate false aileron ribs..Delrin, naturally. 

A square clamped to the table keeps rib #7 square, so the aileron spar can be fit up.


It was getting late in the day, and I've always said I do my best work in bed..   so I decided to sleep on it before gluing the aileron and tip ribs..just in case I think of something at 2AM.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Prepped and glued today. While waiting for the T88 to do it's thing, finished up the drag strut fitting.

I made it like the drawing, but it looks to me that I could cut off that outer 1 1/2 inch and save (calculating) 27 grams per wing. It doesn't look like it is doing anything to me..

[Chuck in Indiana]

Can't put it off any longer.. I'll have to see if I can cut that trailing edge..

[Chuck in Indiana]

Ever since I saw the two long pieces of 3/8"X 1" spruce for trailing edges, I worried about screwing them up.  As I've mentioned before, I'm a machinist, not a woodworker.
Here's what I came up with in case you are also wondering how to cut them.
I spent the morning cutting up a 2X4 to get it straight.. and 1 inch thick. Stuck the trailing edge piece to it with carpet tape. Did the math and cranked the table saw blade over to 17.9  degrees.
Made a pressure plate to hold it against the table. Yesterday, I saved big money at Menard's  and bought another feather board. A guy can't have too many tools.. the feather boards held it all against the fence, the pressure plate held it down.. and I quit sweating.

They look pretty good if I do say so. I'll try to not break my arm patting myself on the back.

Sanded and glued.

A good day, another problem solved, and a big bite off the elephant.

[jrbirdman47]

Did ours the same way except without the fancy, smancy jigs and such. Turned out great, and I somehow retain possession of all ten fingers!(I probably sweat a quart though, while you were cool as a cucumber)  Nice set up and results!

[914pete]

Great progress! Thanks for posting all the pics Chuck.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Did ours the same way except without the fancy, smancy jigs and such. Turned out great, and I somehow retain possession of all ten fingers!(I probably sweat a quart though, while you were cool as a cucumber)  Nice set up and results!

Thanks.. it's always good to still be able to count to 10 after a machining operation..

[Chuck in Indiana]

Great progress! Thanks for posting all the pics Chuck.

My pleasure. I think it can help someone understand how it is put together.. at least my version of Leonard's sketches.
One of the many hats I've worn over the years is mold maker, and I have lots of straight ground ejector pins. I cut one in half, and pinned the tip ribs and aileron ribs.


It is very easy at this point to tweak the ailerons when fitting up the diagonal braces.
Before I put that last skin on the root and tip ribs, though.. I need to varnish where the sun don't shine. An assortment of brushes gets that done.

Diagonals fit up.

One more coat of varnish, glue the skins and diagonals on, and this wing is as done as I'm going to get it right now.