Build Update: Riveting the Right Wing August 18 2017

Saturday started early, I woke up brushed my teeth, washed my face, and the like. I looked at my clock 0657. "Perfect timing." At 0700 my dad and I were pulling out of the driveway, off to fly at the airport. When we arrived at the airport the low clouds still had not burned off. They were only at about 700'. A check of the weather revealed that they were supposed to lift to 2,000' soon. We pulled out the Sonex to fly. Even before dad turned crosswind, we both knew that this was not going to work. The clouds, though thin from the surface, made a nearly impenetrable layer sitting right at 500'. Dad quickly flew the rest of the pattern and in no more than 2 minutes, we were on the ground, rolling out from landing. I was faced with a choice, advocate to stay and wait for the clouds to raise, or go home and build. Since this is a build update rather than a flying story, I think you can guess what I chose.

  The task layed out for Saturday was to De-burr the wing skins. After my experience with the ribs, I concluded that this would take a fair bit of time, but not an unreasonable sum. Boy was I wrong. I played a podcast with my Ipod and set in for the inevitable grind.

I used a scotch brite pad, contraption chucked into the electric drill driver to rapidly de-burr each hole in seconds. With this technology at my side, the process lasted only 2 podcast episodes! For both skins! Before I was able to de-burr I had to make sure the skin was clear of any metal pieces that could make deep scratches.

 

 Once the skins were completely deburred (400+ holes!), I cleaned them using Lacquer Thinner on a paper towel. This step is crucial as it removes the corrosive oils from fingerprints and sweat.

We were making such good time that we went to Domino's for Pizza and went to the RC flying field to fly a few batteries.

The leading edge skin was similar to the aft skins, but with one important difference, It was not flat but bent. Aside from some awkward maneuvering, the process was the same. Clean the surface, de-burr the holes, Clean with lacquer thinner. And before I knew it, my dad and I had blown through all of the skins! I figured, might as well dimple the leading edge skin, the day is still young. My dad and I tag teamed the leading edge skin's dimpling job. He was on one side inserting the nail, which held one side of the dimple die. I was on the other with the hand squeezer and the other side of the dimple die. It was slow going at first, but soon enough there remained only 6 lines of holes, then 5, then 2, then 1, then I was done.

After a plans review, I concluded that the next step was to square the wings, and cleco the aft skins on. When clecoing on the aft skin I started in the middle, and spread outward in a wave. This assured that the skin was on square.

The aft skins fit like a glove. The leading edge skin wraps around the nose of the ribs, making a tight fit crucial. After one side of the leading edge skin was affixed securely via clecos, we had to bend it down to the other side. To avoid kinking the skin, it has to be moved as one, and while one could attempt to hold it down everywhere, the best way is simply to use ratchet straps evenly spaced to slowly lower it down.

Using Magic to bend down the leading edge skin does not work quite as well as the ratchet strap method.

With all the skins clecoed, and nothing remaining to do inside the wing, I prepared to rivet. The sonex's wing uses 3 types of pulled rivets. Flush rivets for the leading edge skin, normal dome head rivets for the aft skins, and extra long domed head rivets on the spar cap. I double checked what goes where and my dad placed rivets in the holes, while I pulled them with my brand new rivet gun.

When it came time for the leading edge skins to be riveted, I found that the holes were just slightly undersized and the rivets did not go in. The solution? ream the hole with the #30 drill bit which corresponds to a 1/8' rivet. Along the way my friend Cill, arrived and helped out by putting rivets in the holes right after I reamed the holes. And while I riveted, she pulled clecos.

One of these rivets does not match.

Luckily it's on the underside of the wing, so it is hardly noticeable.

Armed with a builder's checklist, the plans, and some tools, one can get a lot done in only a day.

With the wings riveted, I'm ready to fly! On the The fuselage!

Thank you so much to everyone who allowed me to childishly pretend to fly while standing between my wings! Sooner than I know it I will be sitting between these same wings.

Mr John

Paul Shadwick

Stan Whitfield

Ron Sipple

Ralph and Joyce Shultz

Paul and Beth Duff

Paul Hockin

Nicholette Shultz

Gordon Fern

Anon Anon 

Jeannette Shultz

Mike David

Jonathan and Julia Wolfe

Jon Palmstrom

Laurie Burns

Donna Mickel

Dana Baker

Mrs Nadine

Eric Johnson

Tammy Reap Hayes

Jeff Shultz

Brandon Lenart

WP Marsh

Michael Couillard

Mr Anonymous

Joe And Judy Green

Mrs Brenda

Mrs Cathy

Paul and Vickie Laberge

Judy and Roger Kemmerle

The purpose of this blog is to document and share my experience of building and later flying an airplane. In the first portion, I will thank all the wonderful people who donated to me. Then in the second section I will post a building update, hopefully every 3-4 days ,explaining what I have done  in detail and with pictures. Finally in the third and last section, I will post my flying adventures, and any maintenance I do. Thank you or your support and interest, I am pumped to be executing this project.