Center Wing Nose Skin finished ... review following image to see how I did it.
The updated plans revised the Center Spar Carry Through ... to save weight?
... so I cut off the piece.
Final trimming and polishing
Using flycutter to cut the lightening holes. Works better than hole saw. Thin .020 aluminum is cleco'ed to a board for support and rigidity.
Various tools to polish the edges of the holes.
Doublers on the end rib of the Center Wing panel.
Center Wing panel ready for nose skin. Precision cut stands allow access for back-drilling holes into the Nose Skin.
Another view of the doublers.
End of outer rib showing 1/8th-inch spacer.
End view of the outer rib and Center Spar ... nose rib removed. Note: reamer at bottom of the imgae used to finish the bolt holes for the end stiffener angle (but NOT for the spar fittings!).
End view of Center Spar.
Center Wing spar ready for skinning.
Top view of Center Wing Spar ... ready for skinning.
Mini-Vac used to form the Nose Skin.
NEW ... NOTE: only the ends are covered vs. a total wrap!
Materials for vacuum forming the nose skin.
Forming pipe (1-and-7/8ths inch O.D.) with bleed holes taped in place. Trailing edge taped.
Bracing added using hardware store angles. The nose ribs tend to bend under pressure of the strapping. Also, the bracing holds the ribs square. Easy to do. Aluminum better than wood bracing.
Checking for square-ness before drilling holes from rib to bracing.
Close view of bracing at nose of rib.
Strapping pulls Nose Skin tight to rib ... ready for back drilling.
Another view of the bracing.
The table and wing panel don't have to be level ... but the table should be perfectly flat so that no twist is introduced into the spar. The spar measure 0.7 to 0.9 degrees at various points.
Two methods for holding the web strap. Ditch the angle ... it gets in the way. Also, flat bars work better than the round web guide.
