Another Day - More Ribs

Just for  those of you who think you can't do this because you don't have the space....

This is a photo of about 3/4's of my little shop.  It can be done.  The two cardboard boxes contained the new sander and the little radiant kerosene heater that I bought.  I have kept the boxes for a little while to be sure the products don't have any out-of-the-box problems.

The radial arm saw, being the power tool I use the least right now, has become the catch-all horizontal surface for all the misc. bits and pieces.  Also, the older table saw is serving as a desk.  You can't see it because the plans are draped over it.

Once all the ribs are done and varnished, the two table saws and maybe the radial arm saw will be moved to my hangar to make room for the fabrication table.  My fabrication table will be modular.  The full table needs to be 4' X 14'.  My table will consist of two 2' X 8' modules and two 2' X 6' tables.  That is so I can configure a fabrication table to meet the current need.  For instance, I will only need a 2' X 8' table to build the ailerons, but both the wings and the fuselage will require the full 4' X 14'.

The aileron ribs (wing ribs that include the aileron wells) are complete...

 The closest stack is the pile of aileron ribs...all 12 of 'em.  The further stack contains the completed full length ribs.  I am in the process of building the last two of those...

They are the #10 ribs and are plated with 1/16" ply from the rear spar back.  Building the plated ribs requires a little creativity.

The big challenge is plating the "up" side.  It can't be done in the jig.  In the area that is to be plated the capstrip pieces are end-glued in place.  Grain-end glue joints are very weak, but they serve to hold the pieces in place until the rib can be removed from the jig and the process of fabricating and gluing the plate can begin.

The rib is gusset side down because it is easier for the sizing step.  This rib needs to have the plate installed on the side on which the gussets are already installed. Once the plate has been fabricated, the rib will be flipped over.   The piece of ply is the blank from which the plate will be fabricated.

The outline for the plate is traced onto the blank using the rib as a guide.  Care is needed as those end grain glue joints are very weak.

And the plate is rough-cut on the band saw.  And, yes, I know about the color balance variations.  Live with it!

A check fit, and, sure enough, the plate is just a tad oversize in some areas.  A pencil line is drawn on material that needs to come off.  Note that the rib has been flipped over. 

And the high spots are trimmed off on the sander.

Perfect fit.

And the outline is traced onto another blank for the plate for the other #10 rib (one for each wing).

I cut and fit all the pieces for the second #10 rib, shown here in the jig, before gluing up the plate on the first #10 and the gussets on the second #10.  I have used heavy bolts to hold the plate in place on the first #10 rib.  They apply enough pressure to keep the ply flat, but not so much as to "starve" the joint, a big sin according to SystemThree (the manufacturer of the adhesive).  Once all this is cured, the first #10, the one not in the jig, will be flipped over and the flip side gussets glued in place.   

Applying the plate to the second rib will be easier.  As there is a rib for each wing, the plate will be on opposite sides of each rib.  Note that the gussets have been applied to the rib in the jig.  With the gussets in place, it is a simple matter of pulling the rib from the jig (once the adhesive has cured), flipping it over, and installing the plate along with the flip side gussets.  A piece of cake compared to carefully end gluing the capstrip (making sure the rib doesn't get glued to the jig), and, once the glue is dry, veerry carefully removing the rib from the jig for attachment of the plate. 

Ribs won't be done with these last two full length ribs, though.  I will need to build 18 "false" or leading edge ribs, two partial ribs that install behind the fuel tanks,  and two tip ribs.