Consequences

I am not sure how I am going to explain this, but I will give it a shot.  First, if one is going to deviate from the published plans, one had better pay extremely close attention to those plans. 

The above photo shows plans for part of the wing, the leading edge at the top.  Look closely and you will see a penciled-in label "6A" near the leading edge.  Recall that I am replacing the leading edge ribs with full length ribs.  Wag Aero numbered the full length ribs, but not the leading edge ribs.  I assigned identifiers to the leading edge ribs by adding an "A" to the number for the full length rib next to each leading edge rib.  Therefore, the part identified, in pencil, on the drawing as "6A" is the leading edge rib next to full length rib "6". 

Note that rib 6A, if extended the full width of the wing, intersects parts identified as details illustrated elsewhere, such as "ZN A70".  That designator describes a particular location on the drawings.  Don't worry about understanding the system.  All you need to know is that the parts illustrated in those zones are the lift strut attach brackets.  The parts identified with the number "2" in the diamond-shaped box are 3/32" plywood pads laminated to the spar.

The location where the spar passes through the rib typically looks like this:

 
The "L5A" written on the rib indicates that this rib replaces the leading edge rib next to the full length rib number 5 on the left wing.

There are a couple of places where a rib intersects the spar where there is a pad or another part attached to the spar.  Those parts and pads typically stick out a maximum of 1/4".  In those places the verticals next to the spar are doubled so that one of them can be trimmed to clear the part or pad.

However, in the case of the lift strut attachments, the total dimension for the plywood pad and the lift strut attach bracket is 13/32".  Carving out that much from two verticals (1/2") would not leave much "meat" with which to attach the rib to the spar.

So, for rib 6A, I have tripled the verticals at the spars.  Thusly:

Note that I removed the cams and replaced them, temporarily, with plywood blocks.  The cams will be re-installed once the two ribs (6A right and 6A left) have been completed.  The same treatment will be applied to the rear spar.

I shudder to think of the work involved had I not taken a close look at the plans before building the 6A ribs.

Will this work?  I don't know.  We will find out when it comes time to attach the ribs to the spars.