Bits & Pieces No 9

This blog covers a number of small items overlooked in previous blogs on the wings

Main Spar Riveting
The spar laminates for the main spar have to be closed as tightly as possible for riveting, to do this screwed type Clecos are required.

Cleco Fasteners PLHN Series

The factory 3.2 mm holes are to be enlarged to 5/32 [4 mm] using a tapered hand reamer and battery drill. Starting with every hole fitted with a 3.2 mm Cleco from the tip, a Cleco was removed, then the hole reamed and a 5/32 Cleco fitted. 

Once enough were completed these were then replaced with the screwed Clecos. Finally these were remove one at a time and replaced with a 4 mm pop rivet.

Installing these required a little care as if they are not installed correctly they will pull through, this was found out early. 

Screwed Cleco was fitted by first extending the barb to its full length, inserting, next the outer sleeve was drawn back up by hand until the barb made firm contact with the spar face, finally, the nut was run down to a hand nip.

A ratchet ring spanner [shorty] was used to torque up the Cleco to create a firm grip.

Note: To do this the ratchet spanner was held close to the ratchet to prevent over-torquing

Wing Walks
The first point to note is it was not intended to flush rivet this area of the wing but when sitting in front of a warm heater with a pile of skins and a hand dimpler that master plan evaporated mentally and so that is that. 

On examination of the top hat supports, when dimpled, the small available edge distance provided evaporated so a new problem stuck up its ugly head. To fix this a 0.020'' packer was fabricated and new attachment method devised using more rivets. Once the fabrication was completed It was realized that a centre packer would be required, one was fabricated from the same aluminium sheet with an additional row of rivets added to secure it to the top skin.

Nose wing walk and attachments

Faced with the same problem at the other side a large enough piece of aluminium was sourced to make a once piece packer/attachment. 

Note: The edge distanced here were tight than theoretical but even if the holes are correct centerline the aluminium stiffeners plates take 3.5 mm of the available distance, doing it again this builder would examine placing these on the outside of the ribs to regain 3 mm on each side - it would help.

Fuel Tank Installation

The last two skins should have not been riveted to allow installation of the fuel cap adaptor seen below after the tank is installed. This procedure is noted in the new kit notes and it was all part of the builder's mental plan but in the excitement of riveting was lost.

The installation of the fuel tank neck seen in the upper right-hand corner created hours of fun to install along with the prerequisite mess, cuts and bad language that such tasks create. 

Note:  A word or warning to place notes on the panels when thinking of these things would have avoided this issue.

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