Author: "Matthew" <mbrandes@...> Time: Sat Aug 30, 2003 12:12 pm PDT Link
I am trying to flute my fuel tank ribs and failing miserably. I
cannot seem to get all the holes to line up across the upper curved
surface, particularly towards the nose. When I cleco the rib onto
the skin, the foward holes aren't even close to lining up.
Any tips on how to flute these things? Does it require agressive
fluting towards the nose? That seems to be the hole I can't get to
line up. (3rd hold back from the leading edge.) Should the rib lay
flat on the table by itself without holding it down?
Frustrated,
Matthew
RV-9A Wings
www.n523rv.com
Author: "Don and Shirley" <don_shirley@...> Time: Sat Aug 30, 2003 12:32 pm PDT Link
Matthew,
If this wasn't a family board I'd tell what I really think about fit
of the nose ribs to the fuel tank. As it is I took 3+ days to fit
the ribs in the first tank and we've only started the left tank.
Shirley got 2 ribs in one evening on the left tank. Plan on
wrestling with them...and bleeding. I think it was Dick Tasker that
suggested to me to try unbending the tank skins because they appear
to be over bent a bit. We tried that on the left tank and it did
help. As for the actual fluting, I didn't get too aggressive
because when I got them sort of flat (not near as good as every
preceeding rib) the darn holes didn't line up and the directions
were clear that they needed to line up.
My solution was to bend the nose ribs a bit more than they already
were (actually making them shorter) and then they fit "better",
which certainly isn't to be confused with easily. Once I got the
inner most holes clecoed top and bottom I worked my way back. The
flat bottom side was a lot easier than the curved side but with some
moderate pursuasion they all fit. I wouldn't call it gentle
pursuasion but rather, moderately aggressive convincing. I'd have
preferred a gentler approach but I couldn't get it to wouldn't work.
Don 90702 Wings - still working on the *^$$ Tanks (Fuselage ordered)
www.propjock.com
--- In RV-9A@yahoogroups.com, "Matthew" <mbrandes@e...> wrote:
> I am trying to flute my fuel tank ribs and failing miserably. I
> cannot seem to get all the holes to line up across the upper
curved
> surface, particularly towards the nose. When I cleco the rib onto
> the skin, the foward holes aren't even close to lining up.
>
> Any tips on how to flute these things? Does it require agressive
> fluting towards the nose? That seems to be the hole I can't get
to
> line up. (3rd hold back from the leading edge.) Should the rib
lay
> flat on the table by itself without holding it down?
>
> Frustrated,
>
> Matthew
> RV-9A Wings
> www.n523rv.com
Author: "Larry Perryman" <larry-perryman@...> Time: Sun Aug 31, 2003 8:11 pm PDT Link
Matthew,
Flute as much as necesssary to get the rib to lie flat with the body
of the rib on a flat surface. When it is flat, the holes will line
up. Anything else and they will not.
If they still do not line up, drill a new one as long as it is in the
rib flange.
As I remember my tanks from about a year ago, I found that clecoing
the flat side of hte rib to the tank skin and then working around hte
curve to do the top isde. Use a nail set or any other sort of pointed
object that will work as a pick to pull the holes in line. Put it in
the last hole and use it to pull everthing together.
Another way to do it is to put the skin in the cradle that you built
for the tank. Put them between the rivet holes and push the rib doun
into the tank and cleco it in.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Larry Perryman
N914DL
> Any tips on how to flute these things? Does it require agressive
> fluting towards the nose? That seems to be the hole I can't get to
> line up. (3rd hold back from the leading edge.) Should the rib
lay
> flat on the table by itself without holding it down?
>
> Frustrated,
>
> Matthew
> RV-9A Wings
> www.n523rv.com
Author: bjaques@... Time: Sun Aug 31, 2003 9:35 pm PDT Link
Hello Matthew:
I had the same problem. I had to file and fit the nose of the
ribs to a very close tolerance. I then clecoed the bottom most hole
on the flat side first. I then used a clamp and block setup to push
the rib squarely into place. I was then able to cleco the rest of
the holes which took some pushing. Because the skin is thicker it
takes more persuasion to get them to fit. Make sure you have a good
fit at the nose end of the rib or you will see push marks on the
leading edge. When I first attempted to fit the ribs I thought
Vans's sent me a bum set of skins. I even called them to get new
ones. They just told me to keep at it and they will fit.
Bill Jaques finish rv9a N299BJ
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