MIKE HOWE'S RV7 CONSTRUCTION WINGS
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February 14, 2002

Decided to get out the woodworking tools and construct the wing and tank cradle.

Wing Storage Construction

February 17, 2002

I have spent the last couple of days getting the wing cradle built, added a couple of extra things like the handles on the end and put some swivel castors on, which work real well in moving it around.

End1

February 17, 2002

A picture of the other end, the notches on the top are where the spar will rest and is notched to keep it from slipping off.

End2

February 18, 2002

 Did some work on preparing ribs, very tedious but has to be done. Used the die grinder with a 3M wheel to deburr the inside of the holes in the ribs, fluted, and smoothed all the edges.

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Deburr holes

February 18, 2002

Cleaned ribs with MEK, Alumiprep, got out alodine setup and applied the alodine treatment

Prep Ribs

February 18, 2002

Cut up some clothes hangers and made hooks to hang the ribs after I prime them tomorrow I hope.

February 19, 2002

Primed the wing ribs, with white primer

Primed the wing ribs, with white primer

February 20, 2002

I started looking for the PN726 and could not find them. You find out that it is one of those parts you will need to make yourself. You are supplied with a Aluminum bar, PN AB4-187X1 1/4X12. Measurements are on insert on page 15A.

Fabricate PN 726

February 20, 2002

Down to Sears, bought a 1" hole cutter and mandrel. It worked OK, not the most precision hole but will do. It creates quite a mess and needs that needs to be cleared up right away.

Cut 1" hole

February 20, 2002

A little 3M on the grinding wheel and die grinder and a finished spacer.

W-726 Spacer

February 20, 2002

Another little item you will have to fabricate, While at Sears bought a 3/8 X 16 tap and tap handle which you use to tap a hole 1" deep.. You need to tap the hole where the tie down eye bolt goes, which is an accessory you can buy from Van's catalog.

Tie Down Bracket

February 20, 2002

Put out the AN hardware needed for tie down bar. I needed to learn the system for identify the AN numbering system by measuring the parts (bolts, etc.) I found a good calculator on AircraftSpruce which has a great website. It shows the description and material that the  different types of hardware are made from, and is a great source to learn the specs on things. This is where I learned what the A or H after the number on an AN bolt means and how to measure the length of them You can find similar information on rivets, nuts, washers, etc by clicking their link.. This website has a great directory that is easy to use. I will list the link with an example to identify AN bolts. From the home page click the hardware link-the bolts link-the AN link and there is the calculator as well as the shopping cart. Click here for their home page.

Click here for PDF enlargement and additional details of the picture below

Locating tie down bar hardware

February 25, 2002

The tie down reinforcement is turning in to quite a bit of work. The plans read use a positioning hole at  1/2" and 15/32 " at the top right to drill, then put a bolt through it and back drill the rest of the holes through the bar and the spacers using a 3/16ths drill, that is how I read it.

February 25, 2002

After I drilled all the holes I slipped a short bolt through the spacer and the bar and used the holes in the plate nut for a template for the rivet holes

Plate nut used for template

February 25, 2002

Prepped metal, Alodined and check for fit. Will shoot 2 Part epoxy primer over it and a coat over the rear spar soon. Also a screw up here I did not discover until I tried attaching the aileron bellcrank bracket. If you look close at the bottom left plate nut it has the wrong hole size in it, had to drill it out and replace it with the correct one. I did not really think about it, but just grabbed a platenut out of bin that looked like it had the right rivet pattern, but the K-1000-3 which is the correct one takes a AN3 bolt , while the K-1000-06 takes a #6 screw, the rivet pattern is the same and they look very similar.

Reinforcement plate finished

February 26, 2002

Got out the old Snap-On torque wrench from the lawnmower shop days. It is really nice to have kept some of my old tools that I wondered if I was ever going to use again. There is nothing better than the feel of a high quality tool in your hands. 

When I called Avery about the last countersink I bought I asked if there was any other things RV builders are using and they told me the Torque Seal. It is the orange stuff and when you get your nut tightened to the proper value put a dob of it between the nut or bolt and the surface, and it marks that the bolt is tightened to the proper value and if  the alignment moves at some later time when you are inspecting things you can readily see the seal has been broken

Torque the reinforcement and aileron bell crank bolts to the proper value. 20-25 inch lbs for AN3 bolts.

February 26, 2002

Some more of the old tools I dug out were these nut drivers. They work real well in getting things started and partially tightened. The torque seal is on the bolts, I guess this is how it is supposed to be applied, as I have not used it before.

Note watched the Orndorff video and they suggested putting the bellcrank on the brackets before tightening these bolts, then putting on the whole assembly, so see next picture, I had to take the brackets off because  the bolt would be hard to get through because the spar flanges are in the way.

Aileron bellcrank bracket side

February 25, 2002

Need to prepare the brass bushing by drilling to clean the hole so the bolt will go through. Click here to see detail for amount of the brass bushing needs to extend beyond the steel bell crank tube and the hardware to use.

Get the bell crank prepared to mount on the brackets.