Zenith Aircraft Builders and Flyers
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Wing Root Skin Problems
I'm having a bad time with my Wing Root Skin? (I've tried cream, just kidding!) I clecoed the skin in place and bent it around the nose rib, but got a lot of bulging aluminum around the slat support area? Any ideas? I already plan on buying a new skin.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bob McDonald on
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Try drilling & cleco every hole working from the trailing edge to the leading edge. Its a very tricky piece, take your time and figure on 1 - 2 hrs to fit it right.
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Edward L. Olds III on
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Bob,
I tried that and spent at least 2 hours, but it still wrinkled. I have looked at pictures of the factory model and it seems to be much better?
Ed
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Permalink Reply by Don Herbel on
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A former 701 builder advised me to make a template from poster board and gradually trim back the excess with scissors. I haven't got to the sheet metal yet, but my template indicates the drawing dimensions are too large forward of the spar doubler flange.
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Don,
Good idea, I wondered about trying that sort of thing but don't quite know what you mean by trimming back the excess? And what do you mean by drawing dimensions being too large?
Ed
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I made the template the exact size as the drawings specified. Then starting at the rear channel and working forward, I taped the template onto the root angle coming off number 1 rib. At the slat bracket, the posterboard started overlapping the bracket and I had to start trimming the template back a little at a time until it fit properly. Also I will have to shorten the skin about 10mm or more where the bend is to be made and riveted to the bottom skin. The XN coordinates on drawing 7V9-3 are what make the piece too wide. Trim the template with scissors until it fits, then use it as a pattern for cutting the -3 piece.
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Don,
Sorry to be late responding, but I was in charge of our church Veteran's Day dinner and was up to my you know what in turkey and church ladies for the past few days.
I found that the way to get this skin to work is to use my fluting pliers and shrink the L angle on the nose rib until it is at the same angle as the wing root rib. I'll try that soon.
Ed
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Permalink Reply by Jim Derickson on
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I found you really have to work the "L" brackett that you riveted to the nose rib with your fluting plyers and then shape it to fit. I haven't seen one yet that fit without some deformation, it is almost as frustrating as the slats were to fit.Good Luck ! Jim
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Jim,
Good idea on using the fluting pliers, I'll try that. I tried using them on the skin and made a mess! And an AMEN to the slat problem, that was a bad one. Seems to me that on this skin, the answer might be to use a fiberglass molded panel, like the wing tips? Maybe that wouldn't be strong enough?
Ed
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Permalink Reply by Joseph F. Truncale on
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Ed,
I've pasted below a response to Thomas Coyle on the d@mn root skin. I too have replaced and redone.
Joe
Tom,
Funny you should ask. I was doing my second wing yesterday, and once again my root skin is going badly.
I had thought that one hole/cleco on rib 1 then 1 on root rib, top. bottom,repeat, repeat was the answer. But it is not.
What I "thought" I had learned was to make the attachment strip angles nearly perfectly aligned (on rib 1 and the root rib), and to follow the top-bottom approach described above.
My suspicion now is that the rear channel does not lead smoothly into the root rib. The top surface of the root rib is lower than the rear channel.
I'm going to have to look hard at it some more, and if I can salvage the piece I will. If not, I'll order another.
You did well by setting aside for cooldown! This is small stuff in the grand scheme.
I'll add more if I learn anything.
Best,
Joe
Later that same day:
I've confirmed that having the top of the root rib lower than the top of the rear channel means I've got to add shims to make up the gap.
Also, I changed the way I checked alignment of the attachment angles. The straight lines in this "gradually curving piece of sheetmetal" are at about a 45 degree angle to the ribs - not 90 degrees. Therefore, I realigned the angles with a straight edge held at 45 degrees (the high end of the edge is toward the leading edge). This helped.
By the way you can change alignment after drilling (if you have to) by going to a larger rivet to wipe out the two misaligned holes.
Good luck.
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Joe,
I'll be calling you later, after I get back from my hangar.
Ed
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Permalink Reply by Einar Arne Kleiven on
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I allso needed to shimm under the skin, over the rootrib! on the aft part of the rib.(to get it to look better)
Einar-Arne----Norway
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Thanks, Einar!
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