>
>
> Subject: Do you have bowed leading edges?
> From: "Martin J.Tuck" <102034.2747@compuserve.com>
> Date: 11 Sep 95 21:18:32 EDT
>
>
>
> Fellow builders ...
>
> As the weather here in Kansas has been far too hot to do the wing leading edge
> layups (95F - 105F - everyday!) I have been progressing with the fuselage. I
am
> however beginning to cool down at last and will be looking to do the first
> wing
> layup in the next month once the tempertures are once again down in the lower
> 70's. I have the wing leading edges bonded to the spars and have noticed that
> although I spot epoxied the wire slots in their jigs on a very flat surface,
now
> they are on the spar the centre and outer sections appear very slightly bowed
-
> each as much as 1/8th inch. This may not sound much but when you run your eye
> along the leading edge it seems most obvious and is most annoying. I just
> can't
> leave it like that.
>
> I have put it down to natural stresses in the foam and they are very easy to
> push back straight as the leading edges in their uncovered state are quite
> flexible.
>
> I am figuring that when I do the layup I will jig up the leading edges to stay
> straight during cure which I believe will be quite easy just by leaning and
> lightly clamping a straight edge either side of the top and bottom surfaces.
> Once cured the hard skin will keep the leading edges straight.
>
> Has anyone else encountered this problem - and how did you solve it?
>
> I have been going exactly one year - although I have also been relocated from
> the U.K to here in Wichita during that time also. The tail surfaces are done
-
> apart from priming and painting and the controls mounted in the cockpit
> module.
> The wing ribs are also done. Even so I seem to have been going forever.
>
> Its interesting, the tailplanes took 8 man hours to complete to the filler
> stage. Once the filler had been applied (hour each side) it took a further 8
> hours of sanding (2 hours each side) before getting the surface finish I was
> looking for. The wings should be fun to fill and sand as they are probably 6
> times the area. Hence the need to get them straight to begin with!
>
> I would appreciate any comments.
>
> Martin Tuck
> Builder #152, Wichita, Kansas, USA.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Prev: Europa_mail-general.
> Next: Homebuilt use restrictions
> Index: Mail Index
> Thread: Mail Thread Index
>
>
My leading edges were ok - but I built them soon after receiving
the wing kit. I did find that both outer trailing edges were very
bowed. This was fixed by wieghting them in there jigs on a flat
bench and glueing to them 3 of 2 by 1 plained timber battons.
These were left in place until after the blocks were firmly fixed to
the spar.
Pete Lawless
|