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Thread: <Archive Thread> Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

  1. #1
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    Post <Archive Thread> Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

    This is a closed archive thread of EX3 tips and hints posted by user Daveembry. - CubCrafters Admin.

    If you need help with your Carbon Cub, please call CubCrafters kit support at (509) 248-9491 or email:

    support@cubcrafters.com
    Last edited by Brad Damm; 04-22-2023 at 08:51 AM.
    Dave Embry
    "You only live once.......but if you do it right.........once is enough."..

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

    INDEX OF POSTS AND SUBJECT IN THIS THREAD

    This is a last minute add-on I added after the thread was finished to help find certain subjects in the thread since different subjects are covered in different posts. Generally, I have followed the order of the build in the thread......in other words.....I wrote this thread as I actually built the airplane. Most of the time you will notice it pretty much follows the order of the manual but in many instances, I have found that doing certain items out of order makes it easier and in a few instances, I had to skip ahead and start other sections while waiting on missing parts to be delivered.


    ALSO, I have a YouTube channel with over 100 videos showing how I did many of the more difficult areas.

    https://www.youtube.com/user/daveembry85/videos


    • Post 1 - General Information about the build and the process
    • #2 - TOOL LIST. DRILL BIT SIZES CHARTS
    • #3 - TOOL LIST ATTACHMENT; WING BUILD START; ORGANIZING PARTS & INVENTORYING; ROTATOR INFO
    • #4 - WING BUILD/DIAGONAL TUBES; MAKING "DOUBLE RIBS"; SPAR ATTACH FITTINGS
    • #5 - DRAG WIRES; MACHINED RIBS
    • #6 - NOSE RIB PREP; TRAMMELING THE WING
    • #7 - REAR SPAR REINFORCEMENT; PULLEY BRACKET


    • #8 - TAIL RIBS; MACHINED CLIPS
    • #9 - NOSE RIBS; CAPSTRIP ON #5 DOUBLE RIB
    • #10 - CAPSTRIP ON #1 & #3 DOUBLE RIBS; BOTTOM CAPSTRIP ON #1 DOUBLE RIB
    • #11 - #3 RIB BRACING; #2 FALSE RIB; FLAP FALSE SPAR INSTALL; AILERON FALSE SPAR; AILERON HANGAR BRACKETS
    • #12 - AILERON FALSE SPAR more detailed. WING WIRING
    • #13 - PITOT TUBE TUBING; LANDING LIGHTS; RIB FAIRLEADS; LEADING EDGE SKIN PREP
    • #14 - OUTBOARD RIB AND CROSS BRACE (Jump to post #22 to finish leading edge skins and wing)
    • #15 - MAGNETOMETER BRACKET AND WIRING IN RIGHT WING


    • #18 - CAPSTRIP PART NUMBERS LISTED FOR RIGHT WING


    • #19 - COVER; TAILFEATHER COVERING; GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT OVERING, USING POLY TAK AND POLY BRUSH; ELEVATOR COVER; STABILIZER COVER
    • #20 - STABILIZER COVER FINISH
    • #21 - COVER - RUDDER
    • #22 - LEADING EDGE SKINS INSTALLED
    • #23 - LEADING EDGE SKINS FINISHED; LANDING LIGHT LENS HOLDER
    • #24 - WING TIP BOW; NUTPLATES AROUND FUEL TANK
    • #25 - FUEL TANKS


    • #26 - PULLEYS & CABLES; FUEL TANK GROUND WIRES; RIB SPACER BLOCKS; ADDITIONAL HOLES FOR FABRIC; HARDWARE ON CABLE ENDS - Shackles
    • #27 - COVERING THE WINGS (PREP & COVER)
    • #28 - SUMMARY OF COVERING THE WING


    • #29 - TAPES; GROMMETS & FABRIC PATCHES ON WING; LANDING LIGHT DETAIL
    • #31 - WING TAPES & PATCHES & RIVETS; TIPS ON USING POLYBRUSH ON TAPES
    • #33 - POLY FIBER TIPS ON MIXING AND USING BRUSH & SPRAY


    • #37 - PUTTING FUSE ON BOGERT ROTATOR; FUSE INSPECTION; BRAKE LINE CONNECTORS FOR STAINLESS STEEL LINES; PEDALS & TORQUE TUBE INSTALL; FUEL SELECTOR ASSEMBLY; FLOORBOARD INSTALL; REAM FUSE HOLES; INSTALL UNDER SEAT PARTS IN ADVANCE


    • #38 - BOTTOM PULLEYS & CABLES; EXTENDED BAGGAGE PANELS & DOOR


    • #39 - EXTENDED BAGGAGE DOOR ASSEMBLY INSTALLATION
    • #40 - REAR SEAT CABLE INSTALL; RUDDER CABLE FAIRLEADS; ELT ANTENNA INSTALLATION; ELEVATOR CABLE FAIRLEAD BLOCKS; FUEL LOW POINT DRAIN
    • #43 - THROTTLE QUADRANTS
    • #44 - STRINGERS; SEAT BASE; BATTERY BOX; TORQUE TUBE INSTALL; CONTROL STICK STUBS; AILERON STOP PLATE
    • #45 - HEATER DUCT; RUDDER/BRAKE PEDALS; INSTALL FLOORBOARD
    • #46 - PEDAL SPRNGS; PULLEYS & CABLES; SEAT BELT SCREW HOLES


    • #47 - FUEL LINES


    • #48 - FUEL LINES CONTINUED
    • #49 - VERTICAL FIN; ELEVATOR TRIM COMPONENTS
    • #50 - TRIM MOTOR INSTALL; SIDE FABRIC SPACERS
    • #51 - INTERIOR PANELS; ADDING POCKETS
    • #53 - MAP POCKETS
    • #54 - INTERIOR PANELS FITTING
    • #55 - RUDDER CABLES; AFT CABIN HEAT DUCT


    • #58 - TRIM MOTOR INSTALL & TEST; BODY FILLER


    • #59 - BOOT COWL BUILD PART 1
    • #60 - BOOT COWL BUILD PART 2
    • #61 - FUSELAGE FINISHING UP FOR COVER; COVERING FUSE PREP
    • #62 - FUSE COVERING
    • #63 - TAIL FEATHER COVERING; HOW TO ADD BRUSH AROUND RIVETS
    • #64 - MY POSITIVE PRESSURE PAINT BOOTH
    • #65 - COVERING ELEVATORS; PREPPING FOR ELEVATOR TRIM TABS


    • #68 - FLAP HANDLE ASSEMBLY


    • #70 - WIRING G3X TOUCH; INSTALL FLAP HANDLE; DOOR HEADER PANELS; SOLENOIDS; INSTRUMENT PANEL
    • #71 - WIRING CHART I MADE; CONNECTING WIRES
    • #72 - WIRING CONT.
    • #73 - WIRING - SETTING UP AND TESTING THE SYSTEM
    • #74 - AUTOPILOT SERVO INSTALLATION - ROLL SERVO
    • #75 - AUTOPILOT SERVO INSTALLATION - PITCH SERVO
    • #76 - PREP BELLY PAN FOR SCREWS; THROTTLE & PROP CABLES; TAILWHEEL INSTALL; 3X3 GEAR INSTALL


    • #77 - SEAT BELTS; BOOT COWL; FIREWALL CABLES & WIRES; FUEL PUMP; GASOLATOR


    • #78 - DEFROSTER INSTALL; HEATER BOX; MANIFOLD PRESSURE FITTING


    • #79 - FIREWALL WIRE ROUTING & INSTALLING BOOT COWL; ENGINE MOUNT; INSTRUMENT PANEL VINYL; CONNECTING FUEL LINES TO GASOLATOR AND LOW POINT DRAIN
    • #80 - FIREWALL POPULATING WITH PARTS AND WIRES
    • #81 - ENGINE INSTALL - PRE-INSTALL ITEMS
    • #82 - ENGINE INSTALL CONTINUED. INSTALL ENGINE TO MOUNT
    • #83 - ENGINE INSTALL - COMPLETING INSTALL
    • #84 - ENGINE INSTALL - THROTTLE BRACKET; ALTERNATE NOICE FILTER; OIL PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT; PROP GOVERNOR INSTALL; BAFFLES;
    • #85 - ENGINE INSTALL - CHT PROBES; BAFFLES (CONT); OIL COOLER; GROUND WIRE ATTACH; SNIFFLE VALVE; BAFFLE SEALS


    • #88 - STARTER WIRE; SIDE DOOR; IGNITION SENSORS; MIXTURE CABLE; THROTTLE CABLE; FIREWALL HOLE SEALING; FUEL PUMP DRAIN HOSE; EXHAUST PIPES


    • #89 - HEAT MUFFS; ALT AIR ATTACHMENT; EGT PROBES; BAFFLE SAFETY WIRE; IGNITION COIL MINI-SENSOR ADJUSTED
    • #90 - PROP INSTALL
    • #91 - ENGINE COWL
    • #92 - ENGINE COWL CONT.; OIL DOOR
    • #93 - DOOR HANDLES; EXPERIMENTAL STICKER; STATIC PRESSURE LINES; HEATER BOX/DEFROSTER HOSES; REAR BAGGAGE CARPET; WHEEL TORQUE PLATES; INSTALL EXTENDED BAGGAGE DOOR
    • #94 - BRAKE LINES; INTERIOR PANELS; PLACARDS; D WINDOWS; FLAP CONES; WINDOW FRAMES (continued in #95)
    • #95 - WINDOW FRAMES; LATCHES/CATCHES(CONT); BATTERY BOX; REAR SEAT AND SEAT HOLDER; HORIZONTAL STABS; MOUNTING TIRES ON RIMS; WHEEL/BRAKE INSTALL ON LANDING GEAR; GETTING ITEMS NEEDED FOR CERTIFICATION


    • #103 - PAINTING VORTEX GENERATORS; MAGNETOMETER MOUNTING
    • #104 - BRAKES & WHEELS; WING PREP; STALL WARNING; VORTEX GENERATORS; TURTLE DECK RIVETS
    • #105 - RUDDER & ELEVATOR TRIM TABS; WING & RUDDER LIGHTS; FLYING WIRES; RUDDER CABLE HOLES IN FUSE
    • #106 - FLYING WIRES (cont.); ELEVATORS
    • #107 - TIPS FOR ELEVATOR INSTALL BY PETE DOUGHERTY


    • #108 - MORE TIPS FOR ELEVATOR INSTALL


    • #109 - ELEVATORS - ADJUSTING; RUDDER & RUDDER CABLES
    • #110 - WINGS; JURY STRUT I-BOLTS; HARDWARE LIST FOR WINGS & STRUTS
    • #111 - REGISTERING THE AIRCRAFT WITH FAA
    • #114 - JURY STRUTS; PITOT TUBE HOSES; FUEL SIGHT GAUGES;
    • #115 - FLIGHT TESTING
    • #116 - WINDSHIELD
    • #117 - WINDSHIELD (cont.); A PILLAR WIRING; HEADSET HOOKS; AILERON CABLES
    • #122 - AILERONS


    • #123 - FLAPS
    • #124 - SKYLIGHT & TURTLE DECK; ANTENNAS
    • #125 - GETTING READY FOR THE FSDO OR DAR INSPECTOR
    • #127 - FUEL TANK COVERS; FLAP GAP SEALS; OAT PROBE INSTALLATION
    • #128 - SNAP VENTS; SIDE WINDOWS
    • #131 - FUEL TESTING; CONNECT PITOT TUBE; AUTOPILOT SERVOS. - PITCH & ROLL; BELLY PAN INSTALL


    • #132 - FRONT SEAT; BEFORE FIRST FLIGHT; BEFORE FIRST ENGINE START; G3X SETUP; SETUP ADHRS; ADSB; AUTOPILOT; MAGNETOMETER; WT & BALANCEFUEL QUANTITY RESET; TRIM POSITION INDICATOR SET; FIRST ENGINE START
    • #133 - OIL DOOR LATCH
    • #134 - CONNECT ELT COAX TO ELT; FILLING/BLEEDING BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS
    • #135- CHECK FLYWHEEL TIMING RING
    • #138 - FIRST FLIGHTS - ENGINE OIL; “BEFORE FIRST FLIGHT: DOCUMENT; CHECKLIST BEFORE FIRST FLIGHT; COMPLETE LIST OF ITEMS TO DO BEFORE FLYING
    • #139 - TESTING & TROUBLESHOOTING; TAPE OFF OIL COOLER; OTHERS ITEMS OF CONCERN


    • #143 - ALERTS VOLUME ADJUSTMENTS (MINE WAS TOO LOW)
    • #144- PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK
    • #145 - BATTERY TENDER; EAA SEMINAR ON G3X TOUCH LINK
    • #146 - ALERTS VOLUME ADJUSTMENT FOR THE COM RADIO
    • #147 - AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE MANUAL (PDF)
    • #148 - AUTOPILOT SETTINGS
    • #153 - PART CHANGE NOTIFICATION FOR ELEVATOR BUNGEE CABLE


    • #160 - Carbon Cub Tool List on Excel Spreadsheet
    • #162 - List of EX3 data such as consumables (oil, plugs, grease, oil, etc) and G3X Settings and Manual location
    • #164 - Connecting the front stick#wiring to the harness
    • #165 - Window Latches on wing
    • #167 - Testing the magnetometer wiring
    • #168 - FDGH PPG new paint Mixing instructions and links to PPG Spec Sheets
    • #171 - Fuel Flow form to measure and document fuel flow for FAA (not required but highly recommende)
    • #178 - Adjusting the Acme Stinger Tailwheel
    • #187 - Link to many Youtube videos of installation of many EX3 parts
    • #190 - 40 amp fuse replacements
    • #199 - Fuel Selector maintenance/repair
    • #202 - Index of posts
    • #206 - Wiring the IFR panel with GNC 355, GMA245R, GTR20R, G5



    TOOLS

    NOTE: Look in the next post (#3) for an Excel File I added with a full list of tools, where to get them and prices, etc. This was done by Jon Hullsiek and passed on to me in October, 2019. I couldn't add it to this post because you can only put 12 files (photos, files, etc) per post and this one was already full.

    ALSO.....(Update Nov 2021). I found some of the original invoices where I did my tool purchases and made a pdf copy of them and they are also found as an attachment in the next post #3. You can see exactly what I ordered and from whom.


    The manual has a good list of tools and I think you can order the "kit" directly if you want. Aircraft Spruce and of course Amazon is a great source as well as Cleveland (who bought out Avery) http://www.cleavelandtool.com/Browse...departments/1/. Here are some links to the more common tools.




    Spar drill jig.jpg


    Spar drill jig 2.jpg


    • Dremel Tool. I use the dremel to do all my cutting on metal and carbon fiber using a metal cutoff wheel and sandpaper drums to smooth out cuts. Works great and more precise than a larger, air tool.
    • Flameless solder tool. The kit will use mostly "solder sleeves" to solder wires together. Much easier than hand soldering. It uses sleeves with solder and heat shrink all in one and you use this flameless tool to melt the solder ring inside the sleeves. https://www.amazon.com/Steinel-Therm...inel+flameless



    Attachment 7743

    3F499CB8-02AE-4272-8FED-AA278101591B.jpg

    Solder Sleeves. You will get some with the kit but this is what they look like. https://www.amazon.com/26-24AWG-Waterproof-Terminal-Connectors-Soldering/dp/B01APDKV3W/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1528205878&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=solder+sleeves&psc=1

    P1050594.jpg


    • Hemostat clamps. I have 3 sizes of these. You will be surprised how many times these come in handle to lock onto and hold things. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002RPL3O8...ing=UTF8&psc=1
    • Drill bits. Beside a good set of the numbered drill bits you will also need a G; C and N letter bits. They are on Amazon as well. I also just order a package of size 30 and 40 bits and toss them when they get dull. Don't forget to get the 12" long #30 and #40 bits.
    • Hand Rivet Gun. I got a really cheap one because we are going to grind it to pieces to make it work! Put it on the grinder and grind it until you see the guts and then keep going!!


    P1050508.jpg

    P1050507.jpg




    P1050579.jpg




    countersinnk.jpg

    I have a chart from Cleaveland Aircraft Tool Company that I hang on the wall here and use very often. One part has the numbered drill bit sized in decimal format so I can use my Digital Compass to check my drill bits before I use them and to compare sizes between maybe the #'d bits and the regular bit sizes. You can probably find one online to print and keep handy as you will find it handy.

    P1050651.jpg

    P1050652.jpg

    I also use lots of Denatured Alcohol. It's great for cleaning the plane and it will not interact with MEK (the ingredient in the Poly tak, brush and spray) or hurt paint or anything else in the airplane build that I am aware of and its great for getting rid of any oils, etc. on the surfaces before applying brush, spray, paint, etc.

    P1050593.jpg

    Also, it works great for removing any sharpie marks you have made. I just wait until I'm ready to start covering the parts and I use an air nozzle and spray everything off very good being sure to get rid on any metal shavings, rivet washers, etc etc and then go over everything with a rag and some denatured alcohol. Stay away from any silicone based lubricants like WD40. If you spray that in the garage where ANY little bit of it in the air gets on a covered surface.......problems. (fisheyed paint)
    Last edited by Daveembry; 04-12-2023 at 09:31 AM.
    Dave Embry
    "You only live once.......but if you do it right.........once is enough."..

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

    TOOL LIST

    I have attached here an Excel Spreadsheet list of tools used as well as links to where to purchase, cost etc. that builder Jon Hullsiek was kind enough to make and share with me. He added items on the Cubcrafters list as well as items I had recommended and some he added. Check it out below where it is attached as an Excel File. (Look at the file attachment link at the bottom of the photo below).

    Also, I have found a copy of the original invoices where I made my first tool purchases and have attached copies of them in an attachment at the bottom of this post as well. It shows the items, where purchased from, etc. and may be helpful. I'm not sure if Cleveland is still in business or not?


    WINGS

    VIDEO. Here is a 40 minute video on Youtube with me just going around the finished wing showing video of how it should all look and a few hints and suggestions. You might want to check it out before you start to see what your finished wing should look like.

    https://youtu.be/7IHn1q5_G2E

    WING SPARS


    • First thing to do is to lay out the spars on your saw horses and take a red/burgundy scotch bright pad and/or 320 sandpaper and be sure and go over the spar and sand/buff out any scratches no matter how minor they seem. If you can run your fingernail across it and feel it, you need to sand it out. This would be a stress point for future cracks. Then I clean the spars well using denatured alcohol.



    05652538-46C8-4860-B503-69D39B1B552E.jpeg



    • Fig. W2 doesn't show the rivets for the rear spar fittings but they should be the same ones.
    • You can use your hand squeeze riveter for everything except the middle hole in the front spar jury strut attach fitting. These are not shown being installed until later on in the manual but you can put them on now. You will have to buck that one or you can use a cherrymax rivet (CR3213-4-4) instead and just pull that with your hand rivet puller (or your pneumatic one). (NOTE: Updated manual shows that you can use these cherrymax rivets for ALL the holes in both jury strut attach fittings.)


    3 hours 55 minutes into the build I have all attach fittings installed and tubes in place.

    1CCFF744-AFEA-48D2-B007-805CD0DE3FD9.jpeg

    NOTE: Nov. 2022. There is a new manual update (01/14/2022) where they combined the EX2 and the EX3 build into 1 manual. So, some of the references to figure or page numbers below may have changed as well as some of the errors have been corrected.

    Note on 2021 WING MANUAL UPDATE

    I did just looked at the new manual. Looks like the figures on WING MANUAL page 7.3 are labeled wrong.


    By looking at the spar, you can see the drag wire attach fittings are on Photo 030 so that has to be a photo of the FRONT of the front spar, not the AFT side as labeled. The same for W7, it's wrong and is actually the AFT side of the left front spar.

    Photo 031 shows the same....... FRONT side of the LEFT SPAR.

    So the photos/figures are correct but just labeled wrong it seems.

    ALSO, Figure W7 shows using AN174-6A bolts and the old manual calls for AN174-7A (see my photo above of the last manual showing the 7-A bolts) AND there are no AN174-6A bolts in the kit. You can see that the SHOULDER of the bolt with the washer under the head, does in fact work perfectly by going through all 3 parts (2 parts and spar web). The 7A bolts will work but you will just have to add washers under the nut to keep from having too many threads showing outside the nut.

    You still need to use the 416L washer under the head and the 416L will work ok with the 2 L4 nuts on the bolts that you don't tighten now (because later the fuel tank straps are going to attach to these) because the tank straps will go there but the end 7A bolt on the outboard end will need 2 of the full size 416 washers under the nut so you keep the number of threads exposed under 3.

    Note here that instead of using castle nuts on the 2 bolts on the front spar temporarily, I just use the correct lock nuts called for but don't tighten them for now. Anywhere on the build where I need to draw attention to the fact that I have some unfinished business (like torqueing these 2 nuts) I just use my blue sharpie and mark on the parts to flag me. Later just use a little denatured alcohol to remove any markings. Note that I always use torque seal on all nuts as soon as I torque them.

    The rear spar attach pieces have to be first drilled with a LETTER C & N bit FIRST......but what they don't say is that once you have them drilled out with these bit, you have to ream the holes with a 1/4" and 5/16" reamer after you put the pieces in place and held with the big clecos (see the drawing notes). These letter bits are just under these sizes so it allows you to put the clecos and reamers into the holes and size them perfectly as you insert the bolts.

    P1050490.jpg

    P1050489.jpg

    I also have a method of pulling parts for the sections I'm working on. Note in this photo how I mark the manual figure. As I pull the parts, I lay them on the figure next to where they are shown and then take a yellow highlighter and mark that part number on the manual. Also note that I make a note on common parts in the manual as to where these parts are located. Like "T6" (Tote #6) next to part number in the manual and then when I know I'm going to have to pull these again (like at least for the right wing when I do it), I don't have to go search the parts list again to find out where that part is.

    P1050484.jpg

    If I am missing any parts I mark those parts on the figure with an orange highlighter, then I place the parts in one of the small, magnetic parts holders along with a note saying what those parts are for and what I'm waiting on. I then set it aside and after I email Mitch with the part numbers I'm missing and receive the parts. Then I just go back to that section and finish. Most of the time you can go ahead in the manual and work on other sections for a couple days until you get the parts. In this case I could not find my letter N and C drill bits and had to order a couple on Amazon so I set the parts I had pulled for the rear spar wing attach fitting aside until the bits arrive so I can pre-drill and then ream the holes and attach it. I went ahead and attached all the other fittings and tubes until the bits come in today. Amazon prime is great with the 2 day shipping.

    P1050485.jpg

    Just a note on parts management. I think one of the most time consuming things in the build is gathering parts needed for the section you are working on. First I'm sure to take a full inventory of all parts on the "Packing List" to be sure I've received them. I then unpack the parts and consolidate them into a few boxes.

    P1050492.jpg

    Attachment 7758

    3F0162BD-6485-461E-8DA8-EA91564BC4BD.jpeg

    You will notice the PACKING LISTS have a title on each page(s) like BOX 1, or SKP 1, etc. I then put several of them in big ziplock bags (for the smaller parts) into a box and label that box with the contents. Then when looking for a part from the manual, I first go to the packing lists and find it (it's in alphabetical order for each package on the packing lists), then I can simply go to the box/ziplock that has those parts and pull them.

    For the big TOTES, I take the inventory list that comes with them and take highlighters and run through all the pages and simply mark them by part number, grouping the starting numbers. In this picture you can see that I used a yellow highlights and marked all the HDW parts; an orange one for all the MS type parts and the blue sharpie to mark all "OTHER" misc. numbers. I don't mark the AN parts numbers because that is the vast majority of the parts on the lists.

    P1050491.jpg

    Then when looking for a small parts (bolts, washers, nuts, rivets, etc) then I first go to this inventory sheet and can quickly scan the pages looking by color code first. Then when I find it, I simply go to that TOTE # (listed at the top of each page) and pull the parts.

    ROTATORS

    I got the Bogert rotators for the wings and fusehere https://bogertaviation.com/collectio...on-cub-rotator.

    I go to Home Depot or Harbor Freight (much cheaper on everything) and get some castering wheels and added them which makes it MUCH nicer as you can just push it around in the hangar/garage, etc. and when it comes time to move from the build area to the hangar, you just wheel it up into the enclosed trailer and secure.

    Note that you won’t use the rotators on the wings for the build because you have to keep a 1” block under the outboard, rear spar the entire time. You could put the wing onto the rotator to cover but for me it’s just easier to leave them the sawhorses to build and cover. They are lightweight and easy to just flip over when covering the other side.

    Building the fuse if MUCH easier using the rotator.

    When I build my wing holding fixture, I also add some castering wheels to them as well making them easier to move around in the build area and onto the trailer, etc.

    The rotators are great for painting on both the wings and the fuse but you can only do 1 wing at a time which is OK as most paint booths aren’t large enough to hold 2 anyway.

    So I build a wing on the sawhorses to the point of needing a set of wing clamps and move it to the wing dollie. Then I build the 2nd wing.......get a set of the leading edge wing clamps headed my way and then put the leading edge skins on each one and get the clamps back available for the next person that needs them so I’m not holding anyone up.

    I then cover and apply tapes on the wings on the sawhorses (or you could then put it on the rotator but note you will have to remove it from then rotator and back to saw horses during the cover process anyway, so I just cover them entirely on the saw horses).

    After both wings are covered, I then roll them up in the trailer and take to the hangar and cover them completely in some light plastic to keep any contaminates (like any silicone sprays, WD-40, oil, dirt, etc) off until ready to paint.

    Then you can mount up your fuse onto the rotator and complete the entire build (except that you will have to take the front off the rotator when you fit and build your boot cowl) and cover. Then wheel it into the trailer and right into the paint booth. After paint, wheel it back to the build area for the remainder of the build.

    For painting I use the rotator for everything. They are great for a couple of reasons. You can angle them so the paint booth lights hit the area perfect that you are spraying the paint onto and you can flip the wing over to do the opposite sides. Most of the time you will be spaying with the wings at about a 45 degree angle to get the best light.

    Secondly, as you spray the paint and if you get it just a tad too thick and it starts to sag or a slight run, just tip the rotator to either level or even in the opposite direction to get the paint back flat. With the DUHS CC paint I use, it will continue to flatten out for 24 hour it seems. So just keep a good eye on the area you just sprayed and tilt the rotator as needed. If one spot has a little sag or run, just leave the rotator so that area is level and the next day you will probably see the sag or run has flowed out.

    The rotators seem to have a good resale as well. They are heavy for shipping but they ship without the main piece of tubing which you buy locally. I would also get a thick wall tubing as well for mounting the wings as it does tend to bow down in the center with the tubing I got. I can’t recall the thickness but it was the recommended thickness. I would go thicker.
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Last edited by Daveembry; 11-19-2022 at 08:55 AM.
    Dave Embry
    "You only live once.......but if you do it right.........once is enough."..

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

    WING MANUAL

    VIDEO
    : Be sure and check out the wing building videos here https://www.youtube.com/user/daveembry85/videos.

    NOTE/UPDATE: THE VIDEO SHOWS THE WIRES FOR A HEATED PITOT THAT I INSTALLED FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH NO INSTRUCTIONS FROM CC. BEFORE COVERING I FOUND OUT THAT WAS THE INCORRECT WIRE AND I CHANGED IT. IF YOU ARE INSTALLING AN IFR PANEL WITH THIS PITOT, I PUT THE INFO ON THIS IN THE POST ABOUT INSTALLING WING WIRING.

    Page 20.5. ERROR. In the 2nd paragraph in the TANK STRAP INSTALLATION wording, it calls out for RM4906-001 Foam Tape to be installed on the straps where it would touch the tank. THAT IS WRONG. The correct part number is the white felt RM1002-002

    On Figure W7, page 58; note that you will not be installing the diagonal tube at this time. (SC31004-005). It will be done later.

    To be sure that I have the tubes all the way into the fittings on the spars, I measure the distance between the spars at each tube location. I've always found them to be within 1/32" of the same distance at each of the 5 locations with a measurement of 30-3/16".

    You will only be putting cherrymax rivets in the 2 tubes between the #8 & #9 ribs.

    P1050494.jpg

    Note on rivets.....cherrymax rivets are much different than a standard pop rivets. The rivets you will be installing in the ribs to spar are "pop" rivets. They are not very picky to be installed. You can angle your rivet gun slightly if you need to with no problem. However, the secret to setting good rivets using the cherrymax rivet is that you must have the material tight together and flush (no gaps, not at an angle, etc) and the most important thing is that you must have the head of the rivet gun FLUSH onto the rivet head. It will not tolerate any angle at all.

    The cherrymax is a much stronger rivet and has washers on the top that will pop off after you pull the rivet. If you pull it at an angle you will see that the center of the rivet is not up flush with the top of the rivet head but instead it will be broken off down further into the rivet head (kind of a hollow hole in the top). You must remove it if that happens by drilling down a small amount into the rivet head and then take a small punch and use it as a lever to take the head washer off the top of the rivet and then use a small punch and punch out the rest of the center of the rivet that is down through the material you just installed it in.

    Note that the cherry rivets you have to install in the 2 aileron hangers are too long for the material. When you put them into the hangers, you will note that you can not get them to sit up flush against the hangar. If you look on the back side, you will see that the back of the rivet (the stem) is too long and it will be touching the spar web. Just get your rivet gun set and pull very slightly until the stem pulls in just enough so that you can then push the rivet totally in until it sits flush with the hanger and then go ahead and finish the pull.

    ANOTHER TIP........ the tops of the 2 hangars are the hardest because of the top of the hangers angling DOWNWARD. So, if you install that rivet BEFORE putting in the AN3-3A bolts, etc., you can actually pull the hanger upwards a little bit so you can get your rivet gun to sit more flush with the rivet. Then install the bolts and then put in the bottom rivet.

    LOOK IN THE NEXT POST FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE CHERRYMAX RIVET PROBLEMS.

    NOTE: The below refers to the older kits where the "double ribs" you had to put together. On the newer kits, they ship with these ribs put together at the factory so you won't have to do this below.

    There is good details in the manual about placement of the "double ribs" you riveted together. Just pay attention to which one of the double ribs you rivet to the pre-drilled holes in the spar (there are only 2 hole drilled in the #1, #3 and #5 double rib locations). The space between these needs to be perfect because the fuel tanks will be housed here.

    NOTE
    : The rivets used are the HDW-SS/SS42D which are stainless steel rivets. There are 850 shipped in the kit in an individual bag and probably listed on the last page of your tote parts lists on Tote 13. Also, 850 are not enough so if you only got 850, tell Mitch you probably need 150 or so more. THEY WON'T BE IN THAT TOTE AND THEY ARE NUMBERED DIFFERENTLY USING POLY FIBER NUMBERS ON BOTH THE TOTE PARTS LIST AND ON THE PARTS BAG. IT'S LISTED AS CCPS-04-03 ON THE PARTS BAG ITSELF BUT CCPO-04-03 ON THE PARTS LISTS.

    (Note Dec! 2022. The kit I just received changed these part numbers to a CCPS-04-02 which is slightly shorter.)

    Also, I don't put all the bolts, nuts, etc in the holes like they say in the manual. Really no reason to do all that, just line up the holes they mention and then use 2 or 3 of your spring clamps to hold the 2 ribs together until you drill a couple holes on each end and stick a cleco or rivet in to hold it. Lots quicker. Doesn't matter which way you put the rivet head in as this is just to hold the ribs together until you get them riveted into the spars but as a general rule, all your fasteners normally will go into an airplane with the head of the bolt, rivet, etc. on the front (pointing aft) or the left side (pointing right). An exception to this for some reason is later on the fuse trim motor where they run the bolts from right to left for some reason????? They use to use the meth glue to hold the double ribs together but went to this rivet system with the EX3. The rivets go all the way around the ribs as shown on the Fig. W6 (see the little black dots spaced all the way around the ribs?)

    UPDATE NOTE APRIL, 2020. The latest kit I got had the double ribs assembled together with the rivets at the factory so you don't have to do any of that. Also, it takes less rivet so the 850 is plenty.


    P1060810.jpg

    You will need to cut some of the rib at the rear spar to fit around the bolt heads in the rear spar wing attach fitting. The best tool for working with aluminum like this is the "nibbler". https://www.amazon.com/Parts-Express...r+metal+cutter

    P1050495.jpg

    P1050496.jpg

    P1050498.jpg

    Pay special attention to the manual drawing for little things like the number of washers used on the NUT SIDE of the rear spar attach fitting.

    AN bolts have a washer machined into them, so they really don't need a washer but AN bolts with a "shoulder" need to be sure the shoulder is completely in the part (such as this rear spar wing attach fitting).

    So the figure calls for 2 washers and then the nut on each of the bolts and no washers under the head of the bolt. This is to be sure the entire shoulder is through the parts. For a bolt to be structurally correct, the shoulder must go beyond the last shear point. It doesn’t have to extend out past the last part under the nut, but just past where the last 2 parts meet.

    Normally on lock nuts you should have no more than 3 threads out the nut and not less than 1.

    If you find you have more than 3 threads you can add washers up to 2 max on each side BUT ONLY UNDER THE HEAD SIZE IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH SHOULDER LENGTH TO FO BEYOND THE LAST SHEAR POINT.

    Note that washers such as "AN960-10" and "AN960-10L" show not only the size but thickness. All washers with "L" at the end is a "half-washer" .....or 1/2 the thickness of the same washer that does not have the "L" designation at the end. So the AN960-10 is the full thickness washer and the AN960-10L is half the thickness.

    I had to add more washers on most of the bolts on the wing under the nut side because if I used only the number listed on the figures, there would be more than 3 threads exposed.

    P1050497.jpg

    6 hours into the build at this point for me.

    P1050499.jpg
    Last edited by Daveembry; 02-18-2023 at 09:06 AM.
    Dave Embry
    "You only live once.......but if you do it right.........once is enough."..

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Broken Arrow, OK
    Posts
    841

    Default Re: Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

    WING MANUAL

    NOTE: BEFORE GOING FURTHER, BE SURE YOU HAVE PLACED A 1" HIGH BLOCK UNDER JUST THE AFT END OF THE REAR SPAR AND KEEP IT THERE AT LEAST UNTIL YOU HAVE INSTALLED THE LEADING EDGE NOSE SKINS.

    When we build the wings, we want to have the aft end of the rear spar up higher than the rest of the other 3 spar ends so we can have "washout" or less angle of attack at the ends of the wings than at the wing roots so when the wing stalls, it will first stall at the wing root but still have less AOA at the aileron ends of the wings to let you have some roll control. Later when installing the wings, we will adjust the dihedral of the wings (outboard ends of the wings about 3/8" higher (over 30" span) than they are at the fuse spar ends) and the washout by adjusting the struts. The front strut will let us raise or lower the height of the front spar to give us the 3/8" and the rear strut will let us raise of lower the aft spar so we can bring the outboard end upwards. That will all be covered when we install the wings but for now, we build the wing with 1" of the aft end of the rear spar raised so the rear spar reinforcement cap; drag wires and leading edge nose skins will lock it in pretty close before installing.

    WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE SHORT PARTS?

    Missing a few rivets or screws or whatever???? (You WILL be....) Just give CC a call and an email listing what you need and follow up....follow up and follow up. I have never ordered a single part from anyone.....CC will send you out what you need ASAP and usually by Priority Mail......so as soon as you see you are short something..... CALL CC and get it coming.

    FELT TAPE ON TANK STRAPS. The latest revision 1/14/2022 of the manual on page 20.5 calls for using RM4906-001 foam tape on the tank straps. That is wrong. You should use RM1002-002 Felt instead. This was a new revision and I guess they listed the wrong part number. The listed part number RM4906-001 will be the weatherstrip tape that you will put on top of the 2 outboard tank straps on the finish before installing the tank covers. This keeps the tank covers up off the tanks.

    DRAG WIRES.
    Note there are 2 sizes of drag wires. The Fig. W17 shows how they are installed. The thicker ones go in the inboard/rear spar to the outboard/front spar in the first 3 bay areas (there are 4 bay areas where the drag wires cross) and are always on the BOTTOM of the wires where they cross. So the thinner wire is always on top of the thicker wire in the first 3 bays and in the last, most outboard bay, both wires are the thinner and the one running from outboard/rear to inboard/front spar goes on top.

    The manual explains how you need to use a #9 drill bit to enlarge the hole in the spar attach fitting where the larger wires go through. I found that a bit snug so I used a #8.

    You will also have to completely drill through the strut attach fittings on the front and rear spar (between the #8 and #9 rib locations). Just start on the outside of the fitting and use the existing hole as a guide and you will be drilling all the way through fitting on the inside of the spar. It comes out where it comes out!

    P1050503.jpg

    P1050502.jpg

    When you drill through these fittings it might be easier to use the 3/16" drill first and finish it with the #8 for the larger wires. FOR THE SMALLER WIRES where it goes through the fittings there between rib #8 and #9 you can use a #20 drill bit for those smaller holes.

    When you install the washer and double nuts on the ends of the wires, just barely get them started right now. Don't even "snug them up" at this point. You want them really loose until we "trammel" or square up the bags using these drag wires later.

    You will have to remove some material from rib #8 up close to the front spar. I run the big wire in through the front spar fitting and see where it hits the rib and mark it with a sharpie. I then drill a small hole there and then run the step-drill bit through it to enlarge it; then you can run the wire through it.

    P1050501.jpg

    P1050500.jpg

    Page 13.1 we install the Aileron Hangars on the rear spar. NOTE: Go look in the manual to see the real torque values for bolts. It is in conflict with the values that were listed in the intro section of the manual. I list here 40 in lbs which is correct and the intro says 20-25 which is incorrect.

    BEFORE INSTALLING THE RIVETS INTO THESE 2 AILERON HANGARS, BE SURE AND WATCH THIS SHORT VIDEO ABOUT THE EASY WAY TO DO IT. https://youtu.be/QZE5GOnHfjM

    Then you are going to install 2 cherrymax rivet in each machined ribs at this point. You will notice above and below where the nuts are that you just installed, there are 2 pre-drilled holes going through the machined rib into the spar (from outboard to inboard). You may have to just run your #30 drill through the holes to be sure they are match drilled in case the rivet doesn't want to go in easily. There are 2 different sizes of these rivets. The inboard one takes the longer 4-4 and the outboard one the shorter 4-3 ones per W26 on page 13.2.

    P1050511.jpg

    P1050512.jpg

    I have highlighted the areas where the 2 rivets go now.


    P1050509.jpg

    You can see in these photos the 2 nuts you installed on the bolts going through the spar and the rivets installed directly above and below the nuts. You can see how a properly pulled cherrymax rivet looks. Note there is no "hole" in the head of the rivet but you can clearly see that the center of the rivet is pretty much flush with the top of the head. These top rivets in these 2 machined ribs are the MOST DIFFICULT of the build but I pulled these all with my hand squeezer that I modified.

    SEE MY PREVIOUS POST where I explain that these 2 rivets are easier to install if you install the nuts tight yet or install the bottom rivet in first. Then you can hold the machined rib up just a little where it's easier to get your rivet gun to be flush up against the rivet head. After installing this rivet, then install the AN3-3A bolt and bottom rivet. Be sure and watch the video for a good explanation. https://youtu.be/QZE5GOnHfjM

    P1050504.jpg

    P1050507.jpg

    P1050506.jpg

    P1050508.jpg

    Click on this link to go to a pdf from an EAA article discussing this pretty good with good photos as well. EAA Article on hard to reach rivets.pdf

    As I discussed previously, they are not hard but you MUST try and keep the rivet gun as flush as possible against the rivet head when you pull it and pull it carefully being careful not to move the head as you squeeze the riveter. Much like pulling the trigger on a gun......careful as you squeeze the trigger so you don't jerk or "pull the shot" when it goes off.

    The ONLY reason a cherrymax rivet doesn’t pull right is because the mandrel (stem) isn’t being pulled absolutely straight up out of the head of the rivet. Since you can’t get the rivet gun straight up and down from the head of the rivet, then you can grind the front piece of the rivet gun at an angle so when you out it on the rivet and pull, it will still pull straight right at the head for at least a short distance.

    What happens is that if it’s being pulled at an angle, then the mandrel will break off down in the rivet head instead flush. If it does that, you can see a hole in the head and also look at the back of the rivet and you will see it’s not pulled completely.

    ALSO, these rivets are actually so long that the before being pulled, the back of the rivet will actually hit the spar (in the channel) before the head is down flush onto the spar. So put in the rivet, then pull the hand rivet gun slowly a little bit and it will pull the rivet enough to shorten the rivet in the back….so the head will then sit flush on the spar. Just take a look and see when it's off the spar. Hold it there with the rivet gun flush and press hard as you squeeze the rivet the rest of the way.

    Notice the little washer on the head that falls off after you pull it? That little washer makes that stem pull straight right at the head. You can also add a couple more so these little washers on top and then pull it and that helps with these big angles.

    Another reason for problems could be lack of lubrications inside the rivet according to Vans. I’ve never had this problem but check it out on this video. https://youtu.be/lb9miRllZDo

    The wrong size rivet would obviously matter but that should not be an issue with the kit.

    9 hours and 15 minutes build to this point.
    Last edited by Daveembry; 11-23-2022 at 11:48 AM.
    Dave Embry
    "You only live once.......but if you do it right.........once is enough."..

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Broken Arrow, OK
    Posts
    841

    Default Re: Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

    WING MANUAL

    Ribs 1 and 5 take the regular nose ribs; rib #2 takes the special one we cut out and that leaves only 2 intermediate ribs.

    Like I said, I like using a Dremel tool with the metal cutting EZLock blades. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

    You should end up with 5 stacks of nose ribs when you are done PLUS the #1 nose rib is the opposite of the rest of them. Notice that the first nose rib is for the opposite wing so the left wing will have that rib as a -002 number and the right wing will have the - 001 part number only on that first rib.

    1 for the #2 center rib; 2 intermediate ribs for the fuel bay ribs; 8 for the intermediate nose ribs (for the nose ribs that are BETWEEN the ones that attach to the center ribs); 1 MORE intermediate rib trimmed special with a hole that goes between the #8 & #9 ribs; 1 opposite rib for the #1 rib; and that leaves 11 nose ribs that will attach to the center ribs. So that is a total of 23 nose ribs. (Pay special attention later when installing them that the #1 nose rib is the opposite wing rib part number (ie; left wing will have a -002 nose rib on the 1st rib and the right wing will have a -001 part number nose rib on the #1 rib).

    1 - OPPOSITE wing rib for the #1 double rib (cut for center ribs) ie -002 if for left wing
    10 - Center ribs (cut for center ribs) that are for that wing (ie. -001 for left)
    2 - Intermediate ribs for fuel bay
    1 - Intermediate rib cut special with hole that goes between #8 & #9 ribs.
    1 - Special cut for rib #2
    8 - Regular intermediate ribs

    So you will have 23 total ribs. 12 will be for center ribs
    (with the #1 rib being an -002 part number) and 11 for intermediate ribs total (1 has a hole drilled in it and 2 special cuts for fuel bay).

    This is how they should look.

    P1050549.jpg

    I like to use 3 files. 1 regular wide, flat file. 1 round file and 1 that has 3 small, flat sides.

    P1050516.jpg


    NOTE: That the TABS (where the holes are) will be removed from ALL the ribs. Cut the special ribs as shown in the manual and then for the 11 ribs that you didn't do any special trims on (that connect to the center ribs) go back and just remove the tabs as shown in the photos here.

    Use the file(s) to remove any sharp edges from the cuts you just made. This is to keep from cutting yourself mostly and perhaps fabric on the couple of nose ribs that are not wrapped in the leading edge skins on the bottom. The EX3 skins are going to wrap around the entire nose ribs from top of the spar to the bottom of the spar except for a couple on the outboard end.


    Without the nose ribs in place, it's easier to run the stringlines along the spars for trammeling as shown in these pictures.

    P1050517.jpg

    P1050518.jpg

    P1050519.jpg

    However, when you do install them pay special attention to Fig W61. You will notice that the nose rib #1 is for the part number/nose ribs for the OPPOSITE WING! So if you are building the left wing first it will be a nose rib ending with part number "-002" and all the rest will be ending in "-001". You should know that most of the parts in the kit end with the "-001" for part on the left side and "-002" are for the right side. Parts that aren't specific to only 1 specific side will end in "-001" as well. In other words, if there are 2 parts that are identical and used on both the left and the right wing, it will end in "-001".

    NOTE that when installing the #8 nose rib that it's a little easier to also NOT install the bottom rivet yet into the spar. We left the bottom rivet off the bottom of the #8 rib for the same reason. It will make it just a little easier to get that bottom rivet that connects the nose rib to the center rib if you can move it just a little inboard. After you do this, you can go ahead and install the bottom rivet into the spar for the center and nose rib.

    I LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND DO BOTH WING NOSE RIBS AT THE SAME TIME WHILE I HAVE ALL THIS FRESH ON MY MIND.

    Go to post #9 to see installation of these nose ribs here
    https://forum.cubcrafters.com/showth...ll=1#post21602

    TRAMMELING (
    Squaring) THE WINGS

    Watch my Youtube video on trammeling the wings here https://youtu.be/MQZ2EFb3-zA

    Trammeling the wing is actually simple but hard to understand the first time. I wrote an easy to understand piece about how to do it and Mitch printed it in the manual on Page 92 and 93. I think it's pretty self explanatory and if you follow it you should have no problem. One small change (since it was written for the EX2 and the EX3 is a little different with the drag wires) is the next to last paragraph on Page 93 where it says "You only need to measure 1 of the small wires in the last 2 bays (the 2 outboard bays that only have small wires).....". In the EX2 the last 2 bays had only small wires but in the EX3, they added the larger wire to the 3rd bay so now, only the last, outboard bay has 2 small wires. In any case, you only need to measure the pull weight on 1 of the small wires in each of the 4 bays......you don't have to do both wires.

    also, here is a link to a previous thread on trammeling where I posted the original info on squaring the wing.

    https://forum.cubcrafters.com/showthread.php/2624-Trammeling-How-to-adjust-drag-wires-to-make-spar-straight?p=16455&viewfull=1#post16455

    Here is a cut and paste of that post again:

    1. Loosen all wires SO THAT THERE IS AT LEAST 1" OF FREE TRAVEL OF ALL THE WIRES IN THE WING (not just "loose"...but 1" at least of free travel) and leave them all that loose except for the 2 wires that you work with at a time in each bay!
    2. Stringline the spars and MAKE THEM STRAIGHT ON THE STRINGLINE (just manually move them in and out until it lines up with the stringline. Just "physically" do this with your hands and not using drag wires) BEFORE YOU START AND KEEP IT THAT WAY AS YOU WORK FROM BAY TO BAY.
    3. Square the #2 tube by physically moving the spars in and out (left or right) while the square ia on that spar and tube. Don't adjust yet with the wires. Get the front and rear spar square with the #2 tube by physically moving the spars in one direction or the other.
    4. Tighten nuts on both big and small wire where they come out at rib #1 until you have EXACTLY 1" and leave these set here and not move them again. (Because later you will have to remove these wires to install the fuel tanks and you will simply reinstall them and tighten them so that the 1" is there and you will have it exactly back where it was without having to measure it later.
    5. Begin tightening the 2 wires going into the first bay (fuel tank bay). DO NOT HAND TIGHTEN ANY OTHER WIRES IN THE WING YET SO YOU CAN MOVE THE SPARS AROUND AS YOU MOVE DOWN THE WING. Note that the big wire is a different thread than the small one, so tighten the small wire a 1/2 turn and then move the big wire only say 3/8 of a turn so they are actually tightening about the same amount. Keep checking the square of the #2 tube as you go and when you have 13-15 lbs at the center after 1/2" of travel, you are done. Check the square again.

    NOTE: ONCE YOU HAVE FINISHED A BAY AND THE NUTS TIGHTENED DOWN AND YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF PULL ON THE WIRE, THIS BAY IS SET AND WILL STAY THIS WAY AND IS UNAFFECTED BY THE BAYS AFTER THIS (AS YOU MOVE OUTBOARD ON THE WING.) SO ANY ADJUSTMENTS YOU DO AFTER THIS BAY ON OTHER BAYS, WILL NOT AFFECT THIS ONE. (So don't adjust anything in this bay again.)

    6. Before you start tightening the next bay in line (going outboard), first physically align the spars with your stringline and then begin tighening the drag wires again until you have your correct tension. Again, by "physically", I mean take your hands and just push/pull the spar until it aligns with the string as you want it. It will easily move as long as you have LOTS of slack in all the rest of the drag wires.

    You only need to measure 1 of the small wires in the last 2 bays (the 2 outboard bays that only have small wires) and only the small wire in the first 2 bays (that also have a big wire) because they will both be the same.

    You do not have to check the square of the #2 compression tube after you do the first bay. Once it's squared the first time, it will stay square since no further bays will affect this bay once you have finished. Mitch said the importance of the #2 compression tube being square is that it will set the wing attach points so when you go to install the wing, it will all line up correctly. The importance of course for the rear spar to be perfectly straight, is so the flaps/ailerons to fit correctly.

    When I did it this way, it all worked out perfectly and was very simple actually. My mistakes were:

    1. Not having LOTS (1" or more) slack in all the drag wires. I had them "loose" but not THAT loose. Having them really loose lets you move the spars all around like you want them to get them in line
    2. Going back and forth between bays making adjustments. Start inboard and move outboard and once one bay is done, don't touch it again.


    Note that in the first bay (where you are wanting to square the#2 tube to the front and rear spars) you will be tightening the BIG WIRE out where it comes out of the front spar and you will tighten the SMALL WIRE where it comes out on the rear spar. In all subsequent bays I only tighten BOTH WIRES from the rear spar side. In the information I stated that what I do is just start by tightening all the wires (except that first BIG WIRE) on the front spar at about 1" in from the end of the wire. It isn't critical, they just want at least 1" of exposed wire past the nuts. Tighten them up and from now on for bays 2, 3 & 4 you will just work on tightening from the rear spar.

    Also we will be pulling on the small wire in each bay with the fishing scales in the center, where it crosses the big wire. Mark a sharpie mark 1/2" on the big wire from where the small wire crosses it. We will pull the small wire with the scales from the place the wires cross and you want to pull it to your 1/2" mark and have 13-15 lbs. Don't make these 1/2" marks until you have a full turn or so of tightening on each wire so the slack is taken out. So once the front and rear spars are in line with both stringlines, hand tighten the nuts on each of the wires in the bay you are working on; then turn each side a 1/2 turn or so back and forth on each side until they are pretty tight.....THEN place your 1/2" mark on the big wire. In the first bay you are watching that the spars are square with the #2 tube. In bays 2, 3 & 4 you are simply making sure the spars stay in line with the stringlines as you tighten the nuts.

    P1050520.jpg

    While you have your sharpie out, I place a mark anywhere towards the rear spar end of EACH WIRE on the top. The reason for this is that when you start tightening the wires, you want to be sure as you turn the nut that the wire itself isn't turning so I put a small vice on each wire so I can hold the wire and I can look at the mark on the wire to be sure it isn't turning while I tighten the nut.

    P1050521.jpg

    P1050522.jpg

    When finished just tighten up the 2nd set nut on each wire (except for the 2 wires coming out by the #1 rib which we are going to remove later to install the fuel tanks) and put on torque seal. Cut off excess wire (leave at least 5 threads past the 2nd set nut on each one) on all the wires coming out the rear spars and the 1 big one on the front spar. DON'T CUT THE WIRES COMING OUT BY THE #1 RIB.

    Next take your digital calipers and measure to see exactly the amount of wire sticking out of the 2 wires coming out by the #1 rib on the front and rear spar and mark the measurement in sharpie on the spar web. When we install the fuel tanks, we will take these 2 wires out by removing the nuts on the ends of these 2 wires and pull the wires out the spar and then after the fuel tanks are in place, they will be slid through the fuel tanks and back into position. Since we can't remeasure the amount of tension on the wires, we will simply reinstall the nuts and tighten until the wire ends are exactly the same distance that they are now and that will make the tension the same.

    P1050523.jpg

    P1050524.jpg

    P1050525.jpg

    I have 11 hours and 15 minutes to this point in the wing build.

    P1050526.jpg
    Last edited by Daveembry; 11-27-2022 at 08:18 AM.
    Dave Embry
    "You only live once.......but if you do it right.........once is enough."..

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Broken Arrow, OK
    Posts
    841

    Default Re: Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

    WING MANUAL

    First layout the rear spar reinforcement SC31601-003 as shown in Fig. W66. Don't clamp it into place yet. Just let the inboard end be at the outboard side of rib #6 for now. Note that it doesn't matter which end goes on inboard or outboard side as long as the first, INBOARD hole (end closest to the wing root) is on the OUTBOARD side of the rear false spar (see the figure).

    So the inboard end hole should be on the outboard side of the rear spar.

    Now count down (beginning on that inboard first hole) the holes from inboard to outboard and take your sharpie and draw a circle around hole #23 and #24.

    As you read in the manual, hole #23 is the hole that will be used by the PULLEY BRACKET to align the hole in it with this #23 hole. and it should be on the OUTBOARD side of the spar.

    Assemble the pulley as shown in W64 without cotter pins (you will have to take this apart again when you rig your aileron cables when you are finishing the plane). You can see in the photo here the hole #23 on the reinforcement cap and the pulley bracket for the LEFT WING.

    NOTE that the hole on the pulley bracket will be different for the RIGHT WING. It will be on the inboard (left) side of the pulley bracket.....with that bracket sloped to the outboard end of the wing.

    P1050530.jpg

    P1050528.jpg

    So set the assembled pulley bracket on top of the reinforcement like shown in the photo here and align hole #23 on the reinforcement with the hole in the bracket and just clamp it there on the edge for now. You will note that the pulley bracket is wider on one side and that wider side will go on the inboard side of the spar (so the angled part slants towards the OUTBOARD end). Hole #23 will be the OUTBOARD hole. AGAIN, Note the NOTE above regarding this hole in the bracket being different when on the RIGHT WING.

    If you are doing the bracket should slant towards the outboard end of the wing. All my photos here are of a LEFT WING.

    Next take a string and just run it from anywhere on the forward side of the wing, through the pulley in the bracket and then take the end in your hand and just hold it over the aileron hangar and then simply slide the entire reinforcement cap along with the pulley bracket you have clamped on, back and forth until that string comes out of the pulley and goes right down the center of that hangar. It should work with the inboard end just at the outboard side of rib #6 but it doesn't matter......just make the string go down the center (looking from above like this photo) and then clamp the reinforcement cap in place on either end.

    Later when you finishing up the plane, the cable will route down along that inside of the front spar to that big pulley on the front spar and then go backwards.....through the fabric and then through the bracket we are installing. It then attaches to the aileron which will be in the center of that hanger we are running the string through the center of. There will be a cover of this pulley bracket with a slot in the back where the cable will come out and go on down the hanger. If this bracket isn't centered correctly, then the cable won't center in the slot in the metal cover and will be off.


    P1050529.jpg


    Next we are going to be sure the reinforcement strip is centered on the spar before we drill. Use the end of your digital calipers and move the strip in or out on the spar until it's centered. It should be around .160 on either side of the reinforcement that hangs over the spar.


    P1050532.jpg



    P1050533.jpg


    Note that Fig W66 shows that the inboard end of the reinforcement strip should be about 83.7 from the center of the wing attach hole on the spar attach fixture and the last paragraph on 20.2 says it should be within 1/4" of that measurement. Well mine never has..... I get 83.5" and it's always been perfect there.

    Use several clamps and clamp it in position and then using your drill with a drill stop on a #30 bit, drill all the holes through the top of the spar.

    Now since hole #24 in the reinforcement will be UNDER the pulley bracket, we will need to countersink it and you will see on Fig. W67 that we will be using a countersink rivet for this 1 hole only. A CR3212-4-4 will be used here. I like the countersink tool I listed in the first post, the Microstop.

    NOTE: This rivet was changed in the latest revision to this CR3212-4-4. In all previous manuals a CR3212-4-2 was called for. CC did confirm this change was correct so there are NONE OF THESE RIVETS IN THE KIT SO YOU WILL HAVE TO GET ONE. I email CC as usual and request one.


    P1050534.jpg



    P1050535.jpg



    After installing this rivet we want to install the 38 CR3213-4-4 rivets in all the holes we drilled except for #23. You need to leave hole #23 (the one that lines up with the pulley bracket) and #24 (has the countersunk rivet UNDER the bracket).

    After installing all 38 rivets, set the pulley bracket back on top and match drill it to hole #23 (you will need to widen the hole already in the bracket with your #30 bit) and then set it on top and stick a rivet (or cleco) in that hole #23 through the bracket and reinforcement strip.

    Then swivel the bracket on the cap strip so that the inboard (on the left for the left wing) and the outboard side (on the right for left wing) is flush with the capstrip edge on both sides. Take a straight edge and just be sure the holes in the bracket line up with the holes you already drill through the reinforcement strip and spar. That way you know you are safe to drill through the spar without hitting the bulb of the spar. Be sure they are correct and then just drill it out and install the 5 longer rivets that go here (since these have to be longer to go through the bracket and reinforcement strip). CR3213-4-5. Be sure you check that the pulley spins freely and is not bound. You can wider that bracket out some by pulling it out some before installing one side of the rivets and setting it. If you get it pinched in too tight then you'll have problems later when routing the cable through it.


    P1050536.jpg



    Also check to be sure the bracket isn't going to touch or be interfered with locating properly by one or more of the rivets already installed. If so, you can just file a little off the bracket to clear the edge of the rivet.

    That's it. 13 hours total build time so far.

    P1050537.jpg
    Last edited by Daveembry; 12-01-2022 at 06:07 AM.
    Dave Embry
    "You only live once.......but if you do it right.........once is enough."..

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

    WING MANUAL

    Tail ribs. Just note that the first one that goes onto rib #1 is part number -002 which is a rib from the RIGHT WING. It is different from the rest of the tail ribs which are -001's (just like the first nose rib was from the right wing).

    You will need to cut the top of the #2 rib back from the inside edge of the spar so the fuel tanks will fit.

    P1050608.jpg

    Do NOT yet put the rivets in the tail ribs between ribs #7,#8 & #9. (See Fig. W68 for the 4 tail ribs) In the next section you will be installing the tail rib reinforcement brackets on the joints of these 2 tail to center ribs. When you put these brackets on your will be installing 7 rivets into the sides and if you put that one on the side first, before these brackets, they will interfere with the brackets sitting flush with the center rib.

    Also, it's noted in the manual that you will NOT put any rivets for these 2 ribs (#8 & 9) into the rear spar now. Just put the top and bottom rivets in where the tail ribs join the center ribs but not into the rear spar. You will see when you try to install the brackets later that you will need to slide and twist these tail ribs a bit to get the squeeze riveter in.

    You can see here how I have modified by squeezer by cutting it down in areas as well as cutting down the edge of the dies so I can have good clearances like in the places here where we have to dimple and then set the rivets in the tail ribs to center ribs.

    P1050538.jpg

    P1050540.jpg

    Here you can see the "dimpling" dies used on the holes on the top and bottom tail to center rib connections. NOTE: Go ahead and put the top and bottom rivets in these TAIL ribs (tail ribs to center ribs) on the #8 & #9 but not the side ones as we are going to do that in the next section when we install the rib reinforcements which will rivet in from the sides. Also right now, DO NOT install any of the SS rivets into the spar for the rear center and tail ribs. You will see why in Section 22 when we have to install the reinforcement brackets. To make room to get in and squeeze the side rivets for these brackets, we will need more room so by not installing the rivets, we can slide the center and tail ribs out away from the cross tubes to give us room to work. The manual says "the #8 rib may be moved inboard 2" in the rear to clear the rear strut attach fittings", this is what it's referring to. You can "Temporarily" move it over to work on the brackets.....you can't really MOVE IT OVER 2" permanently.


    P1050539.jpg

    These modifications make it so that you can get the squeezer up close to the ribs (under the top of the rib) like here.

    P1050541.jpg

    I drill and install all the top and top/side rivets first before drilling the bottoms so everything stays lined up. Note that when you drill the top holes from the tail rib to the center ribs that you first hold the tail ribs (and later the NOSE RIBS you do the same) straight out (perpendicular.....90 deg. angle) from the rear spar before drilling the holes.

    When I'm finished installing all the top and bottoms rivets I go back with a pair of pliers and just straighten the tops of the connection points so they are more level and the edge isn't sticking up because the fabric will be laying on these areas and you don't want the edges sticking up.

    P1050542.jpg



    TRAILING EDGE REINFORCEMENTS


    Now you will see why we did not rivet the aft sides of #7 & 8 ribs or tail ribs to the spars. This is so you can slide or angle them as you drill and rivet these reinforcements in place. Once you them installed, you can go ahead and install all the rib rivets, front and back except for the bottom of the front spar #8 rib and install the 2 tail ribs between #7 & 8 that we left out (again to leave room for the hand squeezer to get in there and squeeze the rivets.

    MACHINED CLIPS. Page 29.1

    This is a little confusing but really simple.

    On the BOTTOM of rib #5 put the clip SK31055-001 (NOTE: Pay attention to the part numbers because there is an “SC” and an “SK” with the same number) and SC31055-001 on the top like the pictures show in the manual.

    ON THE TOP CAP ONLY, drill 2 #40 holes up at the top towards the inboard side of the spar on the clip, dimple and install the MS20426AD3-3 rivets. Just center these holes on the parts you are drilling into (the ends of the double center ribs) and keep an edge distance of 2 times the width of the rivet.

    The top aft, outboard hole and rivet that goes into the machined rib will be installed later after the capstrip is installed. You can drill the hole now 0.25" up from the outboard edge of the clip with a #30 bit but don't install the rivet now.


    P1060820.jpg

    Put the SK31055-001 clip on the bottom and do the same except use a #30 bit and there will be 4 of the CR3213-4-2 Cherrymax rivets onto the back of the clip into the machined trailing edge rib. 2 will go on the inboard side of the spar going through the clip and each side of the double ribs and the other 2 will go onto the machined tail rib.

    BEFORE YOU INSTALL THE 2 BOTTOM, OUTBOARD RIVETS THAT GO INTO THE HANGER, BE SURE YOU SQUARE THE HANGAR WITH THE REAR SPAR.

    NOTE: MITCH CONFIRMED THAT THE FIGURES ARE CORRECT SHOWING THE CR3213-4-2 BOTTOM CHERRYMAX RIVETS WHICH ARE NOT COUNTERSUNK. THIS MADE NO SENSE TO ME SINCE THE BOTTOM FABRIC WILL CONTACT THE BOTTOM AND THE 3213 RIVETS WILL LEAVE A BIG BUMP THERE BUT.....I was finally told that the reason is that the countersunk rivets are not as strong as the others and the engineers wanted more strength here.

    Use SC31055-003 caps on both top and bottom of the #12 rib. Drill #30 holes on both the top and bottom clip in 1 location going from the clip into the machined rib, countersink and install HDW-CR3212-4-2 rivets.

    Then drill 1 hole on each clip aft of the spar, on the inboard side and 2 holes in each clip, forward of the spar on the outboard side and install the 4 HDW-CR3213-4-2 rivets on the inboard sides that go into the center ribs and 2 HDW-CR3213-4-3 rivets (1 in each clip) from the side into the machined rib.


    P1050545.jpg
    This is rib #12 clips. Note the location of the single cherrymax rivets on the sides going into the machines tail rib and there is only 1 hole in the top and bottom of the clips and its on the machined rib side. There are no rivets from the top and bottom clips into the center ribs.

    P1050546.jpg
    This is a view of the outboard side of the #12 rib showing the 2 rivets that go from the sides of both the top and bottom clip into the center rib.

    16 hours and 40 minutes into the build at this point.

    P1050547.jpg
    Last edited by Daveembry; 12-06-2022 at 12:29 PM.
    Dave Embry
    "You only live once.......but if you do it right.........once is enough."..

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

    WING MANUAL

    Nose Ribs.

    Go back to my post #6 for info on cutting/prepping the nose ribs https://forum.cubcrafters.com/showth...ll=1#post21596

    The manual is pretty self explanatory here. Just a note that you do NOT want to install the bottom rivet in the #8 rib nose rib (and remember we left it out also on the bottom of the center rib there on the front rib) because..... you will see that when you go to install the bottom rivet of the nose rib to center rib for that #8 rib that you are going to need to slide the bottom over just a little to get your squeeze riveter up into position to set the rivet because the tubes are in the way. After you install that bottom rivet in that connection, then you can install the 2 SS rivets in the #8 center and nose ribs.

    Also just pay special attention that the nose rib on the #1 rib is actually the -002 rib that normally goes on the right wing. All the rest are the -001 nose ribs.

    NOTE: I don't install the intermediate rib between center ribs #2 & 3 until after I install the false #2 rib later. This will give you more room for a couple of holes and rivets you have to install into the side of the #2 false rib. So just leave that one out for now.

    CAPSTRIP #5
    Page 31.1


    P1050548.jpg

    -Mark and drill a #30 into the machined clip on the #5 double rib per the manual (W85) .25" from the top of the machined rib radius on the top, centered on the machined rib.

    - Get the capstrip PC31054-001 (same for left and right wing) and the end with the 2 holes in the center about 8.5" from the end and has 2 more holes centered at the very end..... goes on the aft spar end.

    There are 2 holes there pre-drilled....1 is smaller than the other. Circle it with sharpie. Measure 3.5" aft and mark the capstrip and another mark another 3.5" aft (see Fig. W85). (Note that the latest kit I got has these 2 holes already drilled out in the capstrip.)

    Drill out this smaller hole with a #30 drill bit and place the capstrip onto the double #5 rib and cleco this one you just drilled to the hole you made in the capstrip (the one .25" from the top of the machined rib). It says to drill a #30 fabric rivet hole through the capstrip into the machined clip (it would be right over the aft spar)..... BUT........see my NOTE at the bottom. There are no fabric holes over the rear spar on top so this isn't correct. I move it down in line with the rest of the fabric holes in the other tail ribs.

    P1050551.jpg

    - Next get a small square and square the flap/aileron hangar with the rear spar and use clamps to hold the capstrip and machined rib in place. Drill out 2 #30 holes in the 2 spots (each 3.5" from the first hole) and cleco. (Again note that the latest kit I got has these 2 holes already drilled out in the capstrip.) NOTE: It helps to first get a sharpie and draw a line down the machined rib where you want the rivets to go so it's centered in the piece. Then it's easier to line up the holes in the capstrip over those marks to be sure you have it centered correctly.

    P1050552.jpg

    - Center the capstrip on the double rib and clamp in place. If it's off just a little, it will flex over a little as you go. Just center the first foot or so from the aft spar and get some cleco's in, then keep moving the rest of the capstrip over to the center as you go until you get to the end.

    There are 25 holes you will need to drill and cleco. Use a #30 bit for all the capstrip holes except the one you will drill into the nose rib at the very end. This one is #40 with the HDW-MS20426AD3-3 rivet. The rivets used in the other 25 holes are HDW-MS20426AD-4-4 rivets. You will have to dimple and then install the rivets. NOTE: Figure W85 shows that you will matchdrill 25 holes. Here they are referring to using the holes in the capstrip to matchdrill down into the double rib. However, you will also see where they say to matchdrill with a #30 up from the inboard center rib into the capstrip. These are for the 3 fabric rivets so you will matchdrill up and leave these holes for fabric rivets.

    The front of the latest capstrip I have does not need to be trimmed. If yours is the older ones, it will be too long. Just cut it off 1" forward of the outboard edge of the front spar.

    - If you are going to rivet your fabric on, then take a long #30 drill bit and match drill the 3 fabric holes (come up from the bottom) in the machined rib through the capstrip. Do NOT drill out the other 4th fabric hole that is the larger hole in the capstrip that is directly over the clip underneath. This is suppose to be a fabric rivet hole but notice that it should not be there as there are no other fabric rivets in any of the other tail ribs so this would be out of place. Just ignore where I have that hole over the spar on the capstrip circled in black and do not drill that out.

    Just match drill down through the capstrip hole through the clip. There are 3 holes in the machined rib you come up through the capstrip and 1 that you drill in the center of the machined clip through the capstrip for fabric holes. If you look at the tail ribs, etc on either side of the machined tail rib, you will see where all the other rivet holes are that you will be using, so you will be putting these in to match.

    P1050553.jpg
    Ignore that hole over the spar (top right). I do NOT drill out that hole for a fabric rivet as it does not match the outboard tail ribs and there are no fabric rivets up there on any of the inboard ribs.

    - Remove the clecos and capstrip and deburr all the holes and then put the capstrip back up and cleco in place again. You can dimple all the rivet holes (but NOT the fabric holes) .

    - Measure 1" past the forward side of the front spar and cut off the rest of the capstrip and drill a #40 hole through the capstrip into the nose rib and install a MS20426AD3-3 squeeze rivet (dimple first).

    - Install the rivets after using the microstop to countersink the 3 aft hole for the cherrymax rivets through the capstrip into the machined rib. Use CherryMax CR3212-4-3 rivets are 3 in the tail end aft of the rear spar; 25 squeeze rivets into the center ribs and the 1 squeezed rivet in the nose rib.

    - Again, if you are going to use rivets in the fabric, use a long #30 drill bit again and from the bottom, match drill through the fabric holes in the top of the center ribs. It says to use the outboard rib so I DON'T. I use the inboard rib because this will just look a little nicer since these rivets will line up with the nose rib rivets.....so....don't drill out the holes in both of the double ribs.

    LASTLY, this needs to be "pretty" since the fabric will be laying directly on top of these capstrips. So, I take a file and use it as a straight edge and go over the tops of all the rivets to be sure none of them are sticking up and would show through the fabric. If you find 1 high, then just file it down a bit on the top.


    P1060811.jpg


    P1060812.jpg


    NOTE: Nov 2021. Well after the 7th build I just looked and I believe perhaps the drawing is a little wrong. No big deal but IF YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER TAIL RIBS outboard of this machined rib, you will see the fabric holes are right up almost to the spar on the tail ribs but on the drawing they say to have the 1 hole for fabric to be into the cap over the spar and a cherrymax aft of that into the machined rib......right where it should be a fabric hole so it lines up nice and pretty with the rest of them when you look down the wing. So, I am now going to change those and I will put the rivet as called for but not use the hole over the center of the spar cap since there are no other rivet holes there.

    B58A77F5-4E30-4F18-918B-6FB0BCA3EDAF.jpg
    Last edited by Daveembry; 03-23-2023 at 10:19 AM.
    Dave Embry
    "You only live once.......but if you do it right.........once is enough."..

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Building the EX3 - Tips & Hints

    WING MANUAL

    Rib #1 and Rib #3 Capstrip

    NOTE: The manual on page 32.1 says to use a #20 bit for the center hole for the nutplate installation. This is normally correct but in this case, they want us to use a #10 instead of the #20 (per CC)

    If you look ahead to page 57.1 and 57.2 on W145, you will see this is installing the 4 nutplates that will need to be installed before the fuel tanks go in. You will see here that they say to drill that center hole with a #10 hole instead of the #20 they said to use in this section. I contacted CC and they confirmed to use the #10 instead of the #20 on all these capstrips. They said it just gives you more room to shift the tank around later when installing the tank covers and I agree.

    The manual is pretty straight forward here. A couple of things:

    The part number SC31054-007 is for the left wing #1 top capstrip and SC31054-008 is for the RIGHT WING.

    - You see that the #1 capstrip is set flush with the end of the #1 tail rib, it should be flush with the inside (outboard) of the double rib and the lip on it should face down and inboard. If you get it right, the nutplate pre-drilled holes will be sitting on the inboard center double rib and the rivets will be going into the outboard double center rib.

    P1050554.jpg

    Rib #3 capstrip (SC31054-009 left and -010 right) you will set so that the nutplates line up with the ones on the #1 capstrip. Just measure up to the first nutplate on the #1 and set the #3 capstrip so that it's first nutplate is the same distance forward of the rear spar. This capstrip should be centered on the double center rib and the nutplate holes should be INBOARD of the #3 rib and the rivets will be on the outboard center rib..

    If anything, you might want to cheat it just a hair towards the inboard side of the double rib. The reason is that you will be giving yourself plenty of room for the nutplates to fit under that cap/rib without hitting the center part of the center rib.

    P1050557.jpg

    P1050558.jpg


    Use the microstop to countersink all the rivet holes (except not the #10 center holes of the nut plates).

    P1050555.jpg

    One little trick I like to do it after drilling all the nutplate holes (the #40's on the rivet holes and #10 in the center, screw hole), I like to take my rivet squeezer and just lightly squeeze the ribs and capstrip where you drilled these holes just to push them up flush together. This will keep you from problems setting the nutplates flush with the bottom of the top of the rib and lets the rivets go all the way through the nutplates.

    After installing the nutplates be sure they "wiggle" around some to be sure you haven't pinched them when installing the rivets.

    These nutplates will be used near the end of the build when we install our tank covers but we won't match drill them until the plane is finished to allow for any movement during fabric and shrinking, etc. One thing I like to do is to keep these holes (the #10 ones in the center of the nutplates that our screws will eventually go down through) clear so after I install fabric over them later, I use an awl to punch holes through the fabric down into the nutplate. That way they are easier to find later when you have to match drill them. I do this after fabric and then again after paint. It's easier to keep them in sight now than later when the wings are installed and you are on top of a ladder, leaning over the wing trying to find these holes through everything. Later you will take a soldering iron and burn these holes completely open before installing the screws through the fuel tank covers.

    If you are riveting your fabric then you will need to drill out some holes from the bottom up through the #5 rib using a #30 bit. On the #5 double rib match drill up from the bottom through the existing holes in the tops of the ribs through the capstrip. Only drill out the holes on 1 of the double ribs, not both. I drill them through the inboard rib just because it lines up with the nose rib which is attached to that inside center rib. At the tail end it won't line up on either center rib because the machined rib is in the center of them both so the rivet line will just have to veer off to one direction or the other here. We did this earlier when installing the #5 capstrip probably. We don't need to do it on the #1, #3 & #1 bottom capstrips because the fabric will be wrapping around the capstrip and secured that way so no fabric rivets will go into those ribs.


    #1 Bottom Capstrip

    SC31054-003. Just look at the strip and the end that has the hole the shortest distance from the end goes towards the aft/tail rib end and should start with being where the bottom of the #1 tail rib (see photo and drawing below that I did) and the back of the tail rib intersect. You can use a small ruler to put on the back of the rib and then just slide the capstrip down until it touches the ruler.

    UPDATE: It looks like on the new W87 on Page 33.1 they have added a distance. It's .58" aft of the cutout on the bottom of the tail rib (it puts it in the same place as I described above)

    The strip should be centered on the #1 double rib and the last (most aft) hole should be on the INBOARD side.

    Note that some 6 holes won't be used as they do not pass through the double rib. There is 1 outboard, nose rib hole that won't be used now as it will be done later when the nose skins are installed. There are 2 inboard nose rib area holes that don't go into anything and won't be used. Then there are 3 on the inboard side of the tail rib that don't meet the rib and 1 more inboard on the double center rib area but it also does not meet the rib.



    P1050609.jpg

    P1050610.jpg


    This figure was not in the manual but shows where the cap strips for the top and bottom of the #1 rib start at the aft tail rib. I didn't take a fuzzy photo....this is just the way it was in my EX2 manual. The left figure is just showing that the top is flush with the outboard edge of the double rib and the bottom is centered and the right figure is showing that the top and bottom capstrips start with being flush with the point where the bottom and back ends meet (see above).

    P1050560.jpg

    I have a total of 20 hours and 30 minutes to this point in the wing build.

    P1050561.jpg
    Last edited by Daveembry; 03-06-2023 at 11:05 AM.

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