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  #11  
Old 02-04-2015, 06:17 PM
Jstov Jstov is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Melbourne beach, fl
Posts: 190
Angry Sorry

I am sorry to hear that and I hope you find an easy and cheap resolution soon! When I look at some of your posts it makes me believe that whoever built your plane was also talking to my builder too. I don't think I have the spar issue like you do but believe me I have found enough issues along the way similar to yours, rear spar for example. You have done a beautiful job and keep pressing on!!!! When you fly it for the first time you will realize it has all been worth it.
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  #12  
Old 02-04-2015, 07:58 PM
BillL BillL is online now
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central IL
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Sorry I can not help with your specific question, but I did look at your photos. WOW, you are a brave man taking on that job. With the things you already found, surely this was not a surprise. Excellent work, though, you should have a nice plane when done.

You certainly have the skills to do what ever is needed to finish those wings. Hang in there, It looks like you are close to completion!
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  #13  
Old 02-04-2015, 09:11 PM
joeboisselle joeboisselle is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: White Swan Wa.
Posts: 366
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True to having to remove rivets and bolts, that's the easy part. But the skins are installed from in to outboard, and the ribs face outboard as well. This requires both skins to be removed to access that far inboard to be able to remove the bolts, buck the massive 3/16" rivets and the 3/32" skin rivets back on. If you're removing the rivets correctly... drill the head, punch out the stem, oversize holes shouldn't be a problem. Then use the original to dill out the new.
All together, I'd say you've got a better chance at ruining your ribs by re-skinning, than it's worth, as they're not very forgiving and replacement skins from vans don't come pre-drilled. And of course Vans is going to say it's unairworthy, but with the steel plates on either side, other than unsightly I can't see how this would ever be an issue in flight.
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  #14  
Old 02-06-2015, 07:15 PM
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acam37 acam37 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Lufkin Tx
Posts: 689
Default It has begun

Because I have a partner in this project, sometimes we are not in agreement as to what direction to go. After more debate than congress, we decided to go ahead and replace the two pieces that were cut. So we removed the bottom skin and leading edge. No problems at all. I've got really good at drilling out rivets. On to the spar cap. First we knocked off all the shop heads with a sharp air chisel. Then we removed one piece of flat bar at a time. After the first piece was off we sheared off the protruding rivet the same way we did the rivet head. With a Sharp chisel this is effortless. After the two bad pieces were removed, the rest of the spar can be taken out in one piece. We then used a hydraulic press with a slightly less than 3/16" drift punch and pressed the rest of the rivets out. No drill needed, so all the holes are still perfect. All this in 8 hours.
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  #15  
Old 02-06-2015, 07:30 PM
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Gregg Brightwell Gregg Brightwell is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Benton, Kansas
Posts: 259
Default Holy *\%#??\!

Arlie, from someone who just finished their wings......when I started reading this thread, I thought.....how bad could the damage be from the previous builder. When I saw those damaged bars, I bout lost it. It's heartbreaking and SO de motivating to have to tear that deep back into something like that. That said, well done. Tedious work to keep those big holes round. Smashing new 6's in there though will be noisy, but fun. I loved doing my spars. (My neighbor didn't share my joy)

Now you KNOW what the inside of the wing looks like, at least. Here's to just another bump in the road.

Cheers my friend,

Gregg
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  #16  
Old 02-06-2015, 08:11 PM
BillL BillL is online now
 
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Location: Central IL
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I did not see how many hours were on this plane or how it was flown (aero?), but if any spar was going to crack, that corner notch would have been the place. Surprising it has not already begun.

These spars must have some very good margin when built properly.
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RV-7
Lord Kelvin:
“I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about,
and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you
cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge
is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind.”
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  #17  
Old 02-06-2015, 08:44 PM
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acam37 acam37 is offline
 
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Location: Lufkin Tx
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One positive note: no corrosion inside the wings
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  #18  
Old 02-06-2015, 09:19 PM
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1001001 1001001 is offline
 
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Location: Just Minutes from KBVI!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BillL View Post
I did not see how many hours were on this plane or how it was flown (aero?), but if any spar was going to crack, that corner notch would have been the place. Surprising it has not already begun.

These spars must have some very good margin when built properly.
No kidding! Can you say "stress riser?" Yikes.
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  #19  
Old 02-06-2015, 09:54 PM
sblack sblack is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Montreal
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Just like so many other parts of this hobby, the hard part is the head scratching and getting started. Great work and a much bigger challenge than just building as you are in uncharted waters. Now should have a good safe airplane and after this not much is going to intimidate you!
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  #20  
Old 02-07-2015, 04:07 AM
Jstov Jstov is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Melbourne beach, fl
Posts: 190
Default Good work

Arlie,
I can't imagine how you felt when you first saw that but good job on the repair! I would love to see your chisel method on removing the rivets. Could you post some pictures of it. I still have to do my rear spar and might want to use that method of removing the rivets. Sounds safer than drilling rivets.
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