FiberglassTips

Question for all that have completed your build. I am in the waiting game for the fuselage kit, hopefully late summer. (fingers crossed).

My question, what would be the downside with going ahead and installing and finishing the wing tips, rudder, horizontal and elevator tips and working on that while I wait for fuse kit? Get the fiberglass work complete before mating wings and tail feathers with the yet to be shipped fuselage kit? In the end, I would like to get items I can do...done, while waiting shipments from Vans.

Thanks,

Scott

I don't think there is a down side. I finished the fiberglass work on each component as I completed it. (do the wing tips come in the finishing kit?)

Wing tips

All is good to proceed on your list, but I would hold off on doing the wingtips. When the wings are mated to the fuselage, and the ailerons and flaps are properly set, then do the wingtips. This can save you an alignment issue and a lot of extra work if you wait.

Tips

scsmith said:

I don't think there is a down side. I finished the fiberglass work on each component as I completed it. (do the wing tips come in the finishing kit?)

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Agree. No down side. Make sure you have components (rod bearings) assembled to plans.
HS tips and skin get a little trimming. Rudder bottom needs lots of love.
You may get some comments about installing wing tips before the wings and surfaces are rigged. If they do need adjustment, it's not that difficult to split the trailing edge and rebond.

Check out Darwin Barrie's wingtip "Tips" in VAF Articles under the Construction heading:
https://vansairforce.net/articles.htm

Good stuff, thank everyone! I did not see a downside either BUT this is new ground for me and wanted a real-world check from other trailblazers before me.

Wing tips come with wing kit scsmith

Larry, I will chance it on the wing tips, I hear you. (FYI Telcom work way back in the day, EE here). I've been studying your build, thanks for all your posts, they have helped me.

Thanks for the links John.

Fiberglass work it is!

Glass work

Go for it. Decide if you're going blend them in and fill in the counter balance and stabilizer. Slightly different techniques if you're going to fill them in.

Also, the rudder and vertical fin glass are not matched well. Fill is necessary to get a great transition from the vertical fin to the rudder. (top edge). Don't do the wingtips until the fuselage is done!!

Feel free to contact me with any questions. [email protected]

I vote for doing the wing tips while vertical in the stand. Easy to get all three surfaces to line up perfectly in the neutral pos that way. Plus access and visibility is much easier.

Lock the aileron in the neutral pos (use the aileron alignment jig)
Get two 10’ bits of angle clamped to the top and bottom of each surface to line up the tip/aileron and flap.
Drill away.
I also like the hinge method if you haven’t considered that too.

I did everything by the book but still ended up splitting the trailing edge to perfect the alignment - but I’m an anal kind of guy.

Darwin, after flight testing, I will blend horizontal and elevator when I proof counterweights. Thanks for the guidance on the vertical transition, I saw the mismatch while test fitting. Fun Fun.

Richard, I am leaning towards the hinge method, it looks cleaner.

Champ said:

I did everything by the book but still ended up splitting the trailing edge to perfect the alignment - but I’m an anal kind of guy.

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Worth noting that doing it "by the book" (not criticising you Champ) does nothing to ensure the 3 surfaces are in alignment - potentially requiring remediation later. At least it did when I built my 7. It was 15+y ago though so I can't remember the exact wording. The current 10 instructions are literally just stick it on and drill the holes. no mention of alignment. Slim chance of getting it straight. Especially if the wing is horizontal.

People Ive seen who end up splitting the tip after the fact just do what they could have at initial install and straighten the tip TE by running straight edge along the aileron and the flap in the neutral position. Just they do it on the plane. Which is a PITA.

If you do it in the stand you can get it perfect first time, every time, at home. Its not the only way, but its quickest, easiest and most accurate way.
There's only one neutral aileron (and flap) position to work from. It dosent (shouldn't!) change once the wings are on and the plane is rigged.

Do it now. It has to be done why wait.

Are you wing tips going to be blind riveted on or nut-plate and screw. You will need to decide on lighting and wiring.

Fiberglass takes time and is a different process, tools and of course material (from aluminum). It can also be messy with dust and sticky stuff all over. So getting everything composite done at one time is a good idea.

Ideally you would work on your cowl, canopy fairing, gear leg intersection fairings and wheel pants as well, but that is in the future. You will need to buy epoxy and fabric. The down side of buying epoxy (resin and catalyst) is a limited shelf life. Wing tip and tail fairings may not need much if any glass work.

Van still Gel coats stuff I assume, a double edge sword love hate thing. Wash your fiberglass parts well and get any contaminates off them. Consider sanding and a light coat of primer for fiberglass.

The cowl is not gelcoat and there is the infamous pin hole issue and endless methods on how to address it. but the first step is wash it and dry it out well.

sailsunfurled said:

Darwin, after flight testing, I will blend horizontal and elevator when I proof counterweights.

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Do it now, but minimize mass additions aft of the hinge line. Install nutplates so balance weight can be added later on the inboard side of the tip rib if necessary, after paint. Balance the elevators individually.

Wingtips

I wrote an article on wingtips using the hinge method. Theybwere done in the cradle.
I also wrote one on empennage tips. Hopefully Kitplanes will run them but if someone wants to read the draft minus photos, I can send it. Shoot me an e-mail.
The wingtips process I fabricated a jig. Long piece of flat aluminum drilled to match the tooling holes with a line from end to end. Bolt it. Line up the surfaces to the line and clamp. Trace the surface to the jig. Remove and trim exactly. Grab a piece of 2x4x12. Trace the cut out and cut. Bolt the jig. Slip the block over both the jig and aileron. Locks it in place in trail. Start the wingtip fitting. That's the rest of the article!

DanH said:

Do it now, but minimize mass additions aft of the hinge line. Install nutplates so balance weight can be added later on the inboard side of the tip rib if necessary, after paint. Balance the elevators individually.

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Smart! I have lead installed now per plans and can tweak after paint with your idea.