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08-13-2014, 09:27 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Gold Hill, NC25
Posts: 2,400
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flightlogic
OK, not so skilled metal cutter here, with a beginner question.
Have a wing leading edge landing light that I removed the builders halogen bulb from. Bolted in a dozen LED's in a heat sink housing with a few cuts and bruises from the tight space. Works OK for landing and good for recog.
Now, I think I will cut the left wing and duplicate the light on that side.
What tool is the best choice to plunge cut right into a pristine wing? I will purchase a clear plastic lens kit and reinforcement ring from Van's.
But, I don't want to butcher the wing by being an idiot with tool choice and techniques. Any and all advice welcome...
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You can take a look at my leading edge landing light install doc from our documentation section off our website. It explains in great detail what is required, the tools needed, and how to do it. It has been done by the thousands by those before you. Its really NO BIG DEAL. Even putting one into a painted finished leading edge is really no big deal.
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Kahuna
6A, S8 ,
Gold Hill, NC25
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08-13-2014, 09:30 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
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First trace where you are going to cut. Make a template from the other wing.
Cover you future hole with painters tape and then cover that with gorilla tape and trace your hole on top of that.
Drill a big hole at least a half inch from where the edge of the hole should be. Using whatever tool you like, cut out the hole, leaving an 1/8" lip to file down.
I used a body saw, which works great. Others have used dremels or fone tooth hacksaw blades. The key is to file up to the line very carefully.
__________________
Bill R.
RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
O-360 w/ dual P-mags
Build the plane you want, not the plane others want you to build!
SC86 - Easley, SC
www.repucci.com/bill/baf.html
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08-13-2014, 09:53 AM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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Pretty much what Bill said.
I like to use a Unibit in the corners to get a nice radius------but you need to locate the center of the hole exactly, then drill up to the needed diameter/radius.
I use a cutoff wheel in a die grinder to make the large cuts, file or sanding drum as needed to get the final size.
Try it on some scrap first to build your confidence 
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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08-13-2014, 09:54 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Prescott, AZ
Posts: 1,614
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Kahuna and Bill:
Much appreciated.... I feel better now about butchering my fine looking leading edge. The filing up to the final line advice fills in my knowledge gap.
I was worried about wavy metal... due to snips or whatever.
I probably own more power tools than should be allowed an idiot.
Using some of them around my plane worries me.
Now, I have a better feeling for starting this project.
I fly out of ERAU's western campus base airport. Surrounded by students with squeaky voices that are staring at their glass maps. I live in fear that one of them will run me over. So, I keep all the lights on and fly at even and odd altitudes. (did not put that in print) More LED's seems to be in my list of desired add ons. Thanks for taking time to write and post!
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08-13-2014, 09:59 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Ottawa, Ks
Posts: 2,188
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Like the others said way easier to do than it sounds. I drew the template on the wing skin and used a uni-drill bit to drill a large hole in each corner about 1/16-1/8 inboard from the template mark. I then carefully used my die grinder with a cutting wheel (dremel/metal saw/hacksaw blade all work) to make the rest of the cut 1/16-1/8 on the inside of the template line. A file easily cleaned up the edges right to the template line and a sanding drum-wheel in my cordless drill easily dressed up and radiused the corners. I was surprised when I had a good looking square hole with rounded edges in less than 30 minutes. Good Luck!
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RV 7 400 hours and counting
19 donation done
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08-13-2014, 10:03 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Prescott, AZ
Posts: 1,614
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Thank you Mike !!!!!!!!!!!
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08-13-2014, 10:23 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sherrills Ford, NC (Lake norman area)
Posts: 432
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landing lights
Our plane was built with only halogens in the tips. They were just OK at large strips, terrible at our little clear the trees and drop in runway at 14A. We added DW leading edge kits and rolled our own 55watt HID. They work great and I now have MR16 LEDs in the tips for wigwag. have been told our plane looks like a 737 on final.
Saving up to buy some of Kahunas LEDs to replace the HIDs in the near future as they will fit in our existing DW kits.
We were really sweating the big cut, but it was no big deal at all. Only suggestion I would make, don't try to paint the mounting screws, just leave them with their stainless finish.
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Bill Fearheiley
Lake Norman, NC (14A)
RV7a N705RP (no longer own)
Contribution in for 2017, money well spent
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08-13-2014, 10:39 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Boise, Idaho
Posts: 468
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Here is a photo that was sent to us by one of our customers that installed the Aerosun Vx wingtip lights. As you can see by the light pattern on the hangar, there is enough light to be able to see directly in front of the nose. It appears that this photo was taken at a fairly close distance from the hangar (maybe 30 feet or so). By 50 feet in front of the plane, the light reaching the area in front of the nose is even brighter than what you see here:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...aerosun-vx.php
Last edited by Dean_aeroleds : 08-13-2014 at 12:09 PM.
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08-13-2014, 12:46 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
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If you don't already have some files, this set should work to get close and then do the final dressing with this set.
Aluminum is easy to file and it will go fast.
__________________
Bill R.
RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
O-360 w/ dual P-mags
Build the plane you want, not the plane others want you to build!
SC86 - Easley, SC
www.repucci.com/bill/baf.html
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08-13-2014, 01:37 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Dublin, CA
Posts: 1,261
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I was worried about making the cuts in the wingskin too, but its really not a big deal. Just do as others have said using the painters tape and mark the outline. Double and triple check that you have the template turned the right direction before you start cutting.
I used a cutoff wheel on both my dremel tool and a larger diameter one on my die grinder. With the larger wheel its easier to cut straight cuts and the with the smaller wheel you can cut around the corners. As others have said you will need to file and/or can to the finished line. If you have a sanding drum that can help finish up the corners. I had some small scotchbrite wheels so I used one of those in the corners to make a clean final radius.
These cutouts don't need to be absolutely perfect. The lense is cut to match the openeing so if one is say 1/16" larger than the other wing no one would know unless they took out a rule to measure it. Having said that I tried to make my perfect.  You know engineers.
__________________
Ray Tonks
2020 Donation Paid
Titan IOX-370, Dual PMAGs, 9.6:1 Pistons, FM-150
RV-7 Fuselage in progress
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RV-7 SB Wings
* Both Wings fully skinned
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