HS help!

Ansarie · #1 12-19-2005, 09:26 AM

I am having a hard time fitting the HS skin to the underlying skeleton. I called Vans today and the Rep. said to trim some of the material from the front of the ribs. Also, he said, he can?t remember anyone having a problem with this; that builders may have been trimming the front of the ribs without calling us.

I just got the kit in December and I tried the wooden cradle and duct-tapping the skin edges to fit the contours of the ribs; none successful so far.

If you are done with the HS, did you have a problem fitting the Skin to front Ribs (HS-706 and HS-707) and how did you do it?

Many thanks!

Ansarie.

cjensen · #2 12-19-2005, 09:40 AM

i remember it being a VERY tight fit, but it worked out. i would get the skin roughly in position, then use a cleco to "pull" the skin into position over the rib hole by inserting the cleco in the skin hole, and angling it to reach the hole in the rib, then straightening. once you have one in place, the rest are easy. i didn't do any trimming of the nose ribs to get it to fit. i did not use the cradle to fit it. try laying the structure and skin on the workbench.

hope this helps!

RV7Factory · #3 12-19-2005, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansarie

did you have a problem fitting the Skin to front Ribs (HS-706 and HS-707)...

Yes, it was tough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansarie

...and how did you do it?

Patience, and lots of it.

I remember this being a tough job, but I do not recall trimming anything (I could be wrong). Make sure the flanges of the ribs are 90-degrees to the web and consider have a second person on hand to help. It's tight, but it can be done.

Good luck!

jcoloccia · #4 12-19-2005, 11:28 AM

I didn't trim anything off, but I did round the front of the ribs a bit so they wouldn't gouge as much. Also, I found putting the pieces in one at a time and clecoing in place is WAY easier than trying to make the whole skeleton fit.

Mike S · #5 12-19-2005, 11:47 AM

You can use an awl, preferably with a blunted/rounded tip, to GENTLY-------I repete, GENTLY pry things into place, then cleco cleco cleco.

Mike

Hawkeye7A · #6 12-19-2005, 12:32 PM

When I built my HS the first skin went on with very little effort. The second side gave me fits. I was able to get the clecos in the top(or bottom-I forget) but absolutely couldn't get them in the second side. I removed the skin, folded it on the factory bend until the trailing edges touched and found them to be 1/4" off! Being as the two skins are supposed to be interchangable I surmised that the one skin had slipped in the press brake at the factory and was bent 1/8" off the center line. Vans replaced it - no questions or problems. They said it was unusual but that it could happen. The replacement skin went on with very little effort. Check out your trailing edge match-up before you fight with it too much. Also, I didn't have to trim any ribs-just a good deburring on the tip flanges.

--hawk
RV-7A
N728E reserved

AltonD · #7 12-19-2005, 01:02 PM

The ribs dig into the skin since it is a tight fit. put a little tension on the skin to open it up so that you get full insertion of the ribs as far forward as required. Then, start clecoing one hole at at time till you have a cleco in every hole on one side, then flip.
What looks bad at first, will snap into alignment once you have a bunch of clecos in place. Pick a spot, and work out from there.

Alton
Emp complete
Wings due 2 Jan.

Ansarie · #8 12-19-2005, 01:42 PM

Many thanks for the responses. I use the wesites listed in the replies all the time. However, I need more help...

Alton, applying tension to skin seems plausible, how do you do it. I put inside the skin a padded dowel and pressed forward, it was close, but no cigar.

I have tried to put the skeleton piece by piece inside the skin and applied pressure from the inside. The piece-by-piece did not work for me, further it will not work after you prime and rivet the skeleton together!

Also, I tried to ?Gently Pry? things into place, but aluminum too soft for coursing!

I tried the table top method also. I had my son open-up the skin as far as possible, but did ask him for a ?bit? more as I was afraid we would damage the skin.

Remember that end rib HS-706 is one piece that must fit inside the skin before you can clico any holes, it?s all or nothing! If you put it a skew, you can cleco the back two holes (top and bottom) but you will have the same problem; you must have fit it in before you can put in another cleco!

Again, many thanks to all who replied, more help please

Ansarie.

Radomir · #9 12-19-2005, 01:47 PM

stupid question -- did you flute those ribs properly? What exactly is the problem? Holes not lining up?

Ansarie · #10 12-19-2005, 02:15 PM

Yes, the holes will not line-up, bout 1/4 in off after an hour of trying!

The ribs needed little fluting as they were almost straight. I did make sure the flanges are perpendicular to the webs, also.

Do I need to flute like crazy as it might shorten the ribs and have a better fit?