wing construction - ready to assemble

rockwoodrv9 · #1 05-20-2012, 04:48 PM

Im just ordering my wing kit after semi recovering from taxes last month. I was looking on Kitplanes at the Zenith 750 and saw a video on the wing construction. The 750 kit comes pre punched to final size - no match drilling or deburring. All parts are ready for assembly. Then the video shows the wing pop riveted together. It sure looked fast and easy!

http://www.zenith.aero/video/750-wing-kit-assembly

If there is an option for the punch and cut machines to produce the parts ready to put together, why doesn't Vans do that? I know there is nothing more fun than deburring drilled holes and lightening holes, but maybe builds would go quite a bit faster and builders may not be as likely to get bored or frustrated doing what appears to be unnecessary. For those who what to experience every part of the build, Im sure Vans has an inventory of kit parts you would still have to match drill and file off the punch parts on the spars.

I don't know if the machines Zenith uses are different than Vans, but if it is just a software adjustment, I sure with they would make that adjustment! It would give me more time to fill the rivets on my 9!!

Rick_A · #2 05-20-2012, 06:06 PM

The RV-12 is put together the same way - no need to match drill, de-burr, dimple,etc...and it uses pulled rivets.

However, the other planes in the RV series are much high performance aircraft then either the RV-12 or the Zenith. They use solid, flush rivets for a good reason.

rockwoodrv9 · #3 05-20-2012, 06:50 PM

I agree on the rivets. I have not looked at data, but just from doing both types it appears to me the solid rivets are stronger. The match drilling, deburring, and smoothing the edges, takes considerable time. It really doesn't do much as far as education or skill building that needs to be a part of airplane construction.

Im not looking for easier to build. I just do not believe the deburring and match drilling add to what I am learning while building. If a simple software change can save 100-400 hours on every build, it doesn't make much sense to not make that change.

longranger · #4 05-21-2012, 11:14 AM

I don't mind deburrng the flanges (6" SB wheel on a bench grinder) or the lightening holes (2" SB wheel in a die grinder). I don't even mind rivet hole deburring as much as many seem to... But getting in all those @#$%%^&* notches with files, emery cloth, maroon SB, etc. is for the birds

. I spent about 5 hours this weekend just doing that! In the middle of all of that, I was thinking I'd pay an extra Benjamin to have that done for me, and I haven't even gotten to the nose ribs yet...

ChiefPilot · #5 05-21-2012, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockwoodrv9

I agree on the rivets. I have not looked at data, but just from doing both types it appears to me the solid rivets are stronger. The match drilling, deburring, and smoothing the edges, takes considerable time. It really doesn't do much as far as education or skill building that needs to be a part of airplane construction.

Im not looking for easier to build. I just do not believe the deburring and match drilling add to what I am learning while building. If a simple software change can save 100-400 hours on every build, it doesn't make much sense to not make that change.

I suspect that if it really were a software change, it'd have been done by now.

I smile, because I think of what much of my -6A kit was like: no prepunched stuff except on the emp. kit. I smile, because the -3/-4 builders laugh at the -6 builders complaining about no prepunching, since they pretty much had to mine their own ore.