Phil

Phil

Well Known Member
Does anyone have a secret trick to reaching the tight relief-spots on the rib flanges? I've been attacking these things with the shoe-shine technique and some emory cloth. But it's still taking me forever and becoming quite tedious. :eek:

Anyone have a special trick they use to speed up the process some?

Phil
 
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Practice...

Come on up here for practice. I think I have about 14 ribs left on the bi-plane to finish.
 
When I complained to Gus at Van's about the Slartibartfarst* thing, he said "don't waste your time. It's more important that you smooth the flange so that the skin fits smoothly over the nose of the ribs."

This is done with a bench disc sander or scotchbrite wheel. Sometimes the skin on the tabs gets pretty thin but he said not to worry about it.

Hope this helps.

*Slartibartfarst is the designer of Norway's fijords according to Douglas Adams.
 
But my ribs will have fabric over them. Smooth edges become a little more critical.
 
Sears sells mini scotchbrite wheels that fit in a dremel. About an inch in diameter and maybe 3/16" thick. Worth their weight in gold...I have never found them anyplace else but Sears...You can cruise through a rib flange in about 2 minutes. Once they wear a bit they get even better...Loved those things...don't care to see another rib flange for a long time;)
 
Very cool. I'll head to Sears tomorrow and see if I can find a handful of them.

I've got the major portion of the edges under control with a die grinder and mini scotchbrite wheel (1" x 1"). Having one that's 3/16" thick might be the ticket.

The real problem is the area between each of the tab flanges. Those are a royal pain. :D
 
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The fastest way I found for those relief notches was to go around them with one of those hooked swivel deburring tools to take of the edge, then clamp the rib in a soft jawed vice & give a quick smooth with the emery cloth - shoeshine style as you say. But I didn't try the dremel, that might be the go.
 
'nuff said

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