There are two problems with the original wing walks: They're too small for my big feet and, the rivets wear through the black anti-skid material (unevenly and ugly-ly) There's a long thread about this by Bob Noffs in here somewhere, where flush rivets are discussed. Too much work!
So I addressed both issues as thus.
1. Wear-thru. I cut the anti-skid stuff into strips to fill in between the rivet rows. Made nice rounded corners, so they look and work great. It's been that way for three years and 400 or so hours with no visible wear or peeling at the edges. I suspect that's partly because the rivet heads take much of the abuse, while the anti-skid anti-skids!
2. Size. I ordered extra wing walk skins from Vans and trimmed them to butt against the originals, roughly doubling the useable area. Now I dont have to worry about passengers with big shoes...and I can sit my lard-..s comfortably on the walk while I'm working on the panel or just fidlin' with the Garmin, without "oil-canning" the wing skin.
Note in the picture the rivet pattern looks like there are supporting half ribs under the added skins, but there are none, of course, since I made this mod after the wings were complete and flying....and dented badly by an enthusiastic but clumsy passenger.
The unsupported double-skins are super strong and support my 200+ lbs easily.
Note also I trimmed the new skins at the rear so as to avoid drilling into the spar caps!
Just an idea....works for me
http://tinypic.com/r/eu58nk/9
http://tinypic.com/m/k9x5c2/1
So I addressed both issues as thus.
1. Wear-thru. I cut the anti-skid stuff into strips to fill in between the rivet rows. Made nice rounded corners, so they look and work great. It's been that way for three years and 400 or so hours with no visible wear or peeling at the edges. I suspect that's partly because the rivet heads take much of the abuse, while the anti-skid anti-skids!
2. Size. I ordered extra wing walk skins from Vans and trimmed them to butt against the originals, roughly doubling the useable area. Now I dont have to worry about passengers with big shoes...and I can sit my lard-..s comfortably on the walk while I'm working on the panel or just fidlin' with the Garmin, without "oil-canning" the wing skin.
Note in the picture the rivet pattern looks like there are supporting half ribs under the added skins, but there are none, of course, since I made this mod after the wings were complete and flying....and dented badly by an enthusiastic but clumsy passenger.
The unsupported double-skins are super strong and support my 200+ lbs easily.
Note also I trimmed the new skins at the rear so as to avoid drilling into the spar caps!
Just an idea....works for me
http://tinypic.com/r/eu58nk/9
http://tinypic.com/m/k9x5c2/1