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Scratch building the wing spar

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jhines

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 20
Location: Bella Vista, Arkansas

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 4:35 pm Post subject: Scratch building the wing spar

My project has been on hold for a while.  I shifted gears after I finished the tail kit and decided to start scratch building from hear on.  I have a lot of parts cut out but I haven’t popped a rivet in about a year.  Of course the spar is complete when you purchase a kit so the standard instructions don’t have any information on the assembly process.  Is there a resource out there about scratch building the wing spar?

_________________
John Hines

craig(at)craigandjean.com
Guest

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 4:54 pm Post subject: Scratch building the wing spar

 	  Quote: 	
		   Is there a resource out there about scratch building the wing spar?


	


Here is part of it:



www.ch601.org/resources/spar_cap/spar_cap_drilling.htm



-- Craig

naumuk(at)alltel.net
Guest

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 5:35 pm Post subject: Scratch building the wing spar

John-

    Tons of it. Check out Larry MacFarland's site, 601.org, Scott 

Mc'Laughlin's, the list goes on. Easiest thing to do is search "spar 

construction" in the archives and crossreference the poster's sites.

Bill Naumuk

HDS Fuse/Corvair

Townville, Pa

---

jhines

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 20
Location: Bella Vista, Arkansas

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 5:58 pm Post subject: Re: Scratch building the wing spar

Well, I don't see much about actual spar construction on 601.org.  And Scott McLaughlin's site says a guy named Jason Isley made his spars.  There is nothing about actually building the spar on there, (unless I am blind).



John

_________________
John Hines

Ron Lendon

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 685
Location: Clinton Twp., MI

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 7:16 pm Post subject: Re: Scratch building the wing spar

Between 9-20-2006 and 11/24/2006 I scratch built wing and center spars and logged all the activity at my kit log with text and pictures.  Have a look and see if it helps.

_________________
Ron Lendon
WW Corvair with Roy's Garage 5th bearing
CH 601 XLB
N601LT - Flying
http://www.mykitlog.com/rlendon
Corvair Engine Prints:
https://sites.google.com/site/corvairenginedata/

jhines

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 20
Location: Bella Vista, Arkansas

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 7:54 pm Post subject: Re: Scratch building the wing spar

Ron,



Great detail!  I will start studying.



Thanks,

John

_________________
John Hines

lwinger

Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 229
Location: Tustin, CA

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 9:02 pm Post subject: Re: Scratch building the wing spar

John,



Having just completed my wing spars today, your question is timely.  I was planning on writing out a few tips for those who follow, so here goes.  



•    Download and read the new Construction Manual (found in “builders” area of Zenithair.com under “Zodiac XL”, “Photo Assembly Guide Updates” near the top of the list).  

•    If you are using an Olfa knife for cutting your webs, be sure to score them plenty of times because of the .040 thickness.  Anything less than 20 to 25 times, and I ended up with a ruined web.

•    Edge dressing was a breeze with a Vixen file (http://www.ch601.org/tools/) and 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper.  I kept checking it with digital calipers from Harbor Freight to hold close to the 212mm width.  Per the Construction Manual (CS #304) this is a critical dimension.

•    Bend your 20mm outboard flange before tapering the opposite end or marking your hole pattern.  

•    Use matched-hole drilling wherever possible.  Randy Bryant does a good job of describing that at http://www.n344rb.com/ under “Wing – Spars” on his 5/4/2006 entries.

•    Step drilling makes all the difference on the quality of your solid rivet holes.  Pre-drill everything to #40 first.

•    Another Randy Bryant tip involves spot-drilling your spar caps.  Put them in position under the web and barely drill through the appropriate #40 holes to mark the caps.  This makes final drilling super simple (because it is self-centering) and extremely precise.

•    You’ll need to set up your drill press either in the middle of your table (http://www.ch601.org/resources/spar_cap/spar_cap_drilling.htm) or along the edge (http://www.mykitlog.com/lwinger) entry for 2/25/2007.  This insures straight rivet holes through up to four layers of aluminum without introducing bowing.  

•    Dave Clay’s bending brake is great for making the spar cap angles and miscellaneous smaller parts.  http://www.daves601xl.com/Tools/tools.html  

•    When bending the angles, make your blank wider than the developed length to give the brake something to grip.  I used 100mm.  On longer pieces, I even drilled out the material under each bolt hole to grip the entire length without bowing.

•    Use your bending brake to make the hat stiffeners. See my entries for 3/9/2007.

•    Think through your drilling process carefully.  I devised a 4-step process that worked perfectly for me (3/17/2007 entry).  

•    Step drill your bolt hole for the AN-4-10 bolt, working up to a “D” bit, followed by a ¼” hand reamer.

•    When you are ready to rivet, immobilize all open rivet holes.  The AN-470-AD-5 rivet holes can be held together with the black clecoes.  The AN-470-AD-6 rivet holes are too big for clecoes, so I went with AN3-10 bolts (using a washer on both sides).  This made the stack very rigid for final riveting.   

•    Riveting has its own rules.  I’ll make another “cheat sheet” on that in the future. 



Disclaimer: I realize there are a number of ways to make your spars.  These are just the ways that worked for me.  



For more details, you can look at my site (http://mykitlog.com/lwinger) between 2/17/2007 and 5/28/2007.   Good luck and feel free to email me off-list if you have follow-up questions.

_________________
Larry Winger
Tustin, CA
Plans building 601XL/650 with Corvair
Installing fuel system
www.mykitlog.com/lwinger

TxDave

Joined: 22 Jul 2006
Posts: 168
Location: Temple, TX

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 9:52 pm Post subject: Re: Scratch building the wing spar

Hey John,

Herb Heaton has some great photos posted here.

Being able to visualize Herb's spar construction really helped me.



http://www.matronics.com/photoshare/zenith-list.html#Top



Dave Clay

sky_ranger161

Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 91

Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 3:12 am Post subject: Scratch building the wing spar

Hey John! Welcome back. I wondered what had happened to you. I saw that you were building a new shop and figured you were tied up with that. I'm still going to order one of those cool hats from your friend.

  

 Although I'm certainly no expert, I documented scratchbuilding my spars on my kitlog site. Check it out. If you're like me, having a number of resources to draw from gives me a good idea of what I'm getting myself into. Scratchbuilding your spars is totally do-able, just be prepared to do your best, most accurate work, and be prepared to learn a few new skills (solid riveting, precise hole drilling, etc.). Here's the link:

  

 www.mykitlog.com/debo

  

  

 Debo Cox

 Nags Head, NC

 XL/Corvair

 Working on wings

 ---

jhines

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 20
Location: Bella Vista, Arkansas

Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 5:39 am Post subject: Re: Scratch building the wing spar

Thanks for all the info and incouragement.  I am still finishing up my shop but I am dieing to get started again.  



John

_________________
John Hines

naumuk(at)alltel.net
Guest

Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 2:16 pm Post subject: Scratch building the wing spar

I set my drill press in the middle of the shop with roller stands on both 

ends. As Ron says, there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Bill Naumuk

HDS Fuse/Corvair

Townville, Pa

You'll need to set up your drill press either in the middle of your table

 	  Quote: 	
		   Disclaimer: I realize there are a number of ways to make your spars. 

 These are just the ways that worked for me.

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