Fitting the Leading Edge August 25th, 2007
With the main skins done, I started working on the leading edges. Van’s recommends building a cradle to hold the leading edges, so I got to it.
Here is how I used a rib to get the right shape out of MDF.
I used a jigsaw to cut out the outline, stuck some 2×4’s to it, and got this:
The idea is to put the leading edge skin in the cradle, and then insert and cleco the ribs. Once the ribs are clecoed to the skin, the whole thing is mounted on the spar to drill the skin to spar holes. Of course, the skin is so damn tight, I didn’t think this method was going to work.
Instead, I mounted the skin on the ribs right on the spar. I clecoed the ‘flat’ side (bottom side) of the ribs to the skin, one cleco in every hole. To get the top side as tight as it needs to be, I’m going to use ratchet straps to pull it in. This is what George Orndorff suggests in his training videos.
