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Seeking rivet suggestions for wingtips

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I

iskyfly

Active Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
36
Greetings, all!

I am finally getting to the point where I am putting the wingtips on my 2LS wings. What length Cherry-N rivets are you finding to be sufficient to give the best grab for the 3 layers (rib, wingtip, skin)? BTW, getting those 3 layers to line up was a bear!

Also, I am very close to attaching my ailerons (if I can figure out the swaging device!). Does anyone have any tips for the ABS fairing that covers the counterweight arm inside the wing itself?

If anyone has a Sonerai and lives close to mid to NE Ohio, I would love to be able to come and look at your completed project. It's a very slow process for me, but I'm still building!

Thanks and cheers,
George
 
6-32 machine screws now that go through the skin, the fiberglass wingtip and into nutplates. My end rib I placed 3/4" inside the end of the skins. Formerly I had 1/8" aluminum pop rivets and an aluminum backing strip. You don't need more than aluminum here, and if you ever want to get it off the SS rivets are a pain and likely to spin in the composite tip.

For counterweights, I did not use the square tube arm shown on my plans and opted for a tip counterbalance by cutting the wing tip about 6" forward of the hinge line. Fabricated a rib and put the counterbalance weight in the front of the aileron tip.
 
Hmmm... I hadn't thought of doing machine screws instead of rivets, but that certainly would make it easier if I ever have to take the tips off. Thanks for the suggestions... I'll seriously consider that!

Cheers,
George
 
I used sheet metal screws with tinnerman clips for mine. Same concept though. My wingtips are removable for service of the pitot tube and whatever else. It also helped in allowing me to use a rotisserie for the wings when I painted them w/o the wingtips installed. They slip on over the end of the wing instead of sandwiched between the wing skin and rib.
 

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Another great suggestion for using sheet metal screws... thank you! After looking at your picture (beautiful bird, BTW), it occurred to me that I have already drilled and dimpled for the rivets, so that would be a lot of screws and clips (and I'd have to use tapered-head screws, wouldn't I?). I am really liking the idea of using screws, but I'm not sure I can make my current arrangement work. Gotta keep thinking about this one.
 
iskyfly said:
Another great suggestion for using sheet metal screws... thank you! After looking at your picture (beautiful bird, BTW), it occurred to me that I have already drilled and dimpled for the rivets, so that would be a lot of screws and clips (and I'd have to use tapered-head screws, wouldn't I?). I am really liking the idea of using screws, but I'm not sure I can make my current arrangement work. Gotta keep thinking about this one.
Click to expand...
Still rivet the rib in place but use every third or fourth hole for a screw whether it's a machine screw or sheet metal screw.
 
What's your thought about using a combination of rivets and screws? Just for securing the wing tip? It would mean losing the benefit of easy removal, unfortunately. But it would solve filling all those holes. Is there an additional benefit that I'm missing?
 
Nut plates or tinnerman are the way to go as at some point you will have to remove them. There are tapered head sheet metal screws and you wouldn't have t o fill anything. Keep working and enjoy the completed project.
 
Yep, I think you are right, after giving it some thought. I dread taking the wingtip off again (just secured with clecos right now) because it is such a pain to get in place and all the holes lined up and I fear that it will be even more challenging with the tinnerman clips in place. Still, for the long term benefit, I think (cringe) it's worth it. Thanks all for your input!
 
Another great suggestion! I never would have thought about using a piano hinge, which is why this forum is so great! Thanks for the idea... trying to work out what's best in my particular case, but this is an intriguing solution. Cheers!
 
ebell said:
I used sheet metal screws with tinnerman clips for mine. Same concept though. My wingtips are removable for service of the pitot tube and whatever else. It also helped in allowing me to use a rotisserie for the wings when I painted them w/o the wingtips installed. They slip on over the end of the wing instead of sandwiched between the wing skin and rib.
Click to expand...
Very close scheme to my S2L!
 
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