This is the step by step procedure I used to set up the wing to fuselage. This assumes you have the boat built and ready to accept the spars and have the forward and rear spars built and ready to install in the boat. As you will see, no laser level was needed, just a couple of bubble levels and a digital level would be nice. If used correctly, a bubble level can be just as accurate as a digital level. Your results may vary. Part 2 , building the outer wing panels will follow later. Right now I off to the airport. :-)
Larry Flesner >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> *Drill and attach the wing attach fittings (WAF) to the forward and rear center section spars, top and bottom, both ends. *Attach the upper fittings to both the forward and rear outboard spars. Insure the upper fittings are placed on the center and outboard spars so that the top of the spars are in alignment. *Working with the main spar only, secure the center section forward spar to a level surface. Attach the outer forward spars using the upper fittings and raise the tips of the outer spars to the correct dihedral using a water level and secure with a stand. Stretch a string from tip to tip and assure the string stays directly over the center of the spars from tip to tip. If you don't want to mess with a water level, just measure the string height above each end of the center section spar for equal and correct height. This will not be quite as accurate but, with a fine string and careful measurements, would be good enough for our purpose. (Have you ever wondered how great structures were built 1000 years ago without all our fancy tools?) *Drill and attach the lower fittings on the outer forward spar. *Next remove the outer spars and remove the fittings from the center section spars. *Cut the openings in the fuselage to accept the spars. *Level the "boat" fore and aft and side to side. Use the firewall at plumb to level fore and aft as recommended in the plans. It is the only true / repeatable reference for level. A level across the top longerons for side to side level. *Insert the forward spar in to the boat. Level the spar side to side and insure it is centered in the boat, insure it is setting plumb, and measure from each tip to the tail to insure it is 90 degrees to the boat centerline. These measurements are extremely important as they are the foundation for the entire wing setup. Only when you have all of these correct, epoxy the forward spar to the boat. Verify each measurement again several times before the epoxy is cured. *Using the templets, cut the required wing ribs, both the 48" and 36" ribs. I don't recall the plans calling for a 48" rib on the inboard edge of the outer wing panel but I placed one there for ease of construction and filled the small gap between center section and outer wing panel with foam and glassed. Ruff cut the ribs for later finishing. *Bolt all the 48" ribs together and the 36" ribs together for finishing to shape. Leave the "spar hump" as shown on Mark Langford's web page for ease of construction. *With the finished ribs still bolted together, put all reference marks (chord line, level line, spar cutout, etc.) on the top rib and transfer them to the edges of the other ribs with a small square to enable marking the remaining ribs when separated. *Before cutting the spar openings in the ribs, determine if you will be using the plans AOA and washout or something of your own preference. I'd suggest sticking with the plans but it's your airplane. *With the ribs still bolted together, Carefully cut the spar openings, again leaving the "spar hump" intact to hold the three segments of the ribs together. *Separate and mark all ribs with the level and chord lines. Slide the four center section ribs on to the spar (WAF's removed) and place in location. Things to check for at this point. Insure there is no twist in the spar by checking for "plumb" on both ends. Any twist in the spar will be "built out" by modifying the spar cutout in the ribs VERY slightly. For consistency, glue or bolt a small platform such as a piece of quarter round or a strip of 5/8" stock to either the chord or level line to hold your level. *With the ribs in place and determined correct, glue them to the spar. *With the forward spar and ribs set, there is only one location for the rear spar and that's the cutout in the ribs. No fancy measurements, no complicated math, no angles or co-sign's, just fit the rear spars to the ribs. If you've been careful to this point things should fall right in to place. When things are right, glue the rear spar to the fuselage and ribs. When all epoxy is set, re-attach the WAF's to the center section spars. Next, on to the outer wing panels. To be continued..............................
