Sonex Waiex B, Part 40-Starting the wings

[@andrewschmidt5312]

Really liked the spar model. Great visual demo and made what you were doing very clear - to me at least.

[@pandyseven]

Thanks for that, believe it or not it helped me also

[@russellesimonetta9071]

The wings will be fun. The engine could be a pain in the keaster! I seen where guys building the aerovee have been driven crazy with the push rods. I think Gavin found after market push rods for VW engines worked really well.

[@pandyseven]

I will more than likely be traveling down the same path as Gavin with the push rods but will just wait until I cross that bridge. I know it must work with the rods supplied, or they wouldn’t supply them? So will just work on the err of caution, and want to ensure if I do travel down the path of a new rod, doubly ensure I buy the correct ones..

[@bryancotton7279]

Building the AeroVee was probably the easiest part of the project. I used the stock pushrods. At about 280 hours I noticed one was failing on one of the edges, and I replaced it.

[@pandyseven]

Hi Bryan, probaly why I will keep the stock push rods at this satge as I know they have to work if Sonex are still suppling them...

[@robertaberle9590]

I’m starting my Waiex B wings as well. Looking forward to hear what Sonex says about the tie down fitting and possible filing or adding a shim.

[@pandyseven]

Hope you do well with your wings, would be nice to see a video series of your build??? Sonex replay was to keep it as I have done it with the 0.63 packer, and larger bolts. Chris from Sonex said their spars are the same, and they do what I have done. How are your spars? same as mine?

[@robertaberle9590]

@@pandyseven Yes, my spars have the same raised edge as you show on the video. I am looking at the plans numerous times before I start drilling holes in the spar and attach blocks. Just a little nervous I guess. Thank you for your videos. They are super helpful. I may do a few videos of my build as well.

[@pandyseven]

It would be nice to see other builders such as you do a build series of their build. It is very helpfull to us all-send some pictures?

[@robertaberle9590]

Hello Andy, have you gotten to page WXB-W08? Step 9 in general construction order states to complete drilling through both blocks while spars are mated, then to install the rig plates XNS-W40-21. My question is should we drill through both left and right attach blocks now or wait. Some suggest waiting until rigging the wings to the fuselage. Just curious if you have formed a plan. I like your engineering and thought process. Rob

[@pandyseven]

Hi Robert, I am unsure if it would make that much difference to wait until rigging? The objective is to have the wing spars together to firstly match what Sonex have done at the factory, that is the 3 holes you align. This you can successfully do outside the aircraft with clamps prior to rigging and allows you to complete the wing rig plates. When rigging you will need the forward spar tunnel in place so as to align the 3 holes in the aft tunnel and in the forward tunnel ‘Z’. The forward tunnel Z is going to be one hard thing to do, especially when riveting the plates at the fuselage upright angle and most of the riveting will have to be done inside the aircraft I believe. Anyway, so to look at this objectively if you drill all the way through now, you will have that alignment with the pins or bolts completed of which you can check outside the aircraft. Then when you get to rigging and eventually install the forward tunnel ‘Z” all you have left is to run the drill through the spars and into both forward and aft reinforcement plates that are attached to the spar tunnels. If you left the forward tunnel off and used the spar holes as a guide you will be able to drill backwards towards the rear spar tunnel, thus successfully keeping that hole in alignment with what you have done in the spars. Then run to drill forward back through the rear spar holes that are now up drilled back through the mated spars [ already upsized] then through the forward spar tunnel ‘z’ giving you a better way to keep in alignment. So, if all this makes sense, this to me sounds like a better way to do it., buts as always, I am still going through this in my head. It’s a great question and I will be up to this part on the weekend so will cover it in my next video due in a weeks’ time.

[@dan_der_flieger]

Yep, mine has the lip at the tie down area of the main spar as well. I don't remember needing longer bolts though. And I don't think I added a spacer either. My lip was not very deep at all.

[@pandyseven]

Did you still have 0.32 spacers? on the spar, the ones on the forside of the ribs???

[@dan_der_flieger]

@@pandyseven yes, there are two spacers - one is 1/8" (center spacer) that fits between the spar caps and another 0.032" (web spacer) that overlaps the 1/8" spacer and the spar caps. Both of those spacers go on the rear side of the main spar/fore side of the aft rib. There are no spacers for the forward ribs.

[@pandyseven]

Hi Dan, the reason I ask is I was just trying to establish the major differences between your model of the spar being in the 30's and mine around 35 odd kits after yours. It does appear to be just the aft edge of the main spar aluminium that differs having a larger lip. Obviously, these spar components are cut from a solid piece or pre moulded piece then factory curt to a given specific, mine and now Sonex’s at the factory have the raised lips…hope all that makes sense

[@dan_der_flieger]

@@pandyseven - yeah, after looking at yours and comparing to what I have, it seems like there is a difference. Not sure if the spars are extruded aluminum that's machined or if they're molded?? My guess is the former. Seems like it would be a lot easier (in terms of scale) to extrude several lengths and machine off what you don't need than to pour melted metal into molds and remove parts one at a time.

[@pandyseven]

Mine are machined from what I would assume is an extrusion, that extrusion is just that little bit heigher than yours I guess...