Fitting skins...

[tshort]

Any tips for this?
A few of the prepunched holes aren't lining up perfectly - maybe 1mm off; makes the cleco a little off kilter when it goes in.
Is this a rib fluting problem ... how can I fix things before I start drilling all those holes? I hate to drill the few that are a bit off, but am unsure how to pull them into position.
Thomas

[mustang]

Thomas,

Pull the skin up and look at the rivet hole lineup on the rib. They should be in a straight line. If they are not, remove the rib and flute until they line up like good little soldiers. Run a flexy ruler down the rib to check on the lineup of the rivet holes. It is more important that the rivet holes line up than the rib be perfectly straight. The flat side of the rib should be flat and straight though, but not the flanged sides.

Cheers, Pete

[Spike]

What mustang said. I used the flexy ruler and put it in the middle of each end hole on the flange. If all of the holes between the two didnt line up then I knew I had more fluting to go. It will be come easier to see the more you do it. Remember, a little fluting goes a long way. Once that is done, cleco it up front to back (typically) and once all of the clecos are in chances are the skin will have pulled into much better alignment. I had to work at the HS a bit to get it right. Then the VS went a bunch smoother since I kind of knew what to look for.

[Guest]

If all the rib's are fluted correctly, use a alignment tool,such as a awl or something along those lines, to wiggle thing's into alignment.

[captain_john]

Use a 3/32 or 1/8 punch to line up the skins!

CJ

[tshort]

I just skinned the VS - went much easier.
After reading ahead to the riveting sequence, I decided to put the nose ribs in first before attaching them to the spars as you do when riveting the HS. This went WAY better, and I wish I had known that when fitting the skins to the HS the first time.

Extra fluting and lining up the holes with a flexi ruler really helped, too. I've been using the awl to pull the holes into alignment...
These prepunched kits are really a luxury!!

Thomas

[mustang]

Awl righty then. I know what you mean about these pre-punched holes. I leave the workshop shaking my head in wonder that the punch machine can do all this without anyone watching it!

Cheers, Pete

[Wicked Stick]

Tshort,

I will assume you are talking about wing ribs to wing skins ?
no matter really. Follow Spike and Mustangs advice.. Flute the holes straight, check with a ruler or flexible straight edge, then do a final check by cleco'ing it to the skins.

Dave "WS" Rogers
RV-8 (fuselage)