Step 5.1 Spar nutplates

The inventory is finished and I have two wing stands ready.  Time to get cooking.  First up, two heaping teaspoons of nutplates!  The purpose of these first nutplates is to provide an attachment location for the fuel tank skins to the top and bottom of the main spar.  The fuel tanks hang on the forward side of the main spar and form the leading edge of the wing for about half its length.  So first up is counter sinking the wing skin side of the nut plate locations.  When it's time to add the skins, the dimples that allow flush rivets, or screws in this case, will nest within the counter sunk spar to allow the skin to lay flat against the spar.

The tape in the picture above is applied temporarily to prevent aluminum chips from falling into the cracks in between the spar components.  I did have some difficulty counter sinking the first few holes because I didn't understand that the nut plates should be riveted on before the counter sinking.  A quick search on the vansairforce.net forum revealed my error, and I was on my way.

Above, Carol swoops in to vacuum chips during a break in the action.  Below, the finished nut plates are seen below the spar flange.

I quickly realized while working on the spar's nut plates, that the wing assembly would go faster if I had a way to work on either side of the assembly.  Well, one time honored solution is to build the EAA1000 standardized work bench.  No sense in messing with tradition, so I enlisted the help of Chuck to put together two of these very popular work tables.

Finished just in time to trundle off to our favorite pub, The Northridge of Nevada City.