Wing Ribs 14-2-1, 14-2-5 to 14-3-4
Moving on to the right wing ribs, I deburred and fluted those following the same steps as I had for the left wing ribs. No issues were encountered, and once all ribs were done I was ready to move onto the final match drilling steps prior to priming.
 |
| Right wing torque tube support bracket drilled and clamped in place on the root rib |
After placing both spars into the workbench I clecoed the 12 most inboard ribs in place. These need to have bolt holes match drilled into the flanges, using the bolt holes in the spar as a guide.
 |
| Ribs requiring bolt holes to be drilled clamped in position |
I drilled all the bolt holes while supporting the rib flange from behind with a wood block. The bolt holes were first drilled to #13, and then reamed to #12.
Care had to be taken while drilling through thicker parts of the main spar assembly because attempts to drill all the way through resulted in chips collecting inside the hole and the drill bit getting stuck. To remedy this, I drilled for a few seconds, removed the drill bit from the spar to let any chips and shaving fall out, then continued drilling. This way I was able to drill clean, round bolt holes through all the ribs.
 |
| Using a wood block to support the rib flange while drilling the bolt holes |
 |
| Bolt holes drilled and deburred (seen here at the flange ends in this stack of wing ribs) |
The final step prior to priming the ribs was to ream the 3/8" hole in the flap attach brackets. I had purchased a 3/8" reamer specifically for this purpose, and was easily able to ream the holes while the bracket was held in the vise. I had initially thought of using the drill press to ensure correct orientation of the bit to the hole, but found that the power drill allowed for better control.
 |
| Reaming the flap attach brackets, using a corded drill for additional torque |
Build Hints
- When match drilling the spacers between the torque tube support brackets, it is easier to drill the first hole directly through the spacer separately at the marked position (where the lines cross), and then clamp the spacer into position through the drilled hole. This reduces the risk of the spacer slipping (even when clamped) when drilling, causing holes to be offset from the marked line.
- When drilling through thicker materials, stop and remove the drill bit at regular intervals to allow any chips and shavings to fall out reducing the risk of the drill bit getting stuck.
Time Taken: 15.2 hours
Dates: December 20 2023 - January 15 2024
Wing Ribs Total Time: 32.2 hours
RV-10 Build Total Time: 573.6 hours
Priming Total Time: 50.9 hours (not included in build time totals)