Weeks 18-19: Finishing Right Wing Tip/Starting Left Wing

The first of these past two weeks was about finishing up the right wing (other than the fuel tank, which I am still waiting on replacement parts for). I received the solder sleeve connectors, so I used those to splice in the wing tip light to the wiring harness. When I got the landing and taxi lights back out I decided I needed ring terminals. I found a heat shrink connector on Amazon, so I ordered some of those and a special crimping tool that goes with it.

While waiting for those to come in, I built a wing stand from the EAA plans. Once I had the connectors wiring the landing and taxi lights was easy, installing them was not as straightforward. The lights are sandwiched between two plates with 4 screws going through the plates and springs on the back side. Keeping everything in place was a challenge. The inboard light I managed to do without too much trouble, but there was less access to the outboard one. I ended up hot gluing the springs in place and temporarily taping the parts together. Eventually I got it properly installed and took my best guess of where to aim them, I am sure they will have to be adjusted after final assembly.

With the lights wired and the wing tip on for (hopefully) the last time, I cleco'd the fuel tank back on the wing and put it on the wing stand. I quickly realized that the garage would have to be reorganized to get everything to fit and still have room to work. In between other projects I had also been finishing all the rib prep and priming for the left wing, so once I had room to work I was able to dive right in to the left wing.

I took advantage of the long weekend to get quite a bit done on the left wing. I countersunk all the needed holes on the main spar, then assembled the rear spar and built up the frame. Then I got the frame installed in the twist jig and prepped and primed the bottom skins. This time I built the frame upside down, so once I had it in the twist jig it was ready for the bottom skins. I have the bottom skins cleco'd in place, and I am ready to rivet them.

Once I have to bottom skins riveted I will find some help to flip the wing over and start working on the inside and on the left fuel tank. I realized I don't have the heated pitot tube and regulator yet, so I reached out to Midwest Panel Builders for that and hopefully will be getting it in soon. They also gave me their recommendation on colored tubing to use for the pitot, static, and AOA lines.