Brief Description: Rearranged workshop and started wing jig
Rearranged the workshop to accomodate a wing jig. The layout provides plenty of space on both sides and ends of the jig. In addition, it is located such that the workbenches can be rolled up to the jig allowing one car to be kept in the garage during the winter months. In the warm months, I plan to keep the vehicles in the driveway and use both sides of the garage for the airplane factory.
Acquired the pieces to build a wing jig and began the fabrication. I decided on laminating two 2x4s for each jig upright (cheaper than 4x4s and may be less likely to warp). The posts will be fastened to both the floor and ceiling using brackets cut from steel angle. I plan to design some type of shelf close to the ceiling between the two posts to store the wing spars not being worked. I believe there will be enough room under my two benches to store other wing components until they are needed.
The pictures attached show the posts installed and the brackets fastening the jig to the ceiling and floor. I was able to anchor the top against a rafter while the base is secured by drilling a 1/4" hole into the concrete floor, inserting a plastic anchor and regular wood/metal screw. A hammer drill purchased a couple years ago from Harbor Freight made drilling the concrete easy.
Setting the second post was not quite as easy. Using the dimensions in the drawing, the second post had to be set where there was no rafter. No problem, I cut a 2x6 plate and went into the attic and secured it between two adjoining rafters. The only problem was the temperature in the attic, the extremely low roof clearance and truss construction (it was the hottest day of the year so far). It only took about ten minutes to crawl out to the location and secure the plate but it seemed like an eternity.
In any case, the jig uprights are completed. I plan to wait until kit delivery to install the cross members for supporting the main and rear spar. The preview plan set is rather small in size and the detail is a bit hard to read.
