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Debo Cox - Zodiac 601 XL
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Date:  3-22-2008
Number of Hours:  2.00
Manual Reference:  6W
Brief Description:  Fiberglass Wingtip Fitting

This fiberglass wingtip is a real head-scratcher. I know Zenith has gone to an all-fiberglass wingtip. That will help I think for ease of building to the newer models. Too late for me though. I've read a lot about how ill-fitting these wingtips can be, but mine were pretty close. I think there are just so many variables that you have to just make it work at some point. I trimmed my leading edge skin to within about 10mm of what the plans suggested, then made very slight corrections to get closer and closer until I had what I wanted. There's probably a much easier and less time-consuming way to do this, but it's almost an artistic endeavor I think. The curve of the wingtip is different for every plane. That's part of the beauty of it - standing back and looking - trimming a little - looking again - filing. At any rate. Mine is almost ready to be riveted. I'll probably do that tonight after work. One thing I'll pass along is this. Some guys have mentioned putting a thin strip of aluminum epoxied to the inside of the wingtip to give the rivet something to bite into. I tried this, but the epoxy didn't stick to the fiberglass at all, so I made up some 20mm x 20mm shim/backing plates and drilled a hole through the middle of them. When I cleco (then rivet) I reach inside through the spar tip hole and hold the backing plate in place as I rivet - no epoxy needed. When I have the tip held in place this way with clecos, I use my heat gun to get the tip to conform better to my leading edge. Be careful with the heat gun. It would be easy to scorch your tip if you hold on one place. Keep moving.
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Leading edge trimmed

Leading edge trimmed

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The fiberglass tip ready to go in

The fiberglass tip ready to go in

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