Today I began the subassembly work for the wings. This involves cobbling together all of the pieces and parts that will be inside the wings before I actually start putting the wing skeleton together.
Today's task was to add L angle stiffeners to each of the 4 inboard ribs (8 ribs total). The stiffeners give added vertical strength to the rib web. This is important for the inboard ribs as they will support the pilot and passenger's weight when they enter and exit the plane.
So I cut all 24 L angles to size. Each of the 9 ribs are unique in size which will give the wing a tapered shape (larger inboard to smaller outboard), so the distance between the top and bottom of each rib varies by rib. Once I had all 24 l angles cut and shaped (tapered some at the ends), I clamped them in place and drilled them out using the factory-provided pilot holes already in the web of each rib.
The whole task was simple, but I had to remember to reverse the middle L angle in rib 4 and put it on the outside of the web not in the inside (direction the flanges face). This L angle will help support the in-wing Wing Lockers which will allow me to store up to 40 pounds of payload.
Tomorrow I updrill all the L angles to A4, debur, anti-corrosion paint, and rivet.
Rib #1 Left with the L angles attached and Rib #2 Left without the stiffeners.
Rib #4 with the middle L angle on the outside of the web.
The Tower-O-Ribs after finishing the last set of stiffeners.
