My progress has been slow lately but I'm getting caught up on the "farm chores." I hope to get back to full speed soon. I'm still waiting for my main spar cap strip material from Aircraft Spruce. I ordered it 5 weeks ago and still don't have it. Now they tell me they won't have it for at least another 2-1/2 weeks. Looks like I might start on the rear spars first.
I finally had a chance to try out the new router cutting table when I cut the spar web blanks. I use two 4X8 sheets of .032 2024-T3 for all the spars. There's just enough to do all 12 spar webs. I laid each sheet on the 4X8 table and used a straight edge to mark out all the spars with a sharpie pen. When laid out correctly there is about 3/8 inch between each spar layout. I used the electric shears to rough cut the spars.
I laid a sheet of 3/4" 4X8 MDF on top of the cutting table. Between the table and MDF I positioned a spar blank for final edge cutting. I clamped the MDF to the table and used a router to trim the edge.
The cutting table with the metal edge worked as well as I had hoped for. The 4X8 MDF was probably overkill but it worked great. I didn't find it difficult to work with. This table works great, my only regret is that I didn't build it before I cut all my 1 inch strips. I honestly could not tell the difference between the factory edge and the router cut edge.
When I was measuring my ribs to figure spar web size, I discovered that the back rib and aileron pocket rib "C" channel differ by 3/32". I'll either remake the aileron pocket ribs, try to "stretch" them, or as another Bearhawker recommended just add a spacer to the bottom flange.
Preparing To Router Cut Main Spar Web
Blank Clamped Between MDF and Table For Router Cut
