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Thread: Laying out rib stitching (top verses bottom of wing)

  1. #11
    BobRS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    35

    Default Re: Laying out rib stitching (top verses bottom of wing)

    I just checked my builder's log. We used a 2.5" pitch between stitch lines, adjusted slightly for clearance around spars and other internal obstructions. We also stitched all ribs with the exception of the root, end and the portion of the wing containing the fuel tanks. We have a Rotax 914, so the 2.5" spacing between parallel vertical lines was the selected for higher airspeeds. I think our PolyFiber book is out at the hanger, so I can't double check, but that's what I recall. Frankly, the more important aspect is to achieve the nearly vertical alignment of the twine rather than using the top or bottom surfaces as your reference for deteremining which you use for the pitch distance. Note that, yes the top is a curved surface, but the 'chord' between the 2 fabric puncture points is the obviously the same top and bottom using template method shown in my previous post. If you stitch every available rib with this (2.5") distance you should be fine. Two other factors....our EAA Tech advisor has looked at this (he's a pretty detail oriented guy) and was satisfied. We also know the local FAA FSDO rep and he happened by the hanger a few weeks ago while the wing tips were off, and pretty much looked over the bird and was pretty impressed with how we've built it. It's still your call as the builder, but this was our process.

    BobRS & Kitfox Kath
    N104Y, SS7, Rotax 914
    Alb, NM

  2. #12
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Mt Beauty, Australia
    Posts
    1,073

    Default Re: Laying out rib stitching (top verses bottom of wing)

    We laid out 2.5" on the bottom, levelled the wing horizontally through the centre of the front and rear spars and then used a vertical level to hold against the bottom mark and transfer top the top of the wing. slight adjustments needed to negotiate the spars but works out pretty well.

    cheers
    Ross
    Mt Beauty, Vic
    OZ
    Sold to Richard and Scott Taubman in OZ, 2019. Kitfox SS7,Rotax 912is Sport, Airmaster CSP 75" blades.
    Landcruiser and Cub off road camper (doesn't get any kudos on this forum!)

  3. #13
    Jch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Bellefontaine, Ohio
    Posts
    105

    Default Re: Laying out rib stitching (top verses bottom of wing)

    I used a 1" wide piece of the fiberglass wing tip that I had trimmed off and marked the spacing for rib stitches on that, then with the wing on a jig in the vertical, I placed the "wing shaped" fiberglass piece over each rib and punched my holes on each side of the rib, then went to the next rib and so on. The fiberglass piece was in one piece,closed on the leading edge and open on the trailing edge so it fit neatly over the front spare.
    Flying SS7
    Rotax 912 ULS
    Whirlwind 3-Blade

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