Although there was not much work left to complete the right wing’s wing tip closeout, short work sessions contributed to it dragging on for a few days. The W-1204C-R aft bottom skin was riveted in place but, as on the left wing, the aft two rivets were left out to allow for the small assembly change of tucking the forward edge of the W-1204H-R wing tip close-out skin underneath the W-1204C-R skin. Personally, I feel it makes for a much better fit … plus, it removes the forward edge of the W-1204H-R skin from the airflow.
The tabs on the W-1204D-R bottom wing tip skin that were previously bent to the angles suggested in the instructions, still required dimpling … so that was done prior to installing the skin in place on the wing tip.
As with the left wing, most of the bottom rivets set into the aft wing tip rib interfere with the rivets already set securing the top skin. The rivets set up quite a bit and care must be taken to have them seat correctly. The close quarter hand rivet puller was used while steadily pressing down on the rivet as it begins to form to ensure the rivet sinks down into the dimple correctly. One squeeze is used ... which is not enough to break the mandrel but enough to pull the rivet down into the dimple. At this point, I like to switch over to the pneumatic rivet squeezer to finish the rivet because one never knows which way the hand rivet tool will move when the rivet's mandrel breaks.
Rivet sits high in the wing tip rib because it
is hitting the rivet on the other side of the rib.
Using the close quarter rivet puller to set the
rivet into a rivet hole dimple on the aft wing tip
rib by using downward pressure
while slowly squeezing the handles of the rivet puller.
Rivet nicely seated after one careful slow squeeze of the
close quarter hand rivet puller.
Using the pneumatic rivet puller to finish off
the rivet.
The W-1204H-R wing tip close-out skin is the
last component attached to the RV-12’s right wing to complete the wing. The
decision has been made to tuck the forward edge of the tip close-out skin under the W-1204C
skin for a smoother transition.
W-1204H-R wing tip close-out skin being placed in
position … pointing to the leading edge
rivet hole which will be placed UNDER
the W-1204C skin for a smoother transition.
The W-1204H-R wing tip close-out skin secured
with Clecos … pointing to the better fit accomplished by placing the forward
edge under the W-1204C skin. Note: the three rivets in the corner of the
W-1204C skin (on the right) were not installed to allow the forward edge of the
W-1204H-R wing tip close-out skin to easily slip under the W-1204C skin.
Once Clecos secured the W-1204H wing tip close-out
skin onto the right wing, the wing is flipped over so the W-1204H skin can be match
drilled to the six holes in the W-1204B aft upper tip skin. The match drilling is
done after a verification that the aft wing tip is parallel with the rear spar. Much the same as the left wing, a digital
level was used to verify the right wing's aft wing tip was in the proper position before
match drilling the holes.
Aft wing tip angle adjusted to match the plane
of the rear spar.
Aft wing tip match drilled into the
W-1204H-R wing tip close-out skin and still holding the same plane as the rear
spar.
After match drilling, the W-1204H wing tip close-out
skin was deburred, dimpled and primed where the skins will overlap. Dimpling
was accomplished using a pneumatic squeezer with the thin “no hole” yoke which
had the dimple die stuck onto it with tape.
Setup used to dimple the W-1204H-R wing tip close-out
skin.
Scott, Jan’s brother, was up visiting and immediately
put to work flipping the right
wing over so the W-1204H-R wing tip close-out
skin could be riveted in place.
The momentous occasion of setting the last rivet into the RV-12’s right
wing!
Completed RV-12 right wing ready for the side
pocket in the wing rack… the flush rivets sure look nice!
