Received the wing tube sockets for the outer wing panels. One fit perfectly, just like the original two. The last piece was woefully undersized in ID. Supplier (TNT Landing Gear Products) suggested several ways to hone the ID of the tube, rather than supply a replacement. Since I didn't have a brake or engine cylinder hone, nor willing to buy one or find one for rent, went with a slotted wood dowel with a folded over piece of 120 grit emery cloth. Insert dowel into the drill chuck of my ShopSmith, and there I go, honing the ID of a phenolic tube! Took a number of passes, stopping to check that I hadn't gone to far, but worked out fine. Just a bit miffed about the unplanned work, additional run to HomeDepot, etc. Oh well, have a new, cheap tool in my kit that works.
2nd pic shows the outer wing tube socket installed. Goal of easily removing wing tube for transport, easy replacement if damaged, met!
Pics 3 and 4 - I really don't want to drill into the carbon tube to secure the wing. So, to secure the tube from moving in the sockets, took a scrap section of the socket, cut two pieces about a 1/4" wide, cut a small section out of each, and plan to glue them into each end as end stops as shown in Pic 3. In Pic 4, I have marked up a couple option for securing the outer wing panel to the inner panel:
- Red Option: Mount a wood bar in the outer wing panel with an extension that will slide into the inner wing panel; bolt through the bottom of the wing, into the wood bar (I've simplified this drawing - I know I'll need a hardwood piece fixed in the inner wing panel, too, as a bolt through balsa into hardwood bar is in sufficient!)
- Blue Option: Wood block mounted to outer wing panel rib, with bolt from inner wing panel going through ribs into wood block - accessed through wheel well
Have seen first option used on large, sectioned wings.
Second option, I used on my Byron Hellcat, but it was a secondary/backup - more for pulling the inner and outer panels together tightly for cosmetic purposes. It's also probably the easier, lighter of the two options.
Before cutting into the ribs for either option, anyone with a better idea?