GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
03-15-2006, 12:29 AM
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GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
Folks,
Newbie here again. Still working on my 1st kit build - the Great Planes Easy Sport 40. I have completed the wings and find that the spar just behind the leading edge sticks higher than the ribs. See the attached pictures.
The spar slotted into the pre-cut slots and the spar is seated all the way down in these slots.
My question is ...
Does this look ok? I am thinking ahead and when I come to cover it, shouldn't there be a smooth surface across the wings? Surely this spruce (or other hardwood) bar be flush with the tops of the ribs?
Did I make a mistake?
Should I sand the spar down to be flush with the ribs?
Looking for advice.
Neil
Newbie here again. Still working on my 1st kit build - the Great Planes Easy Sport 40. I have completed the wings and find that the spar just behind the leading edge sticks higher than the ribs. See the attached pictures.
The spar slotted into the pre-cut slots and the spar is seated all the way down in these slots.
My question is ...
Does this look ok? I am thinking ahead and when I come to cover it, shouldn't there be a smooth surface across the wings? Surely this spruce (or other hardwood) bar be flush with the tops of the ribs?
Did I make a mistake?
Should I sand the spar down to be flush with the ribs?
Looking for advice.
Neil
03-15-2006, 08:26 AM
#2
RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
Neil, welcome to the wonderful world of Kit Building 
This is not all that uncommon, what you need to do is to cut the slots a little deeper with your hobby knife or a razor blade so that the spar sits flush with the top of the ribs.
This is not all that uncommon, what you need to do is to cut the slots a little deeper with your hobby knife or a razor blade so that the spar sits flush with the top of the ribs.
03-15-2006, 09:11 AM
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RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, I have already glued the spar in place!!
Should I attempt to free it, clean the slots and re-apply or should I attempt to sand-down the spar?
The thing is, its not one or two slots that aren't deep enough ... it appears to be all of them!!
Neil
Should I attempt to free it, clean the slots and re-apply or should I attempt to sand-down the spar?
The thing is, its not one or two slots that aren't deep enough ... it appears to be all of them!!
Neil
03-15-2006, 09:11 AM
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RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
This usually happens when I cut the spar slots myself! (G) If you glued the spar with CyA you can release it from each rib, recut the notch carefully and then reglue. It will take time and patience to do this. Apply the debonder on a rib and wait. Apply some more and use a new blade, #11 or razor blade, and carefully pry the joint apart. Don't try to hurry this. Good luck.
03-15-2006, 09:17 AM
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RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
Hmmm ... the thing is that it is every slot ... not just one or two. I took great pains to ensure I was using the right part and also that it was correctly oriented ...
Neil
Neil
03-15-2006, 09:24 AM
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RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
Look later in your plans - there may be leading edge sheathing that raises the covering surface of the leading edge above that spar. It may be intentional.
03-15-2006, 09:30 AM
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RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
I took a look at your instructions and the drawing they provide shows them being above the covering surface but it does not show sheathing. I have to say I do not know now what there intentions are. Sorry.
03-15-2006, 09:51 AM
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RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
I had followed the plans blindly (first model) and had assumed that there would have been a step later to add some sheeting (or else they knew what they were doing ... I don't want to second guess the plans at my junior career).
In the plans:
http://www.greatplanes.com/manuals/g...152-manual.pdf
on p36 D1 they show the wings ... no sheeting.
The spars were added on p15 DD12 and p14 DD8
I am guessing that there is a problem ... maybe there isn't? I am guessing if I leave it alone I will have a horrible ridge in my stretched covering.
Neil
In the plans:
http://www.greatplanes.com/manuals/g...152-manual.pdf
on p36 D1 they show the wings ... no sheeting.
The spars were added on p15 DD12 and p14 DD8
I am guessing that there is a problem ... maybe there isn't? I am guessing if I leave it alone I will have a horrible ridge in my stretched covering.
Neil
03-15-2006, 09:51 AM
#9
RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
You will have to cut them all free - Like I said, "Welcome to the wonderful world of Kit Building"
BUT just for the heck of it, ask your question (With pictures) in the Great Planes Direct Support Forum,[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_55/tt.htm](Click Here)[/link] and Bill Baxter from Great Planes will tell you for sure if it's supposed to be raised or flush
BUT just for the heck of it, ask your question (With pictures) in the Great Planes Direct Support Forum,[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_55/tt.htm](Click Here)[/link] and Bill Baxter from Great Planes will tell you for sure if it's supposed to be raised or flush
03-15-2006, 07:50 PM
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RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
Kolban,
It is difficult to see from the photos, but could you have glued together the 3/8" to 3/8" spar sides instead of the 1/4" to 1/4" spar sides?
JC
It is difficult to see from the photos, but could you have glued together the 3/8" to 3/8" spar sides instead of the 1/4" to 1/4" spar sides?
JC
03-16-2006, 01:07 AM
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RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
JC,
You caused me to go out to my garage again and check, check and double check. The plane comes with 4 bass wood spars. They are 3/8" x 1/4" x 30".
There are two spars per wing, a total of 4. On each wing, one spar is at the top and one at the bottom. The slots were exactly 1/4" wide and snug at that. There was no way they would have fitted the 3/8" width so I believe that they were 'polarized' to accept the 1/4" (front to back) and the 3/8" top to bottom. Now, as you say, if they could have accepted the 1/4" (front to back) then they would not have been proud of the ribs ... but I would have had to cut each of the slots to fit.
Is this what you were getting at?
Neil
You caused me to go out to my garage again and check, check and double check. The plane comes with 4 bass wood spars. They are 3/8" x 1/4" x 30".
There are two spars per wing, a total of 4. On each wing, one spar is at the top and one at the bottom. The slots were exactly 1/4" wide and snug at that. There was no way they would have fitted the 3/8" width so I believe that they were 'polarized' to accept the 1/4" (front to back) and the 3/8" top to bottom. Now, as you say, if they could have accepted the 1/4" (front to back) then they would not have been proud of the ribs ... but I would have had to cut each of the slots to fit.
Is this what you were getting at?
Neil
03-16-2006, 01:12 PM
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RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
Thanks Mike, I posted to the support forum yesterday and got:
from Bax. I am now in 'solve it' mode ... and was looking for recommendations. The meat of which appear to be to debond the spar, trim the slots and reset the spar so it is flush. Since this was my 1st kit, I blindly followed instructions and assumed that since everything was tight in the slot, the proudness of the spar would be 'taken care off' in a later step ... but for me, not the case. In a future build, I will know much better to ensure that all is good at 1st fitting.
--- Neil
If the spar is proud of the ribs, then the slots may be too shallow, or a too-thick piece was put into the kit for the wing spar.
--- Neil
03-17-2006, 08:46 AM
#15
RE: GP Easy Sport 40 - Spar sticks above ribs
Ahh yes, kit building. At least you didn't build two right or two left halves.
Looking at the manual online, it looks like the front top spar should have been 3/16" x 3/16" (DD8 pg 14).
Instead of debonding the spar, you may try adding cap strips to the tops of the ribs to make up the difference.
I have had to debond ribs from the spar more than once. I epoxied a main centre spar into place and it shifted before the epoxy cured. Big hunk of 1/4" ply sticking up from the top surface of the wing and the wing dihedral wrong. The most useful tool to remove the spar was if I remember, a razor saw to cut the epoxy. I also used a dremel with a small saw blade, various x-acto knives and a lot of very bad language. I believe I also required scotch.
Looking at the manual online, it looks like the front top spar should have been 3/16" x 3/16" (DD8 pg 14).
Instead of debonding the spar, you may try adding cap strips to the tops of the ribs to make up the difference.
I have had to debond ribs from the spar more than once. I epoxied a main centre spar into place and it shifted before the epoxy cured. Big hunk of 1/4" ply sticking up from the top surface of the wing and the wing dihedral wrong. The most useful tool to remove the spar was if I remember, a razor saw to cut the epoxy. I also used a dremel with a small saw blade, various x-acto knives and a lot of very bad language. I believe I also required scotch.
