My wing is completely stripped and I have the individual halves to work with so this is easier than having to work with a whole wing and trying to preserve the covering.
1. Following the aileron line I cut the bottom of the wing away and removed all of the rib "tails". I also moved the outside "tail" inboard a bitto match up with the super-enlarged 3-views I'm using and to make room for a little bit longer aileron. (I actually cut this out and sized it before doing the aileron and came back to it after finishing the ail. )
2. There was a bit of an overhang of remaining bottom sheeting after the cut but the line was right so I just trimmed the tails back close to the TE spar and then filled between and over them with a couple layers of balsa. this will also give me a nice anchor for the hinge point hinges later.
3. After filling the void I sheeted the entire flap bay with a thin hardwood ply for strentghening and later ease of finishing.
4. Marked the rib locations after muddling out the offsets in the spacing.
5. Carved the ribs from a thin piece of balsa laminated front and back with the same thin ply, again for added strenth and easy finish. Also helped with the drilling of truer holes. Set them in the bay to check the "eyeball" spacing.
6. A close up of the laminate.
7. Lined upon tape for the primer build coat. They have all been dipped in a laquer sanding sealer and fine sanded prior to this so the grain is quite filled; thanks to the hardwood veneer.
8. Just a couple liberal coats on the ribs.
9. I taped off the rib lines and laquer filled the grain in the bay, pulled the tape , sanded and retaped for primer. I want wood to wood contact for gluing. Tedious but worth it. Nice strong glue joint later.
10. pull the tape after prime and give it a light rub down.
11. A bit of rolled up sandpaper to clean the fuzzy edges in the holes.
12. ......and the first rib is glued into place
All of the prep and sanding before assembly should make a nice finish coat without having to try to sand around everything after assembling[&:]