More wings

I didn't have enough room upstairs to paint the rear spars (they're 11 feet long) so have created a temporary paint area in the garage.  This has meant moving the MG around a bit and I'm running out of floor space.  Mind you, seeing how some other builders cope, I can appreciate that I'm quite lucky to have such a generous build area.

 Here are the main spars in the temporary paint shop.  In the end, following advice from my inspector, and reviewing the opinions of the builders forum, I decided only to paint the areas I'd deburred and the un-treated rib attach brackets, as the major structural parts are anodised.

Another view of the temporary paint area - where the MG normally lives.  The curtaining is a 17 ft x 10 ft tarpaulin cut in half to make two 8.5 x 10 ft  pieces and hooked onto cup-hooks screwed into the ceiling.  This way, I can quickly take it down when not required.  When painting, I have large plastic sheets on the floor as well and a separate extractor fan which exhausts through the cat-flap!

Once I'd painted the rear spars, I could finally put the rear fuselage into storage.  

 Rear fuselage hanging from the garage ceiling.

Let's hope it's secure - otherwise it won't be just a damaged aircraft part to worry about!

So, back to aircraft building and time to start assembling the first wing.  There are several steps to complete before adding additional parts to the spars. 

Drill and tap the tie-down fittings on the main spar.  The blue cutting compound on the tap is called Boelube - apparently developed by Boeing.  

Finishing attachment of factory-fitted rib brackets and closing remaining holes in the spars.

  I brush-painted on the primer on these brackets.  For the 20-odd brackets that I had to complete and install, I spay-painted them first.  The major parts of the main spars are pre-assembled with all solid-riveting done at the factory.

My first assembly job was to install the rear ribs and brackets and the rear spar.  All very quick as I'd previously prepared all of the parts.  Here is the rear spar doubler and in-board flaperon hinge.  

The left wing on trestles with rear ribs complete and the forward ribs being installed.  Just the last 6 forward in-board ribs remaining to be done along with the forward stub-spar.  When this is done, I'll make the wing storage rack and then complete the right wing to the same level.  At that point, it'll be time for another inspection by Jerry before the wings can be skinned.

Looking inboard from the left wingtip through all of the aft rib lightening holes.  Time to worry if the holes aren't in line!

Left wing looking outboard with the remaining 6 forward ribs still to be fitted.

The position for the final 4 inboard forward ribs - much more closely spaced, as this is where you step onto the wing when getting into the aircraft.  The bronze bush on the left is where one of the wing securing pins go through to hold the wings together and to the fuselage centre-section. The pins allow the wings to be removed or installed in about 5 minutes.

Next week should see the left wing structure complete and work started on the rolling wing trestle.  After inspection, the wing will need to go onto the main construction table to allow the skins to be fitted and I'll also have the stall warn vane and strobe/landing lights to install.