SonexBuilders.net

Has anyone run into the match hole verticals being a little off when cleco'd into position on the skins? Both #2 - #4 left and right verticals are 1 - 2/32" lower than the 1/4" that detail "FF" calls for from the top of the upper longeron. I went ahead and cleco'd up the sides with the lower cross ties in place, which puts them a little proud of the bottom longeron. With a piece of .025 and a slight flex of the longeren, it will lay flat telling me it would be ok when the lower skin is piloted? I don't think it will impact the installation of the turtle deck formers as well, I have seen some build logs where shims were used between the skin and formers. Am I being waaay to critical here!


crosstie #2 bottom and lower longeron


.025 laid in place showing small gap


lower longeron slightly flexed outward for a flush fit

Ken,
Mine were OK if I remember correctly. Any chance you mixed up the left and right verticals? You could always move the horizontal member a bit. Just do it with the skins clecoed to the horizontal and the fuselage trued up.

I have seen some mislocated laser holes before as have others. The kit is not perfect but very good.

Bryan,
Went back to square one and verified longeron and vertical placement, the #1 vertical has the same 1/32" difference both sides, but this was back from being flush with the forward edge of the skin? I wonder if this is due to the longerons themselves as they all had a little twist / bow in them when laid flat on the skin. One had so much that I had to clamp it down on the table edges in sections and remove the twist by applying a lot of opposite twist with a crescent wrench! Once reassembled, everything is right at 1/32" from dimensions called out on the plans for both sides.

I bit the bullet and inquired with Sonex Tech, I have all the confidence in the world that the whole match hole concept is to allow a person to cleco parts, upsize and rivet as you go, eliminating the countless hours of laying out and piloting assemblies together.

Going to go tow gliders!

I'm sure I'm way too late to be of any assistance to you, but others may benefit.

My verticals were off by as much as .050" toward the bottom, meaning there would have to be shims between the upper cross ties and longerons to take up the slop, and there would be a dip in the bottom skin at every lower cross tie.

The "factory" fix was to use the shims and don't worry about the belly bumps. My solution came in the form of ordering blank channel stock and making new crossties, placing them in the proper location, then drilling through the holes in the verticals into the crossties. PITA! But what's one more?

Just glad to hear I wasn't the only one.