Wing Mount block holes

[dbdevkc]

I am close to finishing my other spar, and have been reviewing the discussions about up-drilling the wing mount block holes. Seems there are basically two options:

- Per the plans, up-drill to 1/4" when mating the spars, then up-drill to 3/8" when installing on the aircraft. I understand there is a tool that is being loaned around that should make that up drilling go easier.

- Up-drill the blocks to 3/8" when mating the spars, then use a 3/8" OD / 1/4" ID bushing in those holes when mounting the wing to drill the mating holes in the channel.

I'd love to hear opinions of either method and success/failure stories and recommendations.

I also need some references for nav/strobe lights for a Waiex, and landing light options as well. I was planning to run tubing through forward rib tooling holes and run the wiring through that. Any problems with that?

Thanks,
Kevin

[Bryan Cotton]

I heartily recommend drilling the spars to final size in the drill press and using a bushing to locate the holes in the fuselage. Unfortunately photobucket has killed my thread but I can repost or email pictures. The other Kevin has my drill bushings now, and I am sure he would gladly send them on to the next person when he is done. For final size, I used a 0.3725" reamer.

I bought Whelen Orion 600's for my nav and strobe. Pricey, TSOed, and very nice. I bought FreshAero landing lights with the Sonex installation kit and I like them a lot. Have not flown yet.

[dbdevkc]

.3725 reamer after mounting in the fuse and drilling the spar channel? If so, what was the size you drilled the blocks to when you initially mated the spars (that the bushings fit into)?

[Spaceman]

I also need some references for nav/strobe lights for a Waiex, and landing light options as well. I was planning to run tubing through forward rib tooling holes and run the wiring through that. Any problems with that?

Thanks,
Kevin

I can't help I whole lot with the wing blocks, but I'll tell you what I used for lighting!

Landing Lights: http://www.duckworksav.com/SXLightKits.html#LED%20Kits
Wingtip Lights: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/aveopowerburst.php
Wingtip Light Fairings: http://www.gaugepods.com/aircraft.html

I just noticed Aveo has some other fairings made for Sonex, but they're quite a bit more expensive than the Gaugepods version.
(http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/sonexaveoadapters.php)

Also, I thought the fairings would allow me to put the wingtip lights closer to the center of the wingtip and still have them be visible from above, but that ended up not being the case. I still had to put them way up by the top/outboard edge. They do look a little more finished though with the fairings, I think!

Anyway those were the major parts that I used. To run the wires, I used the two tooling holes in each forward rib for a wire; the landing light wire in the forward holes and the wingtip light in the aft holes so it could go behind the landing light on its way out. I put a snap bushing in each hole and ran some thin vinyl tubing through them. Then I pushed the wires through. Probably overkill and not the lightest method, but I don't think the wires can possibly chafe against anything now, and if I ever have to change anything I can push a new wire through.

Also, keep in mind that if you want your wingtip light centered fore and aft, it'll end up behind the main spar while your wire will be in front of it. I realized that after I installed the light, so I put another little hole and snap bushing way out near the outboard edge of the main spar web. I think having the light forward of the main spar would look weird anyway.

Here's my blog post that has links to all the parts I used:
https://paegelow.blogspot.com/2017/05/leading-edfe-internals.html

[Spaceman]

Also, to connect the lights, this post has the part numbers for the Molex connectors I used:

https://paegelow.blogspot.com/2017/05/lighting-connections.html

I used a 2-pin connection for the landing light, 4-pin connection for the wingtip light, and then I plan to combine everything into a 6-pin connection at the fuselage so I only have one plug to deal with whenever I want to remove or install the wings.

It took me forever to find the right parts for those connectors; if you just search for Molex connectors on Digi-Key there are like 1,000,000 different results! So that'll hopefully save you some time if that's what you end up using.

[Bryan Cotton]

I found that my AN6 bolts fit nicely in a 0.3725" hole. So, I drilled my spars undersize and reamed to that. Same with the fuselage. My bushing has the same OD as an AN6 bolt and a 1/4" ID to guide a long drill bit.

[Sonex1517]

I am close to finishing my other spar, and have been reviewing the discussions about up-drilling the wing mount block holes. Seems there are basically two options:

- Per the plans, up-drill to 1/4" when mating the spars, then up-drill to 3/8" when installing on the aircraft. I understand there is a tool that is being loaned around that should make that up drilling go easier.

- Up-drill the blocks to 3/8" when mating the spars, then use a 3/8" OD / 1/4" ID bushing in those holes when mounting the wing to drill the mating holes in the channel.

I'd love to hear opinions of either method and success/failure stories and recommendations.

I also need some references for nav/strobe lights for a Waiex, and landing light options as well. I was planning to run tubing through forward rib tooling holes and run the wiring through that. Any problems with that?

Thanks,
Kevin

Kevin, if you need drill bushings, I may still have mine. If I can find them you (and anyone else) are welcome to use them.

As some know, I ended up trying mine three times. It was indeed the third time that was the charm. I drilled them up outside the airframe and then used the drill bushings to get it right in the fuselage.

Thank you Robert Frost and the folks at ASA for setting me right there.

[sonex892.]

My vote is for bolting the spars together and updrilling to 3/8 in a drill press. Then use the bushing guide later when rigging.

If you look at spaceman's build log you will see even Sonex appear to have gone to this method for the B model. There are a couple of slight differences on the B model. It uses machined attach blocks and 1/2" final hole size. http://paegelow.blogspot.com.au/2016/12 ... art-2.html

Steve
Sonex 892

[vernd]

Any tricks for setting up with drill press to ensure a hole that is perpendicular to the wing blocks?
Thanks...Vern

[Bryan Cotton]

Vern,
First get your drill press table true. Then make some sort of wood support so the overhung moment of the spar doesn't twist it. Get shims to clamp between the shim and support so the stackup is consistent. PM me an email address and I'll send you some pictures of what I did.