Stewart Wingtip Install/ wing overhaul.

[akflyer]

Very nice! I should be down that way next month to pick up a buddies kitfox and fly it back for him. Would love to stop in and drool over your project!

[JPerkins]

Anyone know if there's anything special to do when running the string from wingtip to wingtip to check dihedral with the Stewart's wingtips?

Akflyer, anytime. Just give me a heads up.20200420_134037.jpeg

Sent from my SM-G930V using ShortWingPipers.Org mobile app

[walt.buskey]

What I did was to weight it/tape it down at the appropriate rib --last full original rib outboard of the flap IIRC, which worked, more or less... but for next time, I'm going to try a laser level device. Just have to plant the laser on a pliable stable base (I'm using a sock full of rice), level it, record the laser line's height above the rib it's sitting on, and then subtract that from a ruler held at the root rib. My initial test/experiment last week seemed to work well -- that red laser line certainly does show up on the ruler, and it doesn't sag one bit!

[JPerkins]

What I did was to weight it/tape it down at the appropriate rib --last full original rib outboard of the flap IIRC, which worked, more or less... but for next time, I'm going to try a laser level device. Just have to plant the laser on a pliable stable base (I'm using a sock full of rice), level it, record the laser line's height above the rib it's sitting on, and then subtract that from a ruler held at the root rib. My initial test/experiment last week seemed to work well -- that red laser line certainly does show up on the ruler, and it doesn't sag one bit!

I'm going to assume you meant last full original rib outboard of the aileron. Which is what I kinda suspected and after reading your post, did.
Had to lower the wings cause the string was an inch high! Trying to figure out what the heck I was doing when I set the dihedral back when I did the tailwheel converstion.
Using a digital level taped to a 4 foot level I then equaled out the wings. Both reading 2.2 degrees.
After which I set the washout. I must have built the wings right because when I did the last adjustment on the rear strut the bolts would slide right in without pushing up or down on the wing.
I couldn't take a picture with the level and the block on the bottom side of the wing because with the plane leveled on bushwheels I have to stand on my tippy toes to hold the level under the wing.20200420_175302.jpeg20200420_175359.jpeg20200420_180820.jpeg

Sent from my SM-G930V using ShortWingPipers.Org mobile app

[walt.buskey]

Yeah, flap, aileron.... One of those things on the back edge of the wings that moves....

You're absolutely right, of course. Senior moment. (More likely a brain fart.)

[Steve Pierce]

Checking that dyhedral with a digital level is a good thing. Easy to get the dimension to the string correct but different angles on each wing. I have had to move the level back and forth on the wing to find an average, seems to be high and low spots in the leading edges and is not consistant.

[walt.buskey]

Back when I replaced the struts and went through the rigging process, I used the plumb-bob method and checked wing height from the ground at various points as a check against that. I also had the landing gear on blocks to eliminate tire squish.

All the dihedral on one wing makes for weird flying, based on my extensive experience with both free flight and R/C models. (Changes the tailplane lateral angle w/respect to the wings.) In models, during low- or no-power glides, the model will always bank & turn toward whichever side of the stabilizer was "higher," relative to the main wing. Anybody know if it's the same with powered full-scale aircraft?

[JPerkins]

With the wings rigged I proceeded to rig the control surfaces. I leveled off the aileron the. Adjusted the flap to match. I double checked that the bottom is level with the bottom of the wing. The big inspection holes are the best mod I've done to the wings!
Then I moved on to making new wing root fairings. To avoid screwing into the fuselage I made "clamps" to hold the fairing pieces on that side. The wing side has nutplates on the butt rib.
Cleaned and installed the the tank drains. FYI for anyone that doesn't know Hoppes No. 9 works exemplary on brass and copper components!
Finished some painting tonight and should be able to glue weather stripping and install the fairings tommorow. 20200424_173943.jpeg20200424_172754.jpeg20200430_182008.jpeg20200430_182012.jpeg20200430_182019.jpeg20200430_183821.jpeg20200502_122311.jpeg20200503_132331.jpeg20200503_132351.jpeg20200502_190339.jpeg20200502_190538.jpeg20200426_123631.jpeg20200426_091544.jpeg

Sent from my SM-G930V using ShortWingPipers.Org mobile app

[Stephen]

Love your giant wing inspection openings. Mine are similar except I should have made them bigger like yours.

[walt.buskey]

Pic #13... really great idea! Think I'll try to do something similar. 57A is finally beginning to come together. Put some fuel in tanks & leak-checked yesterday... and agree 100% about Hoppe's #9 -- amazing results. (Think I read about that here on this forum as well. What a great resource!)

DSC08447.jpg