Photo: Ribs being installed, note yellow string lines
Ribs are nailed to the wood spars with tiny cement coated aircraft nails.
Install the rib closest to the butt end of the wing first. Then install the full rib closest to the tip next. Installing these two ribs first allows you to tie a couple masons strings between the butt and tip to use for aligning the remaining ribs. The ribs are a snug fit fore and aft but are able to move vertically, so the string lines are needed to ensure accurate vertical alignment.
Aircraft nails are so small that it's difficult to hold them. If you attempt to hold them with your fingers you end up smashing the fingers with the hammer everytime. There are two ways around this problem: (1) you can hold the tiny nail with a needle nose pliers while you tap it with a tack hammer, or (2) my favotite method is to place the little nail head on the magnetic end of the tack hammer, place the nail point where you want it and then tap the tack hammer with a big ball peen hammer...the nail sets into the wood about half way with that one blow. Finish setting the little nails the last 1/4 inch with an ordinary nail set.
Be sure the ribs just touch the string line and use a square to ensure the ribs are vertical and perpendicular to the spars.
Go to Wing 8: Reinforcement Plates
Return to Index
