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Color me stupid

gossend

Well Known Member
Maybe I missed it, but I did not plug the 1/8" hole in the top wing skins that is intended as a 'locator' for the wing tie-downs. After a year and 200 hours in fairly humid climates (and rain showers when tied down overnight), I tried to remove my tie-downs for re-painting and found them corroded in place. Got them out with a longer 'persuader bar', but with some difficulty.
The tie-down threads came out wet, black, and slightly corroded. A tablespoon of putrid water and the remains of several insects came out with the tie-downs.
Of course, I was on my back looking up at the time.
Welcome to Texas.
I'd suggest plugging the holes with sealed rivets like the ones you used to build the gas tank.
Or - only live in Arizona.
 
Maybe I missed it, but I did not plug the 1/8" hole in the top wing skins that is intended as a 'locator' for the wing tie-downs. After a year and 200 hours in fairly humid climates (and rain showers when tied down overnight), I tried to remove my tie-downs for re-painting and found them corroded in place. Got them out with a longer 'persuader bar', but with some difficulty.
The tie-down threads came out wet, black, and slightly corroded. A tablespoon of putrid water and the remains of several insects came out with the tie-downs.
Of course, I was on my back looking up at the time.
Welcome to Texas.
I'd suggest plugging the holes with sealed rivets like the ones you used to build the gas tank.
Or - only live in Arizona.

Or you can do what I did...when building, got confused, drilled them out to 3/8". And now when asked what the holes are for...I say to mount my machine-guns😎
 
I drilled mine out to 3/8 also, but had not considered they would fill with water! I gotta do something about that. Thanks for that information Dick.
 
Bummer! Don't worry, any builder can fill a book of True Confessions! I still leave an unpainted rivet on the top of my fuselage that I missed in he build as a reminder of the imperfection of man (i.e. ME!)
 
AD-41H

I used the sealed rivets, but an LP4-3 does the job. I just wanted to be sure I could quickly identify where I left those pesky topside tie downs, so using a different rivet was the thing for me.
 
top wing skin 1/8" hole

I enlarged the 1/8" hole to 3/8" and tapped the top of the hold-down bracket 3/8-16.

My logic was that the tie-down brackets are also wing jack lifting points. Having a threaded hole at the top of the wing might come in handy if the plane would have to be lifted.

If the plane can be jacked from the bottom, it can be lifted from the top.

Additionally, I fabricated a large structure that allows me to remove and store the wings unaided. This threaded hole with an eye bolt inserted is indispensable for that purpose.

I then cut an external 3/8-16 thread on two 1-inch long 3/8 diameter white nylon rod pieces. A slot cut in the top or each allows me to screw the short nylon rod into the top of the tie-down bracket and flush with the upper wing surface.

It closes the hole and seals the threaded hole.
 
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