The final step to the outboard leading edge prior to riveting it to the main wing is the leading edge landing light lens installation. It's been reported that getting the lens up tight to the front on the wing to pilot drill the screw holes requires two men and a boy. I think that's probably a true statement after I held it in place and tried to push. It seems like the lens is about twice the thickness as the ones supplied in the previous landing light kits by Duckworks. Since I was missing a couple of the key players mentioned above I set out to find another way to push the lens into place by myself. By the way, regardless of the order of the manual instructions, don't rivet the lamp holder bracket in place before this step. It'll just be in the way.
So this is what I came up with. I made this high tech lens installation tool from a couple pieces of 1" round wood dowel and some duct tape. I notched the end of one piece of the dowel to interlock them in a tee and held them together with a duct tape.
By cutting the leg of the tee to the right length, I could then stick a 2x2 through the small hole in the end rib and use it as a fulcrum on the bottom of the tee. The top of the tee pushed against the lens. I could now put a tremendous amount of force on the lens to push it into place. This worked great. I could even hold it in place with my armpit while leaving the hands free for the drill and pushing the edge of the plexi tight. Wouldn't that have been a photo! The only thing I'd do different would be to round the bottom side of the 2x2 to the contour of the rib hole to put equal pressure onto the rib. Otherwise the square edges of the 2x2 may slightly bend the edge of the rib hole.
So this is what I came up with. I made this high tech lens installation tool from a couple pieces of 1" round wood dowel and some duct tape. I notched the end of one piece of the dowel to interlock them in a tee and held them together with a duct tape.
By cutting the leg of the tee to the right length, I could then stick a 2x2 through the small hole in the end rib and use it as a fulcrum on the bottom of the tee. The top of the tee pushed against the lens. I could now put a tremendous amount of force on the lens to push it into place. This worked great. I could even hold it in place with my armpit while leaving the hands free for the drill and pushing the edge of the plexi tight. Wouldn't that have been a photo! The only thing I'd do different would be to round the bottom side of the 2x2 to the contour of the rib hole to put equal pressure onto the rib. Otherwise the square edges of the 2x2 may slightly bend the edge of the rib hole.
