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Rear spar question

S

srt

Member
I recently bought a second hand RV-8 wing kit. The previous owner built a nice looking 7A, and the little work he has done on this one looks pretty nice. I found an engraved "L" on the rear spar web near the aileron pass-through hole. I can't find any mention of this in the plans. Is it like this from the factory? The engraving looks like it was done with one of those vibrating pencil engravers.

Trying to figure out how to post a picture.

Thanks,
Scott
 
16kyec.jpg
 
Marking

The forward spar and center section is engraved with a serial number but I don't recall seeing that on my rear spar. 7a
 
That must have been done by the previous owner. I jut got a new rv 8 tail and mine didnt have that, but thats a good way to mark it when (if) you prime it. I use an electric pencil to mark left and right parts so I can identify them after priming.
 
Is it the left wing? Some people will mark right and left parts that way after prep.

Edit: Oops, what Robin8er said. :)
 
Thanks. I'll give Van's a call about it on Monday. It just seems like engraving like that would make a good crack initiation point.

Scott
 
srt said:
Thanks. I'll give Van's a call about it on Monday. It just seems like engraving like that would make a good crack initiation point.

Scott
Click to expand...

Vibro engraving is used quite a bit for parts identification, I doubt it will be an issue.
 
"Mark all the parts in the rear spar assembly so they can be returned to their previous positions. Use a Sharpie pen or equivalent for all marks on aluminum, but in this case the ink will be lost if you clean the parts for priming. Despite earlier admonitions about scribing or scratching aluminum, it is permissible to use a vibrating pencil or a system of light punch marks to make identifying marks that will be visible after priming"

https://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/sample_construction_manual.pdf

Its fine. Don't overthink it:)


Think about how cracks form. They form where there is stress concentrated on a point. There is no stress concentrated on the "L" made with the electric pencil. Plus, its the marking bunch on dots, not scratches. If it this was done with a scribe it would be a different story.
 
Last edited:
Robin8er said:
"Mark all the parts in the rear spar assembly so they can be returned to their previous positions. Use a Sharpie pen or equivalent for all marks on aluminum, but in this case the ink will be lost if you clean the parts for priming. Despite earlier admonitions about scribing or scratching aluminum, it is permissible to use a vibrating pencil or a system of light punch marks to make identifying marks that will be visible after priming"

https://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/sample_construction_manual.pdf

Its fine. Don't overthink it:)


Think about how cracks form. They form where there is stress concentrated on a point. There is no stress concentrated on the "L" made with the electric pencil. Plus, its the marking bunch on dots, not scratches. If it this was done with a scribe it would be a different story.
Click to expand...

I have an alphabet punch kit and marked parts so they would go back in same place after prime...I believe it is OK at least aircraft has not fallen out of sky yet. :)
 
I thought I'd follow up on this for anyone's future reference. I talked about this with Van's tech support and they recommended looking in to in further, not proceeding as is. He said maybe add another doubler, but since I live relatively close and want to make a factory visit soon anyway, and the parts are relatively cheap, I'm just going to replace them. The person I talked to at Van's said if it was anywhere other than near the aileron pushrod feedthrough hole, that it wouldn't be an issue, but that area is weakened to begin with and he wouldn't be comfortable leaving it like this.

Hope this helps someone in the future.

Scott
 
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