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Improving wingtip fit?

SgtZim

Well Known Member
As I'm trial fitting the wingtips, and especially when adding the rib, it looks like there is noticeable distortion when riveting the curved tip to a flat rib. I'm considering filling in that gap with epoxy/flox mix. Anyone else try this, or see potential problems?

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When I move the rib aft until it firmly seats at the front, I see a varying gap along the rib. Even at the front couple of inches where the tip should meet the wing skin there is some pull down as you go aft.

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When all clamped up, I see warping of the wingtip tail.

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Shape of the rib vs. shape of the tip
 
A couple of thought for you to ponder.

- What is the shape of the aileron that will directly adjacent to the wing tip?
It is flat on the top and bottom except for leading edge portion. If you curve the wing tip you will have a curved and a flat edge adjacent to each other.

- With a molded fiberglass part like the wing tip, you can't assume that because it seems to have some curve in its shape at that location, that it was actually molded that way.

My suggestion would be that you look a a few finished RV's and get an understanding for the shape in this area, before you do something that (as far as I am aware) no one else ever does.
 
Being flat in this area is not a ?bad thing?, aerodynamically. There isn?t an aerodynamic benefit, and as Scott says, appearance would be an issue (if you modified it) relative to the mated outboard end of the aileron. Not sure it?s worth the effort. The wingtips are molded to mate with the existing wing/control surface design.
 
Not my circus, but...

I'm going to bet the OP is a little frustrated with the attempts to address his dilemma so far. The first pic he posted seems to show a clear discrepancy in the profile of the upper wing skin (not wing tip) and the rib. The angle is off quite a few degrees.

I'm not sure what I'd do in his shoes but I clearly see why he's scratching his head. It looks as if by the time he pulls that fiberglass tip inward to meet the rib flanges, the wing skin is going to have to be bent downwards at the TE to get it tucked down snug on the wingtip flange.

This could all be weird photo angles playing tricks, but I don't think so. I'd be comparing part numbers to be sure I got the correct rib.
 
Thanks for the advice. Probably am overthinking this one. Maybe just a sub-optimal tip - the vendor really slopped a lot of extra glass and resin into the trailing edge which forced the angle there too wide / open. When I clamp up everything, the fiberglass definitely spreads back out to meet that stiff area at the back. I can always come back to this if it really bugs me.

Congrats on the new plane Scott!
 
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