Wood removal

On reflection, that would depend on your rib configuration.  You really need a triangular section rather than square so that the inner face of the leading edge is perpendicular, assuming the the ribs have a vertical front edge.

All the kits I built as a kid (Aussie Areoflyte) used a square / diamond section leading edge with the front of each rib having a birds-mouth cut-out.

Open a notch on wing ribs, then you only need to round a corner:

Levent Suberk wrote:Open a notch on wing ribs, then you only need to round a corner:

That's exactly what I was trying to describe, but it's likely going to mean that OhBee will need to accurately modify each rib. Maybe a little closer examination of the plans needed.

#50 sandpaper on a long block. It actually works great and you can finish up with something finer.

Ya...this thing had squared off rib ends butted up to the leading and trailing edges. Thats the way the kit was designed and made. I'm used to slotted pre-formed leading edges!

Following directions to the letter, but never saw a wing built like this! Not into redesigning the kit...and it's a bit late for that!

Ya...I hit a snag,or somethimg I need to ponder for awhile,and I just move on to something else for
a change ...like landing gear today. Tiny parts are becoming a challenge!

OhBee,
A little late now, but this is where a home-made notching tool would help. Mine is an old hacksaw blade piece about 7" long, with fences super glued to either side of the blade. The fences keep the blade from cutting too deeply. If the wing is truly just a rectangle, then the leading edge and trailing edge are set side-by-side, and the rib notches are cut into both pieces at once. If the rib is thicker, double up your hacksaw blades. My thicker one has two blades with the teeth cutting in each direction.
Then it is just a process to trim the LE/TE with a small hobby wood plane. I have two planes. One is an antique that uses my cast-off DE razors (too dull for face is just fine for balsa wood). The other is a newer one from Lowe's...a cheapie that can be resharpened.

It appears to me that this wing will then have fairly flat wing tips with very blunt, but rounded edges around the wing tips.

Hey Jim!....ya... this is kinda a learn as you go project! A bit different than what I recall back in the day.
No rush....it'll all come together eventually!

All the gussets I see have their grain orientated incorrectly. You didn't install them incorrectly, they were made incorrectly. The grain needs to run parallel to the 45 deg angle. The only thing that I see them actually doing is offering more glue area. If the center section is sheeted the only ribs requiring them would be the outer tip rips in all four corners.

Never noticed that Ken! There's a few that are right! After ripping a hole in the elevator trying to install the control horn...I'm done!

Which way is the damned thing supposed to be installed? Flat edge forward...or angled edge forward?

The wood or the control horn? If it’s the wood then the large end toward the stabilizing surface.

If you are talking about the horn then it was just made improperly. Don’t sweat the small things. It will bolt together and work just fine.

The control horn itself....flat edge forward?

OhBee wrote:The control horn itself....flat edge forward?

That's how I'd do it.

I've used those horns before and they're not the best. A little too flexible and can easily loosen and rotate, causing them to bind on the pushrod. A dab of CA can help. The type with two screws are better.

Razor plane then longboard sander.

Use some wide angle aluminum to make a cheap long board sander with adhesive paper.

Make a female template accurate to the plan including part of the rib.

Have fun, that is going to take a while.

Phil

Ya..I don't have a plane....what I did was carefully take off a bunch with a razor sharp jacknife,then switched to a small block wrapped with 60 grit! Getting there but tedious. All the sawdust causes my nose to run ,and lots of coughing!.......no I don't got a mask!

Looking good, OhBee!
The Kobalt is a Lowe's item...$11. Depth of cut is adjustable, but the knife edge needs to be dressed from time to time. I'm getting better at sharpening it.
The WilKro is an antique picked up on eBay. I like it because it uses my DE razor blades (after they lose too much edge for my face). It can be re-configured as a bull-nose, a spoke-shave, or long like it is here. Depth of cut can't be changed very much. But it would cut potatoes thinly enough to make almost see through potato chips!

I'd swear I have a small plane somewhere from when I made archery bows! ...Not a clue where. Half my stuff is still in boxes from moving in May!.....and a lot of stuff still in a storage unit 30 mi. away!