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Rib repair tools

algonquin

algonquin

MEMBER
Seldovia,Ak
Hi guy’s, been trying to find some pic’s of home made tools for repairing ribs. I remember reading it but just can’t find the thread. Thanks in advance, Tom
 
Don't have any pictures, but I made mine out of wood, and used a mallet to form the proper U channel. Bending it the rest of the way around the rib was with a chisel-shaped hammer (radiused, not sharp).
 
Paul Babcock did rib repair seminars at Lock Haven for many years. He said never throw out a really damaged rib as it the best material for fixing one thats repairable. He would cut off a 6" section of rib and open it up using a metal chisel sliding them inside the channel. Start with a small chisel and work up in size. He had some grooved wooden blocks to close the splice back up when doing the repair. I remember that you can't legally repair anything forward of the spar. Tom, I'll text you Paul's #. He lives in Massachusetts

Glenn
 
Thanks Glen, and thank you guys this was what I was looking for. I’m starting to rebuild the wings on my PA-12 that I’ve been slugging along doing for several years. This Quarantine thing is good for the old airplane rebuilding. The frame is done, gear done , need an engine and wings , oh yea radios too. Almost done,LOL.
 
A friend gave me a tube of rib repair materials from Univair I think. ACS sells it too. The capstrip and vertical sections were handy stuff but I didn't like the hat section material that forms over the capstrip. I thought it was too thick and too hard. Annealing it made it easier to work with but it is still thick enough that a persnickety guy will notice it under the fabric. I brazed some 1/4 inch keystock to the tips of an old pair of channel locks. I used them to press flat the hat section as forming it over both sides of the rib cap and squeezing it for the rivets.
 
N86250 said:
The capstrip and vertical sections were handy stuff but I didn't like the hat section material that forms over the capstrip. I thought it was too thick and too hard. Annealing it made it easier to work with but it is still thick enough that a persnickety guy will notice it under the fabric.
Click to expand...

Amen to that!! I used damaged ribs to do the few repairs I did, but I did buy new end ribs.
John
 
N86250 said:
A friend gave me a tube of rib repair materials from Univair I think. ACS sells it too. The capstrip and vertical sections were handy stuff but I didn't like the hat section material that forms over the capstrip. I thought it was too thick and too hard. Annealing it made it easier to work with but it is still thick enough that a persnickety guy will notice it under the fabric. I brazed some 1/4 inch keystock to the tips of an old pair of channel locks. I used them to press flat the hat section as forming it over both sides of the rib cap and squeezing it for the rivets.
Click to expand...

That's why Paul uses the original rib material for the repair splice, it's half the thickness of the new repair kits. Not noticeable on a finished wing

Glenn
 
I have a tool that clamps the hat section and has holes for me to run a #40 drill through... I will have to get pics and post them.
 
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