T-6 wing jig

[bluehawk15]

Looking to beg, borrow, buy or steal...prefer to borrow or rent...a left wing jig for a T-6. It's needed so repairs can be made to the Mosquito painted "Triple Nickle" after the landing incident in Ohio.

[t28pilot]

How bad is the wing? I'm just finishing a complete disassembly and rebuild of my SNJ wings. Right wing comes out of my jig Tuesday.
Www.cwahl.com
chuck
t28pilot@earthlink.net

[A2C]

It's nice to borrow one, but a little bit of welding should be able to produce one.

[stumac]

There you go! Spoken from someone who really knows. All you have to do is a little welding and bingo you have a wing jig. Then after the little bit of welding all you do is a little bit of riviting and you have a new wing. Isn't that how it went for you Chuck? It's pretty easy.

[t28pilot]

That was about it Stu, after $1500 in steel and a weekend of cutting, welding and cleaning, no wait, a week, the jig was done. Lets go flying!
Oh wait. Forgot the wing...
OK, 2 weeks of drilling 4400 rivets on the external.
Lets go flying.
Oh wait. the stringers need replacing and splicing etc. Should only take a day or 20! Gonna need an angle drill for that, and an offset squeezer. No problem, came with the Jig from, ah, nope, had to find that to...
Ok, lets go flying!
Oh wait. Gotta put it back toghether...
Lets see, strip everything even the stringers, but thats hard!. Ok, Ok...
Do you know how many stringers there are?? What do you mean the ribs are bad, corroded, bent, look like crap etc.. Ok, Ok, should take a day or 2 OR 30!! to remove, strip, etch, alodine, prime and rivet back to the spars.
Ok, Lets go flying...
What do you mean that skin is bad?! Oh yea, thats why we built the Jig! Ok, Ok, Lets fab a new skin. Shouldnt take long to match drill a few holes, right. Andwho needs those access panel cutouts, just more drag. What do you mean the skin is so bent you cant match drill. You have to what? Back Drill? But that could take a day or so...
Ok, get it done and let go flying..
What do you mean you cant replace that skin without taking off those other 2(or 3), Or 4!! Just put your hand up inside there to buck the rivet, uuhhh,...put it up where... Well heck while in Rome... Lets just make all new skins. should only take, maybe 1 skin per day? Opps, gotta mow the yard. Ill do it tomorrow!
Lets go flying...
Oh yea, gotta rivet the skin on. What do you mean you gotta etch, alodine, and prime the insides of the skins FIRST. Ok, Ok, I'll be ready to rivet tomorrow.(or whenever).
Ok, got all 16 skins and 2 leading edged primed, drilled and we are ready to rivet. hummm, Hey Buddy can you come over and help Rivet.
Sure I can spend a few hours helping.
Uhh, few hours? There are about 4400 rivets on the outside of the wing. Can you take a 2 week vacation from LIFE ! Gonna need several weeks!
Ok, Done paint it, what about the attatch angles, rivets, screws, AD check, Bla Bla Bla.
can we go flying yet...
Oohhh gotta paint it. No problem. How much primer? HOW MUCH PAINT ??,
Ok, Ok, let it dry, we'll have it back on the plane in 2 days. Ok, 5 days. Opps, you wanted 2 colors, and a star? Ok, 10 days. honey, dont forget about the yard, and the pool!(and the kids, and me). awww, I'll finish it next week.
Ok, Ok, Did it. wings back on the plane and looking pretty fricken great! BINGO...Only took 4 months !
WHAT !!! WE GOTTA DO THE OTHER WING TOO !!
Well now the flaps and ailerons look like crap.
Back to the top and read again...
All cause a Jig was so easy to make, right STU ??

[A2C]

The jig is easy to make, but the wings require slave labor.. Stu, Chuck needs your help..

[t28pilot]

Nope, Mine are done. Been there done that. So has Stu.

[A2C]

Just some bad humor there..

[hang the expense]

That was about it Stu, after $1500 in steel and a weekend of cutting, welding and cleaning, no wait, a week, the jig was done. Lets go flying!
Oh wait. Forgot the wing...
OK, 2 weeks of drilling 4400 rivets on the external.
Lets go flying.
Oh wait. the stringers need replacing and splicing etc. Should only take a day or 20! Gonna need an angle drill for that, and an offset squeezer. No problem, came with the Jig from, ah, nope, had to find that to...
Ok, lets go flying!
Oh wait. Gotta put it back toghether...
Lets see, strip everything even the stringers, but thats hard!. Ok, Ok...
Do you know how many stringers there are?? What do you mean the ribs are bad, corroded, bent, look like crap etc.. Ok, Ok, should take a day or 2 OR 30!! to remove, strip, etch, alodine, prime and rivet back to the spars.
Ok, Lets go flying...
What do you mean that skin is bad?! Oh yea, thats why we built the Jig! Ok, Ok, Lets fab a new skin. Shouldnt take long to match drill a few holes, right. Andwho needs those access panel cutouts, just more drag. What do you mean the skin is so bent you cant match drill. You have to what? Back Drill? But that could take a day or so...
Ok, get it done and let go flying..
What do you mean you cant replace that skin without taking off those other 2(or 3), Or 4!! Just put your hand up inside there to buck the rivet, uuhhh,...put it up where... Well heck while in Rome... Lets just make all new skins. should only take, maybe 1 skin per day? Opps, gotta mow the yard. Ill do it tomorrow!
Lets go flying...
Oh yea, gotta rivet the skin on. What do you mean you gotta etch, alodine, and prime the insides of the skins FIRST. Ok, Ok, I'll be ready to rivet tomorrow.(or whenever).
Ok, got all 16 skins and 2 leading edged primed, drilled and we are ready to rivet. hummm, Hey Buddy can you come over and help Rivet.
Sure I can spend a few hours helping.
Uhh, few hours? There are about 4400 rivets on the outside of the wing. Can you take a 2 week vacation from LIFE ! Gonna need several weeks!
Ok, Done paint it, what about the attatch angles, rivets, screws, AD check, Bla Bla Bla.
can we go flying yet...
Oohhh gotta paint it. No problem. How much primer? HOW MUCH PAINT ??,
Ok, Ok, let it dry, we'll have it back on the plane in 2 days. Ok, 5 days. Opps, you wanted 2 colors, and a star? Ok, 10 days. honey, dont forget about the yard, and the pool!(and the kids, and me). awww, I'll finish it next week.
Ok, Ok, Did it. wings back on the plane and looking pretty fricken great! BINGO...Only took 4 months !
WHAT !!! WE GOTTA DO THE OTHER WING TOO !!
Well now the flaps and ailerons look like crap.
Back to the top and read again...
All cause a Jig was so easy to make, right STU ??

LOL,so very very true.

[A2C]

I don't see what the cry of bloody murder is about. A jig is a straightforward practical support to keep a wing supported correctly during construction, and use basic construction techniques like welding supports and a crossbrace.

Jigs aren't complex at all. I suppose if you're a rocket scientist(Or Prima Donna), you would have to hire a structural engineer to design one, a civil engineer and survey crew to make sure the ground is flat, and an architect to make sure it is estheticly correct. You might even need to cad plate the whole thing to make sure it looks pretty in the hanger, and you can put manufacturer's stamps on it, and wire it up with strobe lights; then yes it would be a very advanced project.

(Let's not forget hydraulic lifting boosting and robotic action as well)

[Matt Gunsch]

A incorrect jig can make for a very dangerous plane. Unless you build your jig correctly, you can inadvertantly take out the wash out of the wing and make a very interesting handling plane.

it is alot more than just building a steel frame to hold the wing while doing the repairs.

[ktst97]

Might be time to quote Samuel Johnson, noted English poet, essayist, moralist, novelist, literary critic, biographer, editor, and lexicographer.
Tis better to remain silent and ........................

[DoraNineFan]

That was about it Stu, after $1500 in steel and a weekend of cutting, welding and cleaning, no wait, a week, the jig was done. Lets go flying!
Oh wait. Forgot the wing...
OK, 2 weeks of drilling 4400 rivets on the external.
Lets go flying.
Oh wait. the stringers need replacing and splicing etc. Should only take a day or 20! Gonna need an angle drill for that, and an offset squeezer. No problem, came with the Jig from, ah, nope, had to find that to...
Ok, lets go flying!
Oh wait. Gotta put it back toghether...
Lets see, strip everything even the stringers, but thats hard!. Ok, Ok...
Do you know how many stringers there are?? What do you mean the ribs are bad, corroded, bent, look like crap etc.. Ok, Ok, should take a day or 2 OR 30!! to remove, strip, etch, alodine, prime and rivet back to the spars.
Ok, Lets go flying...
What do you mean that skin is bad?! Oh yea, thats why we built the Jig! Ok, Ok, Lets fab a new skin. Shouldnt take long to match drill a few holes, right. Andwho needs those access panel cutouts, just more drag. What do you mean the skin is so bent you cant match drill. You have to what? Back Drill? But that could take a day or so...
Ok, get it done and let go flying..
What do you mean you cant replace that skin without taking off those other 2(or 3), Or 4!! Just put your hand up inside there to buck the rivet, uuhhh,...put it up where... Well heck while in Rome... Lets just make all new skins. should only take, maybe 1 skin per day? Opps, gotta mow the yard. Ill do it tomorrow!
Lets go flying...
Oh yea, gotta rivet the skin on. What do you mean you gotta etch, alodine, and prime the insides of the skins FIRST. Ok, Ok, I'll be ready to rivet tomorrow.(or whenever).
Ok, got all 16 skins and 2 leading edged primed, drilled and we are ready to rivet. hummm, Hey Buddy can you come over and help Rivet.
Sure I can spend a few hours helping.
Uhh, few hours? There are about 4400 rivets on the outside of the wing. Can you take a 2 week vacation from LIFE ! Gonna need several weeks!
Ok, Done paint it, what about the attatch angles, rivets, screws, AD check, Bla Bla Bla.
can we go flying yet...
Oohhh gotta paint it. No problem. How much primer? HOW MUCH PAINT ??,
Ok, Ok, let it dry, we'll have it back on the plane in 2 days. Ok, 5 days. Opps, you wanted 2 colors, and a star? Ok, 10 days. honey, dont forget about the yard, and the pool!(and the kids, and me). awww, I'll finish it next week.
Ok, Ok, Did it. wings back on the plane and looking pretty fricken great! BINGO...Only took 4 months !
WHAT !!! WE GOTTA DO THE OTHER WING TOO !!
Well now the flaps and ailerons look like crap.
Back to the top and read again...
All cause a Jig was so easy to make, right STU ??

That's pure gold right there.

[pilot06]

Chuck, so that's what I get to look forward to in the future. Sounds great. Any photos of the process?

Patrick