nose and tank rib fluting

Joe Parish · Post by **Joe Parish** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 3:47 pm

Looking for wisdom on fluting nose and tank ribs. Finished all the others last night and started on the leading edge ribs and they are kicking my butt! I messed with two of them last night and really struggled to get them flat where the holes were fairly straight. Any advice appreciated. Help me before I do something drastic! Thanks

tmbg · Post by **tmbg** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 4:27 pm

put a light flute in between every hole, and see how flat it lies. If you still have a curve, try to see where it's curving the most, and deepen that flute. It shouldn't be a big deal at all...

bruceh · Post by **bruceh** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 8:47 pm

Use a seamer to first get the flanges at 90 degrees, then flute between the holes lightly to get the web to lay flat. It doesn't have to be perfectly flat. Just close enough to get the skin laying down well. After you match drill and dimple, things come into place much better each time you fit them together -- especially the tank skins.

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 8:13 pm

My ribs and skin were not pre-drilled. If your ribs and skins are pre drilled then you have to fulte between rivet holes. If for some reason you have an old kit that is not pre-drilled you should flute before drilling the ribs to the skins. However assuming you are working with pre-punched the all you can do is make sure the flange is 90 degrees to the rib and then fulte between holes.

Joe Parish · Post by **Joe Parish** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 5:04 pm

Got em done. Thanks for the info guys.