Match drilling Cap Strips

[DesertBearhawk]

Guys, I am laying out my cap strips.....

Question: Any reason that I cant lay out the long cap strip on the top and bottom and then match drill everything from them? I am not a fan of the line everything up on the front and rear side of the spar and then drilling....working upside down kinda blows and I would rather use a drill press for nice square holes....

So, what say you!/

[X'N]

I just started working on my cap strips. I see no reason not to pre drill. I'm drilling them undersize and then will up size them once everything is attached to the web. A couple of tips. Measure out and mark on a bench the locations for the holes you don't want to drill (that being the rivet holes around the center splice and the Flap and Aileron drive support pieces). It took me a couple to figure out its much easier to mark up spots on my bench and then I can transfer them to each strip as needed.

[Glenn Patterson]

I posted an write up with photos under the Builders Tips/Techniques on match drilling the cap strips in sets that may help. the capstrips were drilled in sets then a middle capstrip was used as the drill template for the spars. The bars then can then be clecoed on bothsides w/o any gymnastics. We also jigged the spars on edge so that we could rivet them without having to go above & below. It makes riveting much easier to work on.

http://bearhawkforums.com/forum/tools-technics-and-best-practices/808-drilling-capstrips-in-sets?_=1384460310194

Glenn
BH727

[X'N]

Here are a couple pictures of how I did it.

[Enewton57]

Glad to see you have a proper refreshment there on the workbench. I can almost here some good music playing in the background. Your workmanship looks excellent Dan. Good job.

[X'N]

Glad to see you have a proper refreshment there on the workbench. I can almost here some good music playing in the background. Your workmanship looks excellent Dan. Good job.

Thank you sir.

Yes proper refreshment is a key, wonder how many beers my plane will take to build LOL

[DesertBearhawk]

Question: I have match-drilled al the cap strips as per the technique above to #30, should I drill them out to the #21 now or once I have them mounted in position on the spar web?

[Glenn Patterson]

Installing the cap strips on the spar & checking the straightness of the assembly & final drilling is the lowest risk option. It might take a couple minutes longer but if it is assembled and final drilled then you can be assured that it is 100%. You have invested a lot of time & to take the least risk in the end may save the time by perhaps avoiding a do over. We jumped all over to drill & rivet so that we did not create a wave or any curvature by starting at one end. The assembly time is the only difference as the pieces will all need to be disassembled, deburred & painted anyways.
Glenn
BH727