Upper Right Wing Panel Rib Stiched

 The Poly Fiber instructions say that you treat the ribs withing the diameter of the propeller plus the next rib as being within the slipstream.  I laid out the hole pattern for the rib lacing on the first 3 ribs at 2 1/2" spacing and the outer 6 ribs at 3 1/2" spacing on the upper surface of the wing.  The lower surface is laid out using a rib pattern with the lower loops below the upper knots and perpendicular to the lower (flat) surface of the ribs.

 I found it easier to see where the reinforcing tapes should be placed by punching the holes first and then applying the tapes between the holes.

The ability to tip the stands to a comfortable angle makes it much easier applying the tapes.

 Needles were started at the leading edge of each rib.  Near the  forward and aft ends of the ribs you can reach around the wing to feed the needle through the holes.  As you stitch toward the center of the ribs you can't reach around far enough. It's easier if you position the wing vertical and work your way around the wing pushing needles through or tying knots at each rib as you go around the wing.  You need enough needles for every rib but it saves time if you don't have an assistant on the other side.  You need light on each side so you can see the holes on the other side looking through a hole on your side.

 The grand kids, Rowan and Duncan, visited for Thanksgiving so we spent the day working on the wings.  We started by watching the Poly Fiber rib lacing video.  The manual has a nice trick for tying the square knot for the first stitch.  After we tied the first hidden modified seine knot we watched the video again to make sure we were doing it correctly and then pressed on.  We found her Island and Palm Tree helpful as well as the  "X" on the needle.  We couldn't remember the rabbit story but had no problem with the needle motion and path.  That was much easier than the pictures in the manual.

 We started with about 12 ft. of flat lacing cord for each rib.  That got us about 1/2 way down the ribs.  Then we re-positioned the wing and started from the trailing edge.  The manual says you can work in either direction and you just have to lock your last stitch with a half hitch.  Because of the 42" wing chord we were able to reach easily to where we ended the lacing from the leading edge.

 It was a nice warm afternoon so we moved the wing back to the tent.  We located our inspection rings and cut all of our chord-wise finishing tapes.  We rolled and clipped the tapes to a length easy to apply to one side of the wing.

 The inspection rings were glued on with Poly-Tak.  While the glue dried the reinforcing tapes got a very wet coat of Ploy-Brush to fill and seal them.  While the first coat of Poly Brush dried we applied the doilies over the inspection rings.  A second wet coat of Poly-Brush finished the reinforcing tapes.

Even in an open tent the fumes can get a little much, a Carbon Respirator really helps.  We got a few chord-wise finishing tapes on before dinner.