Wing Metals Package and Wing Brackets

With the ribs done, it's time to move on to wing assembly, but before that begins, I have to build the brackets. There are dozens to make, and to get started, I had to order the wing metals package. I also ordered the two hardware packages, one for each wing, or rather, set of wings on each side of the plane. Those just contain a bunch of nuts, bolts, and washers.

The Wing Metals Package

The Hardware

1/8" 2024 Aluminum for the wing brackets

Templates made from poster board. I'll trace these, then cut them out with the band saw. I tried the jig saw first, but discovered the band saw worked great. That is an indispensable tool for building and airplane. On occasion, if the original piece of metal wouldn't fit the throat of my band saw, I would use the jig saw to make one or two manageable pieces.

Some brackets, roughly cut out.

Almost all the brackets, cut close to final size, ready to be sanded to final size on the oscillating belt sander, another indispensable tool.

Laying out the holes. I ended up just laying the piece over the plans, then laying the ruler along the lines on the plans, and using a scribe to mark the intersections of the lines indicating the holes. Then, I would center punch those intersections. After that, it was easy to drill them. Make sure to drill 1/64 undersized, then eventually ream them to size. First, though, I just drilled 1/8" holes to use roll pins to gang several fittings together for fewer pieces to  sand.

Ganging several brackets together with roll pins for sanding. Why sand four times when you can sand once?

One of the bigger wing brackets: outer bracket, main spar, upper wing.

The scribe marks where a hole will go.

Tools of the trade for punching holes precisely (hammer not shown).

Getting ready to drill and ream.

As always, check my YouTube channel, Aviation Fanatic, to watch many videos of the construction of my Super Baby Great Lakes.