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Machine marks–wing spar

Michael Burbidge

Well Known Member
I found it interesting that the machine marks on the doubler part of the wing spar were not removed before assembling the spar. Of course I have no way of removing those or otherwise deburring the doubler at this point.

Maybe I spend too much effort removing machine marks on other parts.

Michael-
 
Michael,

Do you have any photos to share? My wing kit (ordered June 10) should eventually get here despite the now 4-6 week crating backlog and I’d like to compare once it does.

Hopefully general quality is not suffering during the big increase in production that the factory is seeing.
 
Not sure what kind of marks you're referring to, but I think some people spend maybe a little too much time trying to eliminate all milling/punch marks on the edges of skins for example. I am pretty obsessive about deburring and smoothing edges but I don't file out every little mark on the edges - I just want them smooth with no burr or sharp edges. I did QB wings on my -14A and have QB wings and fuse in hand now - haven't noticed any objectionable lack of deburring. Some edges are a little less smoothed over than I might do but nothing I find unacceptable.

My approach only.
 
Pictures

By the way I did not mean to disparage Vans Aircraft or imply poor quality. It was more of a note to self. I've often thought to myself as I'm filing out punch marks on the edge of parts, that my file is the tool I spend the most time with.

The edges are not sharp and do not cut my finger if I run it along the edge. But it's definitely rough. A smooth rough though, if that makes sense.

Here's a couple of pictures.

S72w4h0.jpg

Y4jrZfD.jpg
 
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My RV-10 spars look about the same, except the flanges were nicely rounded and smoothed. The doublers are rough like yours. And everything is gold anodized instead of clear anodized.
 
The edges are not sharp and do not cut my finger if I run it along the edge. But it's definitely rough. A smooth rough though, if that makes sense.

I have some parts that came pre-riveted and clear anodized in my RV-12iS fuselage that look very similar to your parts. Smooth rough is a good description, but I'm sure they're fine.
 
Section 5

Those edges do look kinda rough, as if they were sheared or punched out and then no further work was done to smooth and round the edges. Section 5 of the Vans construction manual is quite clear about what is required, and if you are doing a slow build then it can be done to the builders level of satisfaction, but I don't know what is the solution in your case. And I guess Vans tech support will likely say it is OK but I would question them on quality control! I believe the pre assembled work is done offshore in a 'high value' location.
 
I say no removal of shear marks on the spar web doubler is unacceptable.

FWIW my -10 spar came with defects that I also thought were unacceptable as well. Gouges etc that had been ground and primed over :eek:

Vans was very understanding and promptly replaced the entire spar. Shipped to Aus no questions asked.

Let us know what they say.
 
I raised this same concern several years ago regarding my main spar after seeing pristine RV8 spars. Vans engineering came back and said this was a non-issue. I built on.
 
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