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RV-7 N8ZG
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Preparing the ribs takes a lot of time because there are a bunch of them.  I did all the rib pieces while I had the tools out and the bench clear.  It's gotta be done, might as well do it all once you're started. 

I filed the edges to remove the shear marks from the flanges, then moved to the grinder-mounted ScotchBrite to remove the burr left by the file.  I used smaller wheels mounted in the drill press to clean up the lightening holes and fuel-flow ports.

With all the sharp edges gone, I fluted and squared the flanges.  When you're satisfied with the flanges and relative flatness of the ribs, pull the leading edge and tank ribs out of the pile and put them aside for later.

Refer to the prints and lay the main ribs out in their span-wise positions, root to tip.  when you're sure you have the correct rib in each position, mark them all as left or right wing and for position (L1 thru L14, maybe?). 

Cleco the ribs to the main spars and ream the rivet holes.  The two ribs outboard of the tie-downs must be back-drilled to match the spar.  Two ribs in the wing-walk area also must be match-drilled to the rear spar.  Just ignore the extra holes in the rib flanges.  This is a good time to stand back and scratch your head about where and how you plan to make your wiring and pitot runs. 

In particular, will you use Van's simple bent tube for a pitot, or something else?  Heated or not?  The Piper-style pitot-static blade is attractive in it's simplicity, and some builders have reported good results with them.  Dynon offers a mast-mounted L-shaped tube that's considerably less expensive than the offerings at AC$.  Gretz lists a mount and a pitot on their web site.  I bought the pitot mounting mast and plumbing kit from SafeAir and scrounged a deferred Aero-Instruments heated pitot-static tube with most of a Gretz mount from a friend.  I'm still looking for a heated Piper blade to play with.

After much thought, tinkering, talking and web research, I have decided to mount the Aero-Instruments 5814 pitot-static tube using the Gretz mount.  It's probably a little heavier than the other options, and it certainly draws more current, but it's paid for and it has an integral static port.  I'll pull aluminum tubing out to the root rib and will probably use the SafeAir plumbing kit to carry the pitot and static lines to the panel. 

Bob Nuckolls says you can run all the wires together without noise problems if you use good wire and sound shielding/grounding procedures.  I plan to mount a CreativAir 75w light, Whelen position/strobes and a Bob Archer-designed nav antenna in each tip.  If I can't strip usable signals off of one of the nav lines, one wingtip will get a marker-beacon wire and the front canopy bow will sprout a glide slope dipole.  Heated pitot and static in the left wing, TruTrak roll servo in the right wing.  I drilled the ribs for 3/4" PVC for conduit, but may use snap bushings instead.

Make your decisions and mark the ribs for any new holes.  You can measure and mark every rib and accept a little variance, or clamp a simple jig to your drill press and put all the new holes in the same place.  Dan Checkoway says that in hindsight, low and aft (between the two big holes) is a better place that high and forward, as suggested by the instructions.  Take it apart and de-burr.

Prime as desired. 
I chose to Alodine the ribs, but not prime.

Put snap bushings in all the holes that will or might get wire or tubing later.

The primary wing skeleton can be clecoed and riveted on a reasonably flat table, then moved to the wing jig for further work.  I propped the remains of the kit box across couple of saw-horses for a work surface.  Cleco the whole mess back together and prepare yourself for banging rivets.  A wrap of duct tape on your bucking bars will reduce the scratches and other marks.  I used a 2x gun and 3.5-lb mushroom bar from Avery to pound the rivets that hold the main ribs to the forward spars.  It worked, but I suspect that a 3x gun would have made the job a little easier.  Putting the manufactured heads on the rib flange and forming the shop head against the spar web will reduce distortion.  Do not rivet the last outboard ribs to the main spars - they share rivets with the outboard leading edge ribs.  

UPDATE:  09 Jan 2005.  I can now verify that a 3x gun will make setting AD4-x rivets much easier.  Rick Jorgensen got some new tools for Christmas, and I won the fight for his "old", barely used Taylor 3x rivet gun.  Huge difference.  It does require a little more care to prevent smileys and smeared rivets.

Rivet the ribs to the main spar with gun and bar.  The rear spar can be completed with a squeezer.  My Dad is a great help when he comes to visit.  His first experience with squeezing rivets was on the rear spars - we had to re-do one rivet.  Don't let him fool you.  Donald turned wrenches on KC-97Gs in the late 50's.  He knows more about airplanes that he lets on.

With the wing skeleton stretched between two posts, it will sag.  If the skins, leading edges and tanks are to fit properly, you have to support the center.  Bottle jacks seem to work well for a lot of folks, but my floor has some serious slope, and I was concerned about stability.  Milk crates are wonderfully versatile.  I borrowed four to make my center supports.  I stacked two together and screwed a scrap of 1x4 to the top.  Drilled it and screwed a long carriage bolt thru the hole.  Instant jack with a wide foot-print that won't wiggle or tilt.