Working on the log entries for the wing lately feels like I am just regurgitating log entries I made with the right wing.  Therefore, I am omitting a lot of detail here if it is something I covered when doing my right (1st) wing.

Today, my goal was to get all the z-brackets drilled and get ready for riveting the leading edge together on Saturday.  Below, I am following the same method for z-bracket drilling I used on the right wing.  I first drilled the inboard z-bracket and rib.  You can sort of see in the picture where I marked the center of the z-bracket flange where it is clecoed to the rib and baffle plate.  Since you can slide the tank an 1/8 to the top of and/or bottom of the wing, I marked the center of the z-bracket and that is where I drilled the center rivet hole for the rib and clecoed it in place.

Within a couple of minutes, I had drilled the 5 z-bracket holes to size #30.

Then I proceeded to the outboard of the fuel tank and lined up the leading edges of the tank and leading edge.  You can see on this tank, I used a ratchet strap to put a SLIGHT force on the tank to line up the two leading edges.  When I was happy with their alignment, I drilled the tank screw attach holes to the attach plate with a #19 drill bit.

Here is my a couple of pictures of my ratchet strap set-up.  Note on the rear spar, I have a piece of scrap 4" x 4" block.  This was to prevent the strap from bending the wing skin clecoed to the skeleton.  The top skin overhangs the rear spar by a little to form part of  gap seal.  I didn't want the ratchet strap to apply any force to the skin and bend it.  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

Just my strap arrangement from the top side of the skin.  I just tried to be careful with the location of the ratchet mechanism and the hooks.

After you drill the inboard rib to z-bracket holes, then the next step is to remove the leading edge to gain access to the outboard tank rib and z-bracket.

With the ratchet strap in place, it also performed a second unintentional feature of holding the tank place and kept it from moving.  A big nylon, adjustable cleco if you will....

Once the outboard rib has been drilled and clecoed to the z-bracket, then remove the tank keeping the inboard and outboard ribs clecoed to the z-brackets.  This holds the baffle plate in place so that the rest of the baffle plate to z-bracket rivet holes can be drilled.

I didn't get any pictures of prepping and priming the leading edge and z-brackets.  As you can see below, the z-brackets are primed with the exception of the flange that will be attached to the tank baffle plate.  I didn't want the primer to interfere with the tank sealant.

Also I think that Van's has done a less than stellar job on these z-brackets.  On this tank, I got the platenut holes almost perfectly centered on the one flange.  However, the other flange (that attaches to the tank baffle plate) results in its holes very close to the web of the z-bracket.  I checked, and I will still be able to get the pop rivets in there to attach the z-brackets to the tank.

Basically, I would think that Van's could easily move the holes on the main spar to move the z-bracket over about 1/16", the holes on both z-bracket flanges would be dang near perfectly centered.

Below, I am drilling for the platenuts by using 3 sacrificial platenuts that I tapped out when I was working on the right tank so that I could easily screw on and remove the platenuts.

After drilling out for the platenuts, it didn't take long to countersink for the platenut rivets and rivet the platenuts to the z-brackets (that is except for the inboard z-bracket).

With a little persuasion, I got Tami to help me rivet the leading edge together.  Now when I ask her for help, before she will answer, she asks me if we are working on the tank?  She has been really good at helping me with the exception of the sealing the tank.  I guess I can't blame her.  I don't want to mess with the sealant either.

We are getting fairly proficient at riveting AD3- rivets.  Tami has decided she likes bucking more than shooting.  It doesn't matter to me as long as she helps.

On the right wing, I got in the habit of putting a piece of tape over the rivet hammer attachment.  The benefit of that is that it prevents the rivet hammer from scratching the surface of the skin around the rivet.  Well, on the leading edge, I had to drill out 3 rivets because the factory head of the rivet pinched off a piece of tape and the tape got trapped under the shop head (Yes, I changed the tape every 3 or 4 rivets).  Dag Bernit!!!  After that, I said screw the tape on the rivet hammer.  Since the plane will be painted, it really isn't a big deal to have some minor scratches resulting from the rivet hammer.  I figured that not having any scratches around the rivets would make the skin look nice until the time it was painted....