Removing Leading Edge on Right Wing

Today was rainy so priming the spar will have to wait.

Today I put the wing back on the stands and started unriveting the leading edge. I didn't want to take the wing apart until the spar was ready to install because an assembled wing is easy to strap to the ceiling in the shop. I think I ran out of storage space a year ago.

Most of the rivets are 3/32" and are very easy to drill off the heads. What I hadn't thought about was the spot welds. The leading edges were originally welded to the ribs. It seemed like a good idea but the welds broke at high angles of attack and high loads so they went back and added rivets. Even with my careful drilling of rivets I won't be able to reuse the leading edge, which is in good shape, just to many holes with rivets and welds.

The welds seem to come apart best by center punching the middle of the weld and carefully drilling with a #30 drill (about the size of the weld spot) while lifting the skin until the weld lets go. Some were already broken years ago. Some brake as soon as you lift the skin a little, and other need to be drilled. You don't have to drill away all of the weld for it to weaken enough to let the skin break lose. You want to leave some skin on the rib since the skin is going to be replaced and the ribs can be cleaned up and reused. We'll clean up the ribs after they're off the wing.