Finally, a Setback

I finished what I believe to be the last match drilling of section 15 before the major riveting session is going to start. This was for four main ribs that needed to be match drilled with the hinge assembly (flaperon) and some additional doubler bracket. Nothing exciting here, just cleco as you go after each hole and spread the holes you drill in a random pattern to ensure that there's no tension introduced to the structure.
After I had made sure that there wasn't more drilling required on the following two pages, I started collecting the ribs that should be primed first to finish some left out steps, like riveting nutplates to them and such. That's when I realized something weird. I had a stack of -L main ribs put away as they were not to be trimmed and supposed to be left alone. 7 of them to be exact. Well, when I looked at them it appeared that one rib wasn't quite right on that stack....
A closer look revealed that it was a -R instead of a -L and quickly counting them confirmed that I must have messed this up. Only 6 -L were on the stack untouched and one untouched -R. Ouch! I thought I had made absolutely sure that this wouldn't happen but somehow - and I can't even image when and how - I must have messed this up. All the -R main ribs are supposed to get trimmed the forward flange off. That was easy to fix but that still left me with one untouched -L main rib short and I can't glue the trimmed off flange back on!
Aw, well, that was expected to happen sooner or later and I am glad it happened later than I thought. I went back inside and checked the Van's website for the shocking price of a W-1210-L and was pleasantly surprised to find it to be less than $17. The pleasant part of the surprise will soon be forgotten when I see the shipping charges applied to this relatively odd shaped shipment, I am sure. I ordered two ribs as I had nicked one a little during speed deburring with the 6" Scotchbrite wheel and this was a good chance to fix that problem as well.
To get over this little setback, I decided to ignore it and move on with the show. Prepping was the labor of the day and that's what I did. I chose the ribs that need further processing like nutplate attachments to go first into the prepping queue. Then follow the -R main ribs (which are supposed to get riveted on the LEFT spar, God knows why) and they are the ones used next in the assembly.



All in all I got 12 ribs prepped today. There are only 11 in this picture as the 12th was still hanging outside to dry.
The plan is to paint them early tomorrow and let them dry during the day while I go flying and then work on the nose ribs that needed some more processing done in the evening. And hopefully I can get all the necessary main ribs prepped and primed on Sunday so I can start riveting them onto the left spar during the week. Doing a little riveting after work in the evening is easy to do compared to prep work that is kind of messy and only worth the setup and cleaning time if you actually have enough time and daylight to go through a little stack of parts at least.