I'll take the opportunity to resurrect this old thread with an update. As many projects do, this one dragged along in semi-hibernation for a few years. I was building wing ribs, but not in any hurry since I knew I didn't have a place to actually build the wings once I had them all done -- let alone the fuselage.
So about a year ago, I ran across an ad from a guy who was selling a "Celebrity kit", which turned out to be a wing kit. Still in the crate, nothing had been done. It was a few hours' drive away, and I picked it up for much less than the wood for the spars would have cost me from Aircraft Spruce. I still had no place to build it, until I was talking to a buddy of mine. He's got a nice heated & cooled 24 x 36 shop beside his house and was winding down his cabinet business, so offered to let me build it there. He even stuck to that after I told him that this would be a project that would take a few years, not months. He's been a great help; not only an extra pair of hands, but he's a lifelong woodworker and I've picked up a lot of good tips and techniques from him (not to mention, he's got some pretty nice power tools).
I've got one wing complete, the next one about 80% done. We had to rack the wings so he could get a project done, but I'll be back at it in a few days. Since I'm no longer working, I can devote more time to it. I'm hopeful that I can have all the wings finished this year and start on the tail. Once I start on the fuselage, I'll have to make a decision about what to hang on the front of it and start engine shopping. I'm keeping modifications to a minimum and not planning anything that will bump the weight up any more than necessary. The only "extra" I have planned so far is a couple of wing tanks so I can carry an extra hour or two worth of fuel if needed.
