Rudder Stiffeners

Pic #1 - Right Skin stiffeners lined up after using them on the new bench sander. The bench sander is my new GO TO tool!

Pic #2 - I need another identical table. One for the power tools, and one to fabricate. Also shown is the new Bandsaw.

Pic #3 - My faithful partner, Nicholas, cleco'ing the stiffeners in place.

Starting Rudder

Pic #1 - Stiffeners cut to size

Pic #2 - Marking areas to cut and remove

Pic #3 - rounding and smooting corners

Pic #4 - lots of careful work here

I'm sure there's an easier way, but I cut the stiffeners using snips, and then had to round all corners. A little done on the grinding stone and then finished up with the 3M Scotchbrite wheel. This is easy to mess up...

Stabilizer Complete

Pic #1 - Primed Vertical Stabiziler

Pic #2 - Cleco'ing Vertical Stab

Pic #3 - Middle rivet is back side of a Blind rivet, compared to the other unset Blind rivets.

Pic #4 - Complete Vertical Stab

I took the time to prep and prime the areas that were not primed by the previous builder. He only primed the mating surfaces, but I went ahead and primed everything I could. I like taking the rest of the vinyl off when the parts are complete... Shiney Metal!!

Vertical Stabilizer

Pic #1 - Isabella helping to clear debris

Pic #2 - Reviewing the Build Binder/Blue prints and work already competed. I still find it helpful to highlight the parts in Yellow on the Blue Prints as I read the directions. It helps me remember what part numbers go to...

Pic #3 - The previous builder only primed the mating surfaces. I wanted to prime most everything, especially structural components. I cleaned and scotchbrited, and wiped down the Vertical Stab.

Pic #4 - Nick and Isabella liked blowing the dust away prior to my final wipe down. The primer went on well. Very light coats to begin with seem to do the trick best.

Pic #5 - Vertical Stab fully primed.

Stabilizer Complete

I finished the Stabilizer today. I received the Stab mostly complete, but the satisfaction came in an actual complete part as well as learning a few more skills. I needed to use the Rivet Gun for the first time and learned how to drill out a bad rivet. I also installed a Blind Rivet aka Pop Rivet (guess why they call it that!)

Nick and Isabella still show interest in helping out! They're happy rivet-ers!

Pic #1 - Nick installing rivets

Pic #2 - Blind/Pop rivets ready to install

Pic #3 - Complete Stabilizer, removed protective blue vinyl

Pic #4 - Using a rivet gauge to check my first rivets

Dupli-Color Primer

I had an email discussion with Eric, a fellow builder, and he turned me on to this product. I'll try it out, and it looks good...

It was about $5.99 can at Checker's Auto Store.

Learning the Tools

I want to complete the HS, and after taking the step by step instructions, there's really only the riveting of the Rear Spar to the skins and a couple of ribs left to do. I really want to thoroughly complete one section before moving on to the next, so I need to learn to rivet.

Actually, I need to learn a lot, so I began with the bare basics... My experience really shows that you learn by doing and Anyone can learn to do this... I had scrap Aluminum to experiment with.

Object: rivet two pieces of Aluminum together

Difficulty Level: Geez!!! It shouldn't be this hard...

The rivets needed to finish the HS are AN426AD3-3.5

So, I get some of those rivets out, two pieces of Aluminum out

Which drill bit is correct? refer to the Vans Binder, and Aircraft Construction book to make sure... Well, its a .980something, or a #40 or almost a 3/32th

Then I want to dimple the thin Aluminum, so I know there's this thing called a DIE... Look in Avery's Catalogue for a picture, find it in my tool box welded onto a vise grip, ah, hand dimple die! Works well!!!

I can't hand dimple die the second piece of Aluminum, its too thick... Countersink it, can't get the 100 degree countersink pointy part thru the #40 hole...??? whatda?? figure it out tomorrow, I really want to rivet something... So, I manually countersink with a deburring tool.

Pneumatic rivet gun... read the instruction, try, fail, try, fail, hey this one ain't to bad!! purposely make a few bad to understand the why, and try the rivet gauge thing....

This all took time as I read all the tool manuals...!! My daughter Isabella & Mommy kept me motivated.

Inspecting Horizontal Stabalizer

The workshop will be a work in progress. There are many decisions to be made regarding setting up the shop, that I could spend to much time agonizing over this. I've read on some RV sites that as you build, you'll make changes, additions, deletions to your shop. SO... on to some real work.

I began by setting up the Blueprints and build binder in the shop. The Horizontal Stabalizer was delivered to me almost complete, but the Rear Spar was only Cleco'd in, not riveted. This was so that new owner (me) could inpect the work. I actually started at the beginning and verified the work was done (it was done well), but to also familiarize myself with the construction process. The Empenage is where you are supposed to learn the basics of metal plane construction, so I wanted to understand what was done and how it was done.

Surprisingly, this took some time. The Build Binder example refers to Diagram EE, part HS-7XX to HS-405... You need to find these parts on the Blue Prints, then locate them on the HS (horizontal stabalizer), and try to understand the relationship between the parts, and why there where they are... I'm probably trying to hard, but I just gotta know!!!

Primer

I've done a lot reading on primers, I'm not ready to talk paints though! I can only say that you have to do your own research, and by that, I mean read about what everyone else is doing and make your own decision. I really think priming decisions can fall into the following catagories:

1. No Priming, aluminum is protected by Alclad from the factory. Though, the build binder does say that some parts require priming, so this #1 option really means minimalist approach.


2. Prime only required parts per build binder and prime areas that were a) disturbed by drilling, deburring, cut, etc... & b) areas where two pieces mate, meaning when you attach Part A to Part B, you prime the areas that touch.

3. Prime everything with either rattle can or spray gun corrossion primer. Corrossion preventative primer is not too durable, so many recommend a Sealer over it.

4. Prime everything like #3, and spray Sealer over it.

There are so many options in type, brand that I won't go into, but I decided on Dupont because there were a few vendors with actual store fronts I could visit and get advice from. I've noticed that many builders start out with one process and change during the build, so I reserve the right to change processes too :)



I'm going to prime everything with Vari-Prime. Most of what you prime, you'll never see again, except to inspection access holes. But the areas that face exterinal areas, I thought I'd use a Sealer tinted White. If that area needs to be apart of the exterior paint area, I'm not to worried about adhesion, I'll do my best. These aren't "high traffic" areas...

I also unpacked and assembled the benchtop grinder and drill press. Almost ready for business.

Costs:

1 Qt. white sealer $38.90

8 Oz. Sealer activator $16.75

1 Qt. Variprime Sealer $51.10

1 Qt. Variprime Converter $24.35

1 Half Face Respirator $28.20

1 Gal Prepsol Cleaner $22.70

1 Gal Lacq Thinner $ 12.54

2 Tack Cloth $ 15.50

Total $227.05

They threw in a lot of stiring sticks and strainer funnels, likely out of guilt for charging me full list price. They did say that if they start recgonizing me, the discounts will follow. :(

I don't know how much priming I will get out of the starter Qt, but that's all I wanted to start with. I do know I'll need to get some rattle can primer for fix ups and the odd part or two.

Purchased at Fiesta Auto Paint and Supply

Tempe, AZ

PS: Shocker! I wanted to try painting a completed part of the older RV6 I have and asked for a quart of a really nice Navy type Orange Imron (Dupont) paint. The cost was $186.00/Qt. & requires a hardener that only came in a gallon size for $496.00!!! Granted, it was a 3 to 1 mix, the the hardener could be used for more paint, but WOW! I passed on it and will research paint options in the future.

PS2: grinder was about $40.00 and drill press was about $60.00 both at Harbor Freight.

The Start of an RV7

Since I've already had a partial kit in my garage, my web time dramatically increased on the VAF website. They have an excellent Classified section. I found a good deal on a just started RV-7 tail kit and RV tool kit. The price was right and the Seller was easy to work with, so I committed to the deal.

The seller, Jeff, drove all the way from Mid-Texas and delivered it to my home on Jan 1st, 2008. What a way to start the New Years. I must say that its been my experience in Aviation since 1995 when I first started to fly that fellow Aviators will treat you kindly, honestly, and are very trusting. I hadn't even sent Jeff a deposit, and he agreed to drive out the kit for me. Thanks Jeff!

Pic 1 shows some parts of the kit, some of my new tools, bench and work area.

Pic 2 shows me doing the mandatory reading of the build binder, blue prints, and Jeff's construction log.

I still have to organize my tools. I want to have aviation tools only on the workshop side of my garage, and general garage tools on the other side. I need to setup my compressor for easier air delivery that won't have me tripping over the hose as I build.

My first Kit RV6

In Dec 2007, I was hanging out with my airport friends telling them I was obsessing over my desire to build a plane. I was leaning towards a metal plane, because I just thought it would be easier to build. Van's Aircraft kits are very complete and well documented. There are so many flying, that it wouldn't be difficult to get advice from builders and owners.

It turns out that one of my new airport friend, Scott, tells me he has an RV-6 tail and wing kit in his hangar he wants to get rid of. Memorial Airfield in Arizona is removing all of its tenents, and apparently one of the displaced tenents had this kit since it was shipped on 12-27-93. The tail kit portion was started, but not complete. The wing kit was still in its original crate with the wire bands still attached! Best part of all, the price was a Big Thank You! Zilch-Zero!

What a way to start out! Of course I was aware that mucho $$ would have to be added to this free start!

Pic 1 shows how it was delivered to my home with Will's help

Pic 2 shows how dirty and neglected the kit was

Pic 3 shows Will and I ready to open the crate for the first since it was shipped 14 years earlier

Pic 4 shows my surprise that the shipping papers were present and readable

Pic 5 shows the excellent condition of the NON-PRE-PUNCHED ribs!

Many parts were in remarkably great shape, a few pieces had corrossion from exposure to the paper packing material. The wing skins were in OK shape.

Pic 1 shows the stabalizer and elevators after a simple soap-water wash

Pic 2 &3 shows me storing away the parts. I already had built 24" by 98" shelves in my garage. I simply cleared two shelves for the plane parts. Yup, its a 4' by 8' sheet cut long ways.

After I received the kit and discovered that this was an older non-prepunched kit, I had several "advisors" come take a look. While noone wanted to kill my spirits, it became obvious that this would be a difficult build for a first time builder and actually was contrary to why I decided on Van's Aircraft. This kit was not pre-punched and I'd have to order blueprint plans from Van's that had the correct hole punch pattern details. Hmmm... I may still work on this kit to both learn metal skills and have a static display???

Because I now have an RV7 tail kit.....

Me in a Long EZ

The Long EZ is the bigger brother to the Vari-EZ... This was taking off out of Livermore, CA. some years ago... This is supposed to be mostly about RV's {oops}

VARI-EZE ENCORE

It wouldn't be fair to mention a Canard aircraft without profiling my buddy Will. His Vari-Eze just took its first flight recently with great success! This is truely a "homebuilt" airplane, because if you order the kit, you'll get blueprints. Yup, ya gotta do it from scratch!

With the C-90 motor (pumped up of course!), this hotrod will get about 195 to 200 mph on less than 4 gph! yikes, do the math, you're really covering some ground for not alot of dino juice! Enjoy the pics!

News! Will and I will be partners in a hangar again! This is living right!

Don't fly a Van's RV Plane!

Its true that one flight and you're hooked! My buddy Brian invited me for a flight in his RV-6A. We covered so much ground so quickly... The flight controls are very responsive, almost like a Pitts, except you can leave you feet on the floor if you want to! VNE (velocity never exceed) can be achieved by a gentle forward pressure on the stick. It doesn't take much. In cruise, the RV-6A just goes where you tell it too! Click Pic of GPS!!!!

I got a chance to see what the RV-6A looks like from another airplane when I went with my other friend, JD, in his Cozy Mark IV. The Cozy just Rocks!! The only problem is my wife won't get in it, but what performance. I've previously flown a Long EZ, another type of Canard aircraft, and you'd be surprised at the speed, fuel economy & performance!