David's RV-10 Build

[ace-jack]

Last week Friday, with great anticipation/fear/anxiety/excitement I received my RV10 Empenage kit. Over the past weekend I unpacked and inventoried the kit. All is in order. I must say, Vans do a neat job of packing the crates - the only gripe I have is with the duct tape on the aluminium cladding. You really have to carefully remove the tape so not to take off the cladding from the sheets.

I also ordered the toolbox kit and the Van's training project to get some rivet pounding experience before I get to the real thing. I am almost done with the toolbox kit where after I will be moving on to the other training kit.

Seeing as I am a first time builder, I will be open to suggestions and constructive criticism.

So, here goes my story:

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the crate arrives after 3 months of waiting!

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Goal is to have this project as a father-son bonding experience over the next couple of years

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LOTS of paper!

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Only experience I have on riveting was watching a couple of video's on http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 4417516001 - its not too difficult. It all became easier with some practice.

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The misses has booked this as her new vanity case already....

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Almost done - just need to add the handle tonight. You'll notice the smiley on the front - luckily this is the practice toolbox - and I have allowed myself to make some mistakes so I don't make them later.

I am already feeling a lot more confident with the rivet gun and bucking bar. The last couple of rivets banged were near close to identical

PS... we were renovating - the garage/workshop is no longer as dirty/untidy as in the first couple of pictures

[Jakkels]

Congratulations !!! And all the best with the build !!!!

[STEEL]

Out of interest, did you ship straight from Vans to your home address, or did you share a container with somebody else.
Good luck and we will be following your progress.

[minivan]

- Good luck and enjoy the experience.!

[ace-jack]

Thanks - will try to keep it as entertaining as the other builders' progress pages.

Out of interest, did you ship straight from Vans to your home address, or did you share a container with somebody else.
Good luck and we will be following your progress.

Steel, I shipped with OIA Global. The crate and the two boxes were transported by train to New York where they were packed into a container. The container was unpacked in JHB and subsequently cleared and shipped to my home address. Risky, but it all turned out good. Very happy with the service and efficiency.

[ibeaton]

Congratulations.

The start of a long haul, although the experience is a rewarding and very fulfilling one.

Our project has just moved out to the hanger, so we are in two spaces at the moment and so an invitation to come and see will not work.

Sent you a PM with an alternative suggestion.

Ian

[ace-jack]

Thanks Ian - email sent.

[ace-jack]

Quick update

Hours spent thus far: 3.75

On Saturday, I went to visit Ian at their hangar at Baragwanath to have a quick chat regarding their build and to get a couple of tips on what to do, what not to do, what tools to use etc. I also learned that my rivet gun was set too high.

I officialy became an RV-10 builder on Monday 20 May 2013. Below pictures of the vertical stabilizer spar, spar caps and match drilling spar caps to the spar.

Vertical Stab Spar and Spar Caps.jpeg

Vertical Stab Spar Clecos.JPG

Vertical Stab Cleco Art.jpeg

[ace-jack]

Update:

Total time: 9hrs

Over the weekend I deburred and assembled the vertical stab skeleton. Then fit the skin to it. It all came together very nicely.

Vertical Stab Skeleton.jpg

Vertical Stab Skin Cleco'd and drilled2.jpg

Looking forward I have the following questions:
1. Primer - AW255 or AW1255?
2. Where could I get it?
3. How much should it cost these days?

This week will be spent deburring and dimpling the skin - hopefully I will be able to prime this weekend?

[RudiGreyling]

Looking good!

Any good plascon supplier should be able to get you it, even if they dont keep stock, they can get it in a day or two directly from plascon.
Expect to pay +/- R1,000 for 10Liters(2 pack) and 10 liters of thinners.

Rudi

[AntonKruse]

I love following these builds.
Can't wait till the day I can start my own!

[ace-jack]

Thanks Rudi

Update:

Total time: 16.25hrs

This week was spent building the DRDT support table in order to dimple the skins - made it from some parts of the crate the kit came in . I also sourced the primer - at a significantly higher price than mentioned above.

Below pictures of table, the first couple of dimples and the duct tape solution to keep the VS skin open. The misses even lent a hand to hold the skin in place to dimple the hard to reach holes.

DRDT Dimpling table.JPG

Vertical Stab Skin Lining up first dimple.JPG

Vertical Stab skin First dimple.JPG

Vertical Stab skin first row of dimples.JPG

Vertical Stab Skin Duct tape.JPG

I don't think I will get to priming this weekend. Still need to countersink the skeleton - but who knows?

[Chalkie]

Hi David,

Congratulations on starting an RV-10 project. Hang in there, it is a LOOONG road to follow. Rewarding, but also soul-destroying at times.

1. If you bought Strontium Chromate primer, then remember the yellow part is really high body and needs to be agitated to mix it properly. Mix the parts 1:1 then add 100% thinners (another 2 parts) and spray only enough to cover the metal; not to make it yellow.

2. WRT your rivit gun, put a regulator in the line and use requlated pressure (35 to 45 psi) rather than the silly adjustable orifice supplied with the gun.

Enjoy the RV experience.

[ace-jack]

Thanks Chalkie

I have the AW 1255 primer. Could you perhaps give me an indication on how much paint i should mix up for the priming of the VS skin, spar and ribs?

Also, i am currently machine countersinking the spar for the skin dimples. The spar thickness does not allow for full counter sink in order for the dimple in the skin to fit completely into the countersink as per the step 8 instructions photo??
I don't want to counter sink any further due to the risk of thinning the spar flange out too much! As you can see, the skin dimple does not sit completely flush inside the countersink hole? What to do?

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This is just a piece of scrap metal i put a dimple into in order to trial the countersink depth.

[Chalkie]

You should have a micro-stop for machine countersinking as this will guarantee every countersink is the correct depth. To check the depth, just use a rivit and the head should be flush with the metal. No deeper. If the metal is a bit thin (.040) then use the spar cap strips a a guide for the countersink leading (non cutting) guide.

If the spar does not allow for a full countersink, then dimple it and countersink the thicker spar cap strip. As Van would say. "Make it fit."

With painting there is a lot of waste, so wait till you have a lot of parts and a nice hot day to paint.