Rv-10 rolling fuselage cart

[Latech15]

For those who have built a fuselage cart, what is a good height for the spar to sit at for easy access to work on the fuse from the tail attach point?

I’ve had it sitting on either a table or sawhorses up to this point, but I think that a rolling cart will be better once I have the tail attached in a small shop.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

For those who have built a fuselage cart, what is a good height for the spar to sit at for easy access to work on the fuse from the tail attach point?

I’ve had it sitting on either a table or sawhorses up to this point, but I think that a rolling cart will be better once I have the tail attached in a small shop.

Mine was at the height of a set of small casters plus the depth of a 2x4. Net, probably 8-10 inches. That was a good height for me, as it (mostly) kept me off of a ladder while doing the cabin and doors.

 

[Latech15]

That seems low. Most I have seen looked taller than that.

 

[DerekS]

Mine was down there too, chosen mostly to assure stability. I never wished for it to be higher, and found it particularly useful when doing the top and when painting the interior (pre final cabin install). Once the top was on and primed, I attached a big expensive weight to the front and stood her on wheels.

Derek

 

[Latech15]

Did you build it where the bottom of the fuse sits on the 2x4 at the bottom or did you build a set of forks on either side to sandwich the spar where it sticks out?

 

[Kyle Boatright]

 

[DerekS]

Mine was indeed a little higher.

I did pick up the wing supports using the leftovers from the shipping box. There is also a carpet wrapped 2x4 under the spar.





It reflects both what I had lying around, and its temporary nature. 3 dollies, some lumber triangles leftover from a stair stringer and a bunch of screws.

I'd build Kyle's style if I was doing it again.

 

[allanglen]

How I built my fuselage cart: https://airplane.allanglen.com/2021/10/30/fuselage-cart/

The height of the cart has worked well for me (16" high at the rear support and about 13.5" high at the front support). This allowed the door sill to sit level with the floor and was high enough to install the steps.

 

[willscaringe]

From the plans, it looks like the best places to put supports would be under the main spar bulkhead and under the rear bulkhead at the skin rivet line just before the step. I'm wondering why the designs shown above are not exactly at those points. Can someone provide the distance from the center of the main spar bulkhead to the rear bulkhead rivet line, and the fuselage widths at those two points?

 

[Kyle Boatright]

From the plans, it looks like the best places to put supports would be under the main spar bulkhead and under the rear bulkhead at the skin rivet line just before the step. I'm wondering why the designs shown above are not exactly at those points. Can someone provide the distance from the center of the main spar bulkhead to the rear bulkhead rivet line, and the fuselage widths at those two points?

A piece of round pipe will fit directly through (all the way through from one side to the other) the holes where the steps mount. I did that and used it as the aft fuselage support instead of resting the fuselage on its belly.