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Solo Building Tips

J

JDA_BTR

Well Known Member
For the most part I'm working alone. That usually is a restful thing! But on occasion, I'm stumped with how to get something done. I managed to rivet the VS spars and learned a lot doing it, with some creative blocking and clamping to my table to keep it all still.

Now I've got the VS cleco'd together with the skin, and ready to rivet. I can reach in no problem to get a bucking bar in. BUT, I'm looking for whether anyone had a clever way to secure the work. If not I'll just draft someone.

I suppose I could get some weights. Or maybe strap the work to the table; but either seems like it could rub the skin adversely?. Was considering putting on it's side and working down with the gun and bucking up?..

Just looking for good ideas before I go forward?.
 
Solo

When I work solo I try to rivet down into the table, using gravity in my favor. It helps prevent the gun from walking.

I don't remember how I secured the VS and HS, but strapping to the table sounds feasible.
 
Faster

Unless you are building with someone who has already built, it's probably faster to build solo and figure out on your own how to do these tasks solo. The top wing skins require some help, as does the front top skin and wing install... But the rest done solo is quite all right.
 
JDA_BTR said:
For the most part I'm working alone. That usually is a restful thing! But on occasion, I'm stumped with how to get something done. I managed to rivet the VS spars and learned a lot doing it, with some creative blocking and clamping to my table to keep it all still.

Now I've got the VS cleco'd together with the skin, and ready to rivet. I can reach in no problem to get a bucking bar in. BUT, I'm looking for whether anyone had a clever way to secure the work. If not I'll just draft someone.

I suppose I could get some weights. Or maybe strap the work to the table; but either seems like it could rub the skin adversely?. Was considering putting on it's side and working down with the gun and bucking up?..

Just looking for good ideas before I go forward?.
Click to expand...

I taped it to the table to keep if from moving. I also have two 60lb sandbags from Home Depot that help keep things steady.
 
I'm not building a -14 (yet;)) but this is how I stabilized my -7 vertical stab for riveting. I did have to use a footstool to reach the upper few rivets in the forward spar.
FP05022012A00007.jpg
 
I built a small cradle similar to the one used for wing leading edge and tanks. Used scrap lumber, took less than 30 minutes to make. Clamp cradle to work bench, put VS in cradle. Move it around as needed.
 
How about trying a smaller version of the wing jig similar to the one used for the RV-3, and the ones used on the later RVs before match-hole technology?

The rear spar is secured to a horizontal member via rudder hinge brackets and the nose ribs get secured to an upright with some temporary hardware.

I'll look and see if I can get you some drawings and instructions from my early RV-8 plans if you're interested.

The below image was found on rotaryaviation.com using google:
Vert_Stab_1.JPG
 
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It's a good idea.... I don't need the plans though. I'm going to try to rivet without the back spar on to make reaching in with the rest of the structure cleco'd easier.
 
VS Skin is on now?.

So it took me a while, I went slow, and managed to get most of it done tonight using mainly the mushroom rivet set and a tungsten bar.

I hope that nobody grades me because there are a small number of spots where I didn't get the mushroom flush. And one spot that is a dent?..

Soooo, is it true that filler and paint hide most cosmetic flaws? Because if not I'm sure going to show the world that my plane was definitely built in my garage?. And I don't feel like doing the VS again!
 
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