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Getting the RV-12 UP onto my Saw Horses

todehnal

Well Known Member
I have 2 heavy duty saw horses built to Vans specs and I have no problem getting the front one in place. I just lay a blanket over the tailcone close to the tail feathers and lay my upper torso on it while my wife puts the saw horse in place, then gently let it down. Done. Lifting the tail is a whole other issue. I'm not sure what the weight is, but it's just a bit much for this aging body to hold up long enough for her to properly place that rear saw horse. There has got to be a better way! My search for a jack that would work with the tail tie down ring and have enough travel to accomplish this has come up empty. So, how are you guys lifting that tail??
Thanks.. Tom... It sure is HE11 getting old.
 
todehnal,

I use this lift from Harbor Freight. Its a little expensive but useful for a lot of lifting or pulling with the -12. I can easily alone put the plane on the sawhorses in 5 minutes with this. Raise the table and hook it to the tail tiedown then lower the lift to raise the nose and you can place the front saw horse. Then use the lift to raise the tail and put the rear sawhorse in place. No emptying the tank or sore back, very simple.

http://waltsrv12.com/fun-stuff/lifting-without-getting-a-sore-back/
 
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I have 2 heavy duty saw horses built to Vans specs and I have no problem getting the front one in place. I just lay a blanket over the tailcone close to the tail feathers and lay my upper torso on it while my wife puts the saw horse in place, then gently let it down. Done. Lifting the tail is a whole other issue. I'm not sure what the weight is, but it's just a bit much for this aging body to hold up long enough for her to properly place that rear saw horse. There has got to be a better way! My search for a jack that would work with the tail tie down ring and have enough travel to accomplish this has come up empty. So, how are you guys lifting that tail??
Thanks.. Tom... It sure is HE11 getting old.

Where are you positioning the fwd saw horse?

The M. M. depicts it between the boarding steps.
With the engine installed, this puts it near enough the balance point that lifting at the aft end of the fuselage isn't very difficult. It does help if there isn't much fuel in the tank.
 
Where are you positioning the fwd saw horse?

The M. M. depicts it between the boarding steps.
With the engine installed, this puts it near enough the balance point that lifting at the aft end of the fuselage isn't very difficult. It does help if there isn't much fuel in the tank.

As you stated, the front saw horse was easily placed at the station between the steps. What I didn't do was to have a near empty fuel tank. I will do that from now on. But that would only add about 100 lbs. or so, and given the leverage at the tail, I would only expect that to add about half of that. But I'm guessing that I had well over 100lbs that I was trying to hold up while the rear saw horse was positioned, without damaging the com antenna. Also, I was trying to cradle the tail cone in my arms and I found getting it high enough to be a problem. I like John's bottle jack idea, but thanks for you thoughts....Tom
 
Hey John, I just looked at the bottle jack that you are using. That only gives you 9 1/2" of lift. Is that enough to comfortably give you clearance for positioning the rear saw horse?
 
I lie down on the floor under the fuselage and place my feet along a row of rivets and do a leg press. It is not very heavy. And then my wife slides the saw horse under. Then I gently lower the airplane. Easy Peasy.
 
Tom-

The jack I used is called a Long Ram Hydraulic Flat Bottom Jack and was purchased from Harbor Freight. Don't have the specs in front of me, but the jack is around 2' or so tall and extends at least 18" .... so the total extended length is at least 42" or so, which is more than enough to get the tail high enough for siding a saw horse in place under the belly.
 
Tom-

The jack I used is called a Long Ram Hydraulic Flat Bottom Jack and was purchased from Harbor Freight. Don't have the specs in front of me, but the jack is around 2' or so tall and extends at least 18" .... so the total extended length is at least 42" or so, which is more than enough to get the tail high enough for siding a saw horse in place under the belly.

There's this one:https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-heavy-duty-long-ram-hydraulic-flat-bottom-jack-58906.html. Rated to lift 3 ton, and extends from 23" to 42.5". It's a different color, but otherwise looks very similar.
 
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