What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Tip: Alternative Metal Wing Stands

RudiGreyling

Well Known Member
Hi RVators,

I had a lot of queries on my alternative wing metal wing stands. It is not a replacement for Van's design, just an alternative. I just had to make a set of stands that did not have to be supported on the top i.e. the ceiling because my garage door needs to open. The idea is not new, I used a lot of ideas out there and consolidate it and simply created it. These stands are made out of 2x4 steel post welded to 2x2 steel angle feet and bolted to the floor. The horisontal arm is adjustable on a threaded rod to level out after mounting the posts on the floor. Check your Van's drawings for mounting the wing and the distance between the posts. Good Luck!
rudi_greyling_wing_stands_drawing_v1_0.jpg

PS: the website has changed it is now www.RudiGreyling.com

jig_01.jpg


Additional High Resolution pictures can be seen on my website http://www.rudigreyling.com/rv7.htm Just click on the TIPS section on the left and follow the link to the wing stands.

Please ask any question in THIS post in order to keep the information together for guys coming after us. If need be I will update the above drawing with revisions, if something is unclear, so that the latest drawing is always on top.

Kind Regards
Rudi
 
Last edited:
Thanks guys...

JohnR said:
Very nice Rudi. What size of threaded rod did you use?
I used 10mm rods (South Africa being a metric country), but you can use anything that is readily avialable to you in the +/- 0.375" range and seem sturdy enough to you.
 
I have been looking at these, and wondering if it can be done without the welding (since I do not know how to weld). Instead of welding on the bottom angle backets, couldn't they just be bolted on with a couple of bolts?
 
Chofrock said:
I have been looking at these, and wondering if it can be done without the welding (since I do not know how to weld). Instead of welding on the bottom angle backets, couldn't they just be bolted on with a couple of bolts?
I'm sure if you make 100% sure you do not have any play between the angle feet and the post you might be able do it with bolts. You do not want any relative movement once the posts are bolted down. Once you start riveting you are going to exert force on that joint and you do not want movement, cause that will create wing twist. To be safe rather weld it, you do not have to be a professional welder. Just ask a buddy that can weld to help you, it will take him less than 15 minutes to do it, if everything is cut to length and deburred. It is not super critical to have the post absolutely perpendicular, since your floor most probably also have variations. You will use the arms to get it 100% level and aligned.


Regards,
Rudi
 
Last edited:
I have been looking at these, and wondering if it can be done without the welding (since I do not know how to weld). Instead of welding on the bottom angle backets, couldn't they just be bolted on with a couple of bolts?

You could always make the flange on the feet a little bit taller and rivet them on :) I'm thinking 5 or 6 AN4 rivets on each side will hold it pretty steady. On the other hand, don't you want an excuse to go to Home Depot and buy a welder?
 
i don't have a clue how to weld, so i had a welding shop do it for me. $35 in labor was pretty fair i thought!
 
Hi Guys,

Finished fitting the tanks last night, so the wings are coming of the stands over the weekend. This means my stands are available...anybody want to borrow my stands? :D [Sick joke]..The shipping expenses from SA to USA is going to kill you! :eek:

wings_22.jpg


Kind Regards,
Rudi
 
Last edited:
Wall mounted wing rack

Hi Guys,

To add to this topic I also changed the wing cradle idea. The wings came of this weekend and I decided to fit them onto the wall instead of a cradle to save some working space. (In my opinion 2 wings next to each other will take up more space than 2 separate wings mounted close to the wall...and I had things already hanging on the wall). I simple welded a L bracket from 2x2x8 angle steel (same steel as used for the wing stand feet) and bolted them to the wall and mounted the wings as you would normally mount them to the wing stands. It is another idea you can play with, and using some of your steel you bought for your stands.

The L bracket 2 pieces of 2 x 2 x 8 welded together and securely mounted to the wall. Make 2 left hand and 2 right hand brackets.
wing_wall_rack_00.jpg


Mount them apart the same distance as per wing stands, and high enough to clear the ailerons and flaps from the ground.
wing_wall_rack_01.jpg


Put your wing onto it, as per wing stand method.
wing_wall_rack_02.jpg


My other wing
wing_wall_rack_06.jpg


I will take the wings down and install the ailerons and flaps on a flat surface then they will be bubble wrapped and then stored on the wall until later in the project again.

PS: Looking at my old wing stands I got another good idea. I'm going to cut my existing wing stands down with the bolted down posts in original position to build a knee high platform to build the fuselage on. I will post pictures about that later. (Can you say maximising your investment in your metal stands??)

Kind Regards
Rudi
 
Last edited:
greylingr said:
...
PS: Looking at my old wing stands I got another good idea. I'm going to cut my existing wing stands down with the bolted down posts in original position to build a knee high platform to build the fuselage on. I will post pictures about that later...

can't wait to see this!!
:cool:
 
Ok I finished my knee high platform for the fuselage last night.

These are my original wing stands
fuse_table_01.jpg


Leave them in place and cut them down to about knee high, run a fishing line around the four posts. Make 2 new posts from the cut off's and fit them just to the inside of the fishing line, in line with the existing posts.
fuse_table_02.jpg


Install some cross braces across all the posts. I wanted the platform to be perfectly level for the whole surface, although my floor is not. I started on one end and clamped the horizontal brace (2x2 angle steel, same as the post's feet) with a spirit level on top then drill 2 holes and bolt it to the upright posts. Go to the other end and do the same. Run fishing line over the span of the platform and install all the remaining braces. Keep on checking the braces and platform are level as you go, clamping braces, drilling and bolting them to the posts.
fuse_table_03.jpg


Then I simply put a 1-1/4" thick pressed wood working top surface on the platform and screw it down from underneath through the braces with wood screws.
fuse_table_04.jpg


There you have it...a nice perfect level platform to start your fuse building on, reusing your initial wing stands. Actually I'm going to use it to finish of the wings of first. It would be ease to move my wings of the wall to the platform, work on it to fit the aileron & flap gaps seals, conduit etc, then put them back on the wall.

I hope this gives you guys some ideas.

Kind Regards
Rudi
 
Last edited:
great idea rudi! looks great! what kind of pressed wood is that? painted or some type of laminate?
 
Thank You!

Rudi,

Thank you for posting your workshop ideas and pictures. They are an excellent resource.
 
cjensen said:
great idea rudi! looks great! what kind of pressed wood is that? painted or some type of laminate?
Hi Chad, it is just a working surface...so use what ever is more convenient and available for you and fit your budget. Use something that is sturdy and straight. I used a 2 laminated sheets next to each other from Formica, cause I will reuse it later. When I went looking for something my local wood shop had a great deal on them. To see the stands go up, go look at the slow stop animations of the wing build on my web site, I updated it yesterday. Regards, Rudi
 
Rudi, looks low. My back hurts just looking at it. Why not higher? My buddy's -8 fuse rack is about 30" high (0.76 Metres) and is tall enough to work underneath.

:) CJ
 
Captain_John said:
Rudi, looks low. My back hurts just looking at it. Why not higher? My buddy's -8 fuse rack is about 30" high (0.76 Metres) and is tall enough to work underneath.

:) CJ
CJ, I thought long about it and I wanted it low to be able to work all around and top of the fuse etc. You can make it any height you prefer though. Component assemblies will still be done on my normal height tables, Final assemblies will go on the platform. We'll see how it works out, if I don't like it, I'll extend it higher, cut the wood, add braches what ever it takes to make working easy.
 
Just to update this thread with a reply I did somewhere else to keep all the information together:

greylingr said:
<SNIP>
So far the extended uses of my initial wing stands are working great. Below are some highlights and issues with my set-up.

From top left in the pictures to bottom right: My wing stands was cut down to knee high, and the cut material was used to create 2 addition uprights in the middle. I used angle iron to create a perfect level frame to support the 1 ?? thick platform top.
combo1.jpg


I then had to create 3 little saw horses that can easily slide on the perfect level table top which means the fuse could go together at an easy height while a person is standing. The platform also served as a perfect place to put the tools and cleckos down on while working, instead of putting it down on the floor or on a bench behind you. When riveting, my riveting partner, my dear wife, could stand easily while I could sit flat on my bum on the inside of the fuselage doing the bucking. Getting in and out of the upside down fuse with 15? of height clearance being the only issue

combo2.jpg

When I tipped the canoe I saw a problem reaching into the middle of the fuselage cabin while standing on the outside on the floor. The rear fuse has no problem, because you can stand on the platform, but the cabin area is as wide as my platform, giving you no place to stand. The best would have been to make the platform 2-3 foot wider than the fuselage. Too late for me, so I re-used my 3 little sawhorses and the sides of the wing crate, and created a step bolted to small uprights of the original wing stands. This then ?lowers? the fuse almost to my feet, without it actually being on the floor. This mean I could easily lean into the inside, when on the step, but it is also at a convenient height when I want to work around the fuselage.

I can see how having a rotating fuse stand can help during this stage of the project, it would be kind of cool to rotate the fuse 90 degrees and just do the work you need on the inside, then turn it back level. That said I think the same can be achieved by just turning the fuse on it?s side on the platform and support the rear and clearing the bottom skin at the centre section 2? of the platform. I will see how it goes, but first I have to make the fuse more rigid by riveting in the rear horizontal stab platform, and add a couple of firewall and bulkhead to longeron brackets, so that I get no twist.

Kind Regards
Rudi
 
More wing stands

library2186zz7.jpg


These are a modification of Rudi's wing stands. Same idea with smaller feet. The lag screws are inside the bottom, trapazoidal 2x4.
 
Cool, what I like is the tops are at the spar height, saves some overhang on the top, so it should be easier to work over the post. Regards Rudi
 
Back
Top