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An Unforeseen Journey

Coming soon...!

Crossing the Ohio River to have a look and plunk the deposit down
Todd did not misrepresent the quality of his plunder. Impatient to saddle up and come take her to her new home
I have a feeling I might grow to dislike fiberglass again, 20 years later
 
A few procedural questions

As I get ready to fetch my partially completed RV-10 kit from the seller, I realize how much I don't know or have forgotten about the paperwork and legalities involved.

I have insurance now on the kit from today onward, convertible from builder's to flying coverage when the great day arrives. What paperwork and documentation needs to change hands on purchase-completion day to fully satisfy both parties? Looking ahead to Repairman Cert as well as OEM engine/prop rights, 51% documentation, etc.

Fire away: :)

-Bill
 
I did something similar when I bought my partially completed 10 project, all I got was a bill of sale from the seller.

I then sent a copy of that to Vans, and got the paperwork I needed to sign, and then Vans re-assigned the builder number to me.

Get any photos or logs of the build or at least copies of them, and include them when you present the finished project for inspection.
 
Home with the goodies

I wasn't certain the 22' trailer I came up with was going to be adequate for all the cargo, but it turned out to be just enough. Everything fit comfortably, and all the scrap wood I packed along to build a loft inside the trailer for a second layer of storage was left with the seller; Todd cut it up for kindling. We loaded everything in two hours and had it all snugged down tight. The rain hit the next morning and dogged us the whole way home through the WV mountains.
This is the load-out in progress, my friend and pastor Steve Noel lending his considerable trailer-packing expertise.

This is what a complete RV-10 half-built (to just beyond the QB stage) kit will fit inside of, out of the weather. 22' by 8' enclosed car hauler and a short-bed half ton pickup.
Steve and I celebrate our safe arrival home with the 10, none the worse for wear. My buddy was a little more laid-back than I was. It's hard to hide how pumped I am to be staring this next chapter in the face! Normally a 16.7 mpg daily driver, my Dodge 5.7 hemi delivered just 11 mpg hauling that trailer to Ohio and back.


The 10 arrives through the same door she will leave through in a few years, Lord willing and the Creeks don't rise (pesky Indians are the least of my worries:D) Now, if these carpenters will ever finish my basement workshop and be done with our house! We're here on a temporary certificate of occupancy and the perpetual finish-work seems endless, along with the mud everywhere.

...The unforeseen journey continues, and I'm a blessed man.
 
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the original expression...

wasn't "if the creek don't rise" but "if the Creeks don't rise" as in: go on the warpath again.

They've largely subdued the indigenous population in the Alleghany Mountains, so not much worry about hostilities interfering with the build.

Now back to your original programming. :eek:
 
So, getting started...

First things first - I settle down on the couch after work with the builder's manual, to put the chapters in order and see what's there, and lo - the thing begins with Section 6:confused: I'm sitting here wondering two things:

1. What's in sections 1 thru 5? Top secret builder stuff? I haven't driven a rivet in about 17 years - hopefully the missing sections are a refresher sheet metal course of some kind. I could use that.

2. What is the wife going to think of this whole kit-building business if even reading the well-used plans scatters aluminum drill chips all over her new leather couch? :eek: Dust-buster to the rescue. Gonna have to stay ahead of that.

Do I contact Vans and order the missing sections, or is it some strange numbering system that begins with "6"?

-Stormy
 
1. What's in sections 1 thru 5? Top secret builder stuff?
Do I contact Vans and order the missing sections, or is it some strange numbering system that begins with "6"?

-Stormy

Sections 1--5 are in a separate binder, standard 8 1/2 x 11 sized. It is common to all models AFAIK. These sections cover typical building practice stuff like terminology, correct building techniques, riveting etc.
 
I found 'em...

Sections 1-5 were indeed in a separate binder, chock full of secret, Tony Bingellis-type airplane builder stuff.

Hopefully one day soon my shop space will be completed and the construction workers gone. In the mean time, 2016 VAF double-donation sent in tonight, because this site is easily worth 4x to me what Doug asks for, and by sending him 2x, we both get a bargain. Win-win.:D

-Stormy
 
creeping along...

Half the workshop floor was epoxied yesterday with the Rustoleum product from Lowes. Results were okay (we didn't grind the concrete first) but the odor in the house was awful the entire day. I really anticipated more airspace isolation between shop space and living space upstairs with the mini-split HVAC and the fully finished walls and ceiling. Instead it was like the painters had applied the epoxy in the living room - the volatiles in that stuff are just like spray paint - xylene, toluene, with a hint of coffee, leather and spice. Which reminds me, I suspect the shop is not going to double well as a cigar lounge as far a the upstairs occupants are concerned. :mad:

Here's the 10 on the half that just got painted. It's in the way, but they are working around it best they can.

 
the compressor enclosure was a success

The shop ambient noise level measures 30-33dB on my iPhone app when the people upstairs are not walking overhead - quiet as a library.

Fire up the Quincy 60 gallon beast and it goes up a bit.

But that's with the closet door open:D

Close the door tight and behold!


You can actually have a conversation over top of this thing in the middle of the shop space without raising your voice. I'll take 18dB NRR. Yes, indeed.

This shop is getting ready for action. Time to move on to the next thing: removing blue plastic - while it will still come off without a torch.
 
Since my project came with two dollies

I will be giving one away to a good home.

I can tell I really prefer the wooden one that is 10" narrower than the steel one and sits more out of the way of the ankles and shins:


The welded steel dolly is wider, arguably sturdier since it bolts to the spar carry-through and clamps to the (temporary) step tubes. The fuse simply sets on the padded parts of the wooden dolly and can slide around a bit, but I think it will be okay till she's on the gear if I'm careful.

If anyone wants the welded steel dolly, it's first come first served free for the asking at my house.

-Stormy
 
True

That steel dolly is a great start to a roll around work bench.

Or a welding table. But my shop already has two Harbor Fright workbenches and four EAA 1000 24x72" benches, and is getting a Ron Schreck-style tool cart and a 4-in-one rolling power tool bench for grinder, sander, drill press, vise...

As big as it is, it's getting crowded in here.

Figured I'd bless someone with the steel dolly since I really have no need for two. At 58" wide it's no small thing itself.
 
slowly getting down to business here

Inventory being taken of what I've got, hardware being identified, sorted, "Van's bags" being opened and separated by actual components for later retrieval. Straightway I find myself the proud owner of many different types of blind rivets, some in huge quantities and others just a handful, most already out of their factory packaging and not clearly labeled. Many look familiar from my -6A building days in the 90's. Others not so much.

Is there a good pictorial resource for telling one type of "pop" rivet from another? Google images didn't seem to offer what I was looking for.

Thanks, anyone!

-Bill
 
IIRC, the only way I could determine the ID of a lot of the hardware in Van's baggies was trying to match the random quantities to counts shown on the parts list. It's really great to know that Van's has remained consistent over the past decade in their parts packing/inventory process............... .....
 
That was a low blow, Scott

:D

But you were absolutely correct. Just where you said it would be. I think I'll be able to decode and organize the stockpile now.

Next up: cotter pins and machine screws:rolleyes:

This will take time, but it will pay dividends in future work sessions. BTDT two decades ago.

-Stormy
 
About aging rivets

I have quite an assortment that came with the partially-completed kit, including some that were probably in the builder's shop from even older projects. Most that are part of my kit are still bagged from Van's, in 2010-2011. I've heard about age-hardening of rivets and don't want problems with cracked heads when it comes time to shoot these.

Any way to tell ahead of time what the likelihood of issues is? Is there a rejuvenation trick for ancient rivets, if I have any?

 
As often happens

a search of the archives answers nearly all questions (we are almost never the first to have a dilemma, are we?:rolleyes:)

I learned that the rivets are likely a-okay, and a little cracking when driving is within mil-spec, even if they are age-hardened somewhat. I'll shoot-n-see, and replace inventory if necessary.
 
They are fine forever (AD rivets)

The rivets used on the RV (AD rivets with single dimple in head) will not do anything to change hardness over time. As long as they are kept dry, you can use them forever and ever..no worries. If they were D or DD designation(single bump or double dash on head) that were shipped in an "ice box" condition and stored on dry ice, they would remain annealed for a period of time for shooting purpose. I work with these all day, every day, and have the means to "cook" them (D/DD) rivets into an annealed state if need. Keep them on a shelf in case you want to build or repair something down the road.
 
Making sure...

Plans call for WD-415, by designation and depiction in the plans - a welded steel part. Lots of the bits in my kit are unbagged and scattered as I received it from previous owner. Am I correct in assuming these milled billet aluminum pieces are what I seek?
 
Spray booth

Thought I'd share my Pinterest-inspired (ok - here' my man-card, again) paint booth. I was going to fab some kind of folding collapsible design allowing downdraft ventilation while priming small parts, but couldn't come up with anything clever enough I thought would work well. Then I saw on a google image search something similar to what I ended up doing, and I gave up the compact foldable storage idea for the convenience of wheels, and a ready-made sturdy frame.

This is a generic Costco/SAM's Club chrome welded-wire NSF shelving unit wrapped in foil-backed foam insulation board and held together largely with HVAC aluminum tape. Work surface is 20" deep x 48" wide and consists of one of the moveable shelves. Second shelf below supports a layer of cheap-o HVAC filters and bottom shelf holds the 8" cylindrical Harbor Freight ventilation fan that exhausts out the back. The 8" flex duct goes to a tri-fold 10-foot by 16" foam board pass-through that wedges under the roll-up shop door to the outside. LED strip lighting in the top shelf.

Lightweight, rolls easily into a corner when not in use, can use indoors in inclement wx or outside in the driveway on a nice day. About $250 in new parts. Can be written off in the Accounting Department as an essential need for the right-seater, who likes to make primitive art decor objects and shoots a lot of rattle-can Krylon in the process. Here is the love of my life, all 4'-11" of her, showing how well it works (with a step-stool if you're vertically-challenged):D


A careful look at the wall over her right shoulder will show what other tasks awaits her if she hangs out in the man-cave too long. In literature class, they call this "foreshadowing."
 
wow

Bill,
Looking good Bill....great idea...tiny paint booth!
Shop looks wonderful and Bright too.
Any progress is progress.
 
Am I correct in assuming these milled billet aluminum pieces are what I seek?

Yes, that is correct. Dimple the plate, countersink the billet part.

I would suggest that you use screws and nuts to hold the parts instead of riveting them----------much easier to install the parts separately compared to a riveted together assembly.
 
yeah, not big enough for skins

Bill,
Looking good Bill....great idea...tiny paint booth!
Shop looks wonderful and Bright too.
Any progress is progress.

Booth this size is good for small parts needing AKZO. Also for Lorri's country-primitive objects d'art. Skins will have to be done on sawhorses over drop cloth. Fortunately, my almost-a-QB kit has all but a few top skins interior-primed already:D
 
Yes, that is correct. Dimple the plate, countersink the billet part.

I would suggest that you use screws and nuts to hold the parts instead of riveting them----------much easier to install the parts separately compared to a riveted together assembly.

Is this so that one can thread the billet parts onto the cable jacket ends and then bolt them down as opposed to having to spin the cable into the threaded billet? Not sure of the advantage otherwise, but I haven't scoped out the trim system design from end to end yet, Mike. Thanks for the info.
 
Mystery RV 10 part

Billet aluminum. Got separated from its bag-mates. From where I found it, I'd suspect section 11... no joy. Maybe I've been staring at these plans too long.

Can anyone ID this so I can tag it and bag it until I need it? Thanks!
 
Is this so that one can thread the billet parts onto the cable jacket ends and then bolt them down as opposed to having to spin the cable into the threaded billet? Not sure of the advantage otherwise, but I haven't scoped out the trim system design from end to end yet, Mike. Thanks for the info.

The idea is it is a lot easier to spin the billet part onto the cable then attach the plate, vs spinning the two parts when attached to each other.

Will make more sense when you start to do assembly work, the far end of the cable housing is buried in the fuse, and the cable will not spin. The stab will be mounted to the fuse, and there is just barely enough cable sticking out to work with.

Also, another trick when you get that far, insert a couple pieces of plastic tubing through the snap bushings in the stab, before you install the stab on the fuse. Start the trim cables into the tubes, and let the tubes guide the cables into place. The cables will follow the plastic tubing out as you work the stab into position, and push the tubing out as they do so.

P5220016.jpg
 
Billet aluminum. Got separated from its bag-mates. From where I found it, I'd suspect section 11... no joy. Maybe I've been staring at these plans too long.

Can anyone ID this so I can tag it and bag it until I need it? Thanks!

Methinks this is some aftermarket part, you might not find it on the plans.

No idea what it is........
 
Thanks, Mike.

Most curious. Maybe part of an alternative plumbing scheme in the tunnel. (If so, don't worry - I'd never depart from Van's fuel system.)

I know! It's a tunnel heat-blocker AND a secure door pin containment system all in one. Made of unobtanium. And I have the only one :cool:

Maybe someone else has seen this thing somewhere.
 
A completely screwball idea that has worked for me.

Step 1) Take a photo of the part on a piece of white cloth with nothing else in the photo but the part. (You may want to shoot multiple angles)
Step 2) Go to Google images and click on the camera icon in the search box.
Step 3) Upload your photo and let Google do all of the work

My 2?...
 
Since this thread may end up being my principal online build log

Here's an obligatory pic of me doing some actual work on the airframe last month.:D
A few more before the skin riveting began:
 
Yes, you will remove it again, more than once. You have to do some work in there when you join the tailcone to the forward fuselage, and you will also have to get in there to do the pushrod attachment. Not to mention if you add a pitch servo or do other work, plus the belcrank is just in the way if you need to do work further back. Aside from my A/C inlets, the next section aft is where my ELT antenna is and also where the seatbelt cable attachments are. I suggest removing the screws and using clecos (you won't hurt the nutplates) until final attachment. And I'd also replace the panhead screws with socket head screws with washers under the heads, but that's just me being tired of stripped phillips-head screws in tight quarters.
 
Got a bit done this weekend

Including some oversize holes in the HS spar to attach the VS forward spar, but that may not be a big deal (fingers crossed, see temporary thread, waiting to hear from Van's , etc.) As we are all fond of saying, it's getting easier to tell what this thing in the basement really is.

 
Nice

Nice pictures Stormy!
PROGRESS!
Very Clean Shop as well. Maybe it looks that way because of excellent lighting!
 
Great looking shop!! I'm stealing a few ideas, mainly the rack holding all the control surfaces.
 
Tim

I'll try to remember to get you a close-up. It's just verticals and arms of 2x2, with plywood gussets at the corners. Plenty of wood screws.
 
gotta trim something

Rudder skin edge hits rudder stop square on, both sides. Instructions say to file down the stops as needed for required deflection. To fix this, I think either notching the skins or filing the sides (vs. the contact surfaces) of the stop pieces will be necessary. Is it okay to file the rudder stops narrower first, to miss the skins, and then shorter if I need more travel?

Pic is looking up at the rudder stop from the floor.


Given the precision and parts uniformity Vans has achieved with prepunching, they must all be like this. Surprised the original shape of the rudder stops didn't take this interference into account.

Edit: Unless of course the rudder stops ARE shaped to avoid that, and are installed upside down and backwards. Drilling out the -4 rivets should be easy. Bucking the new ones, not so much.
 
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mystery solved

Billet aluminum. Got separated from its bag-mates. From where I found it, I'd suspect section 11... no joy. Maybe I've been staring at these plans too long.

Can anyone ID this so I can tag it and bag it until I need it? Thanks!

It's a one-off custom rudder gust lock piece that fits inside the tailcone and provides a mount for eye bolts that stick out the sides. I think the rudder cables are supposed to pass through them and allow a locking device to be applied (maybe a slotted tube over the cables, between eye bolts and rudder horn, to lock them in compression). Made for the first builder by a friend.
 
Given the precision and parts uniformity Vans has achieved with prepunching, they must all be like this. Surprised the original shape of the rudder stops didn't take this interference into account.

Edit: Unless of course the rudder stops ARE shaped to avoid that, and are installed upside down and backwards. Drilling out the -4 rivets should be easy. Bucking the new ones, not so much.

Yep, I'm afraid you're right.
 
BTW, some who had their rudder bang around have sheared those rivets. Using steel AN hardware may be easier for you at this point.
 
I was thinking the same thing

BTW, some who had their rudder bang around have sheared those rivets. Using steel AN hardware may be easier for you at this point.

-given the inherent difficulty in bucking -4 rivets in the space between those two bearing brackets - one would almost have to use a flat blade screwdriver, or a drift punch through an enlarged hole in the opposite bracket.

One EarthX lithium battery in the standard battery location will easily offset the aft CG creep that is happening in my empennage building adventures ;) as would the use of Eric's copper clad aluminum fatwire for the big run forward.

AN-3 bolts with spacers, in place of rivets, makes the most sense to me.
 
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