Experienced "pre-punch builder" starting an RV-6 fuse build - Page 2

gasman · #11 08-30-2015, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mycool

Thanks Jeff,

I sincerely appreciate the information.

I wonder if I send the skins back to Vans that they would prepunch them for me.

I would place my money on NO they won't.

You will come to find that it is not a big task to lay out and drill these holes.

Remember, you are building an RV6, not just assembling it like you would a 7....

Read your instruction manual and research some of the RV6 build sites (found on Van's site) and help form this site, you will have an enjoyable build.

It has been a long time since anyone has asked a real build question.

sprucemoose · #12 08-30-2015, 04:26 PM

What Gasman said. Don't worry about it, just take pride in the joy of building.

mosquito · #13 08-30-2015, 06:16 PM

Someone will be along shortly to tell you how the -6 has the finest handling characteristics of all the RVs, or at least the side-by-sides. It won't be me. I believe it is likely true, but I haven't flown enough of the others, so I'll let someone else do the honors.

Enjoy your build, they are amazing aircraft!

curtis · #14 08-30-2015, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mycool

Thanks Jeff,

I sincerely appreciate the information.

I wonder if I send the skins back to Vans that they would prepunch them for me.

Personally, I would of preferred Van's not have punched my RV-6A wing skins. Unlike the true pre-punched kits where all of the holes line up, only having one item pre-punched makes locating all of the wing ribs with the holes in the spars and in the skin a little more time consuming.

sprucemoose · #15 08-30-2015, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curtis

Personally, I would of preferred Van's not have punched my RV-6A wing skins. Unlike the true pre-punched kits where all of the holes line up, only having one item pre-punched makes locating all of the wing ribs with the holes in the spars and in the skin a little more time consuming.

This is very much true. It's also a great example of this mis-use of terminology. The "true pre-punched kits" are known as matched hole. Sorry but I'm a stickler for proper terminology.

Mycool · #16 08-30-2015, 07:21 PM

I do enjoy building, and love to see the progress with the build. I know I asked the antichrist question in the "6" world of trying to speed things along. I'll keep everyone informed from what comes from the vans factory.

gyoung · #17 08-30-2015, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curtis

Personally, I would of preferred Van's not have punched my RV-6A wing skins. Unlike the true pre-punched kits where all of the holes line up, only having one item pre-punched makes locating all of the wing ribs with the holes in the spars and in the skin a little more time consuming.

I'll second that. I had non-PP empennage skins but PP wing skins. I started aligning ribs on the spar per the plans but realized just in time they needed to be aligned with the holes in the skins even if different from the plans. Just one of the many gotchas. Don't believe the plans are always correct. A standard response from Van's support in the old days was "just make it work." Also make sure which side the plans show - they do switch on occasion, even on the same drawing. Oh, and be prepared to search all the drawings for some details. Van had a habit of just adding details to blank space on any tangentially related drawing rather than create a new drawing. Even the parts got bagged like that. After I made some fuselage gussets I found them in a bag with the rudder pedal parts. They were .063 like the rudder pedal parts so were probably punched at the same time and thrown in the same bag. I guess it helped hold down the kit costs but we pay for it with our time. Enjoy it, it's a great experience. I'm finishing my 2nd -6.

Mycool · #18 08-31-2015, 08:27 AM

I do enjoy building, and love to see the progress with the build. I know I asked the antichrist question in the "6" world of trying to speed things along. I'll keep everyone informed from what comes from the vans factory.

vfrazier · #19 08-31-2015, 10:57 AM

If you're building a non-punched kit, or any kit for that matter, you'll find this to be one of your favorite tools very quickly:

http://www.flyboyaccessories.com/product-p/3011.htm

The marking gauge allows you to quickly make an accurate line parallel to any edge... something that you'll do about 500 times if you're laying out your own rivet lines.

JanRV6UK · #20 08-31-2015, 11:48 AM

Hi Mycool,

I have been building a RV6 for a very long time ... no holes in my kit :-) ... I made the spar as well .. I have no web site .. but loads of photos .. let me know what you like to have a look at .. now working on the system install .. and hope to be in the air in a year or two (haha ;-) ...

Goods luck with you build ! Its great fun ...

My best advice would be to not blindly believe all the dimensions on the blueprints ... measure one way .. the back measure to see if the dimension make sense ...