VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics


Go Back   VAF Forums > Model Specific > RV-8/8A
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-19-2013, 11:51 PM
guidoism's Avatar
guidoism guidoism is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 45
Default How far along can I get without attaching the wings?

Howdy!

I'm trying to figure out whether I can reasonably start my RV-8 project. I'm in the very initial stages of planning. I'm reading through the posts on this site and I've signed up for the EAA sheet metal basics class in March (Watsonville). I haven't yet bought the preview plans.

I'm renting a house with a long one-car garage that would work perfectly for the empennage kit. I'll probably end up going with the QB for the fuselage and wings so sooner rather than later I'll need to find more space for the project.

The question is, how much of the project might I be able complete without attaching the wings?

I'd have enough space for the fuselage and maybe one of the wings going parallel to the fuselage. I figure that once I'm to the point where I need to attach the wings I'll take a sabbatical from work to finish up the project.

What tasks really need to be done after the wings are attached and how much of the build time might those take?

BTW, y'all are awesome. I never would have had the courage to even consider this project without this community.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-20-2013, 12:21 AM
ArVeeNiner's Avatar
ArVeeNiner ArVeeNiner is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 1,125
Default

I built my 9A almost entirely in one half of a two car garage. Once I got to the hangar I:

-installed the wings, tail, and control surfaces for good

-installed the prop

-attached the wires that came out of the wings to the wires that came out of the fuselage

-trimmed, drilled, and installed the wing tips

Everything else I did at home. I wanted to keep a car in the other half of my garage so when I finished the wings, I moved them to a friends hangar so that I could work on the fuselage.

I installed, adjusted, and drilled the empennage at home, then
removed and stored it.

When it came time to drill the wing rear spars, I brought the fuselage to my friend's hangar to do my initial mate with the wings, then brought it back home.

I cut and installed the canopy at home, hung and wired the engine, fit the cowl, installed my wheel pants, and installed my instruments all at home.

The more you do at home, the better. It's so much easier to just walk into the garage and work on it when you have time than to commute to the airport.

It still took me me 8 months to fly once I got all the parts to the hangar but it included 2 months off for the holidays, over a month dealing with the FAA, and a few weeks off on family vacations. No sabbatical for me unfortunately.

Good luck and WELCOME TO THE GOOD SHIP VAF. Sorry Mike S.
__________________
Kelly Johnson
San Jose, CA
RV-9A

Pink slip issued: 5/7/12

First flight: 5/28/12, Memorial Day.

Phase I Complete: 8/18/12!

2020 donation: complete

Last edited by ArVeeNiner : 12-20-2013 at 12:32 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-20-2013, 05:49 AM
DanH's Avatar
DanH DanH is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: 08A
Posts: 9,500
Default

My wings never touched the fuselage until they arrived at the airport, painted and ready to go.
__________________
Dan Horton
RV-8 SS
Barrett IO-390
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-20-2013, 06:43 AM
TS Flightlines TS Flightlines is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Ridgeland, SC
Posts: 2,589
Default

Does Vlad still have the distinction of building in the smallest area??
You'll have no issue building the fuse in a 1 car garage. Might be alittle tight working around it, but certainly doable.
Tom
__________________
Tom Swearengen, TS Flightlines LLC, AS Flightlines
Joint Venture with Aircraft Specialty
Teflon Hose Assemblies for Experimentals
Proud Vendor for RV1, Donator to VAF
RV7 Tail Kit Completed, Fuse started-Pay as I go Plan
Ridgeland, SC
www.tsflightlines.com, www.asflightlines.com
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-20-2013, 07:12 AM
scrollF4's Avatar
scrollF4 scrollF4 is offline
Moderator, Asst. Line Boy
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Flower Mound, TX
Posts: 1,473
Default 1-car will work for QB

Guido,
Take a look at photos from the earlier posts in my kit log: www.mykitlog.com/scrollf4/
Particularly the 'miscellaneous', 'empennage', 'wings', 'cockpit', and 'fuselage' sections.

I began my build in the 1-car basement carport under my quarters at Langley AFB. This house was built in the '20s for a Model T Ford, with low-slung rafters and trusses overhead. I had no problem with the empennage, nor the QB fuselage and wings which I rolled around in cradles as needed. The EAA work tables were great: I could reconfigure their arrangement as required for the job at hand. I was even able to fit the empennage for hole-drilling: The top of the vertical stabilizer jut up between trusses (I didn't permanently install them until much later in the hangar).

Now, once it was time to install the landing gear, I had to leave this arrangement for a hangar because the ceiling and door sill were too low. You may not have that problem, which means you'll be able to stay in the garage much longer.

Happy building!
__________________
Scroll

Sid "Scroll" Mayeux, Col, USAF (ret)
52F NW Regional/Aero Valley Airport, Roanoke TX (home of DR's Van Cave)
"KELLI GIRL" N260KM RV-7A tipper
Catch her on YouTube's "Because I Fly!" channel

Exemption waived.
Proud and grateful 2020 -=VAF=- Contributor
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-20-2013, 07:36 AM
bill@fusion4.net's Avatar
bill@fusion4.net bill@fusion4.net is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Suwanee, GA
Posts: 415
Default Building a 10

I'm building a 10 in my garage (2 car). I have completed almost everything, finishing up the avionics and engine now without attaching the wings. Next month I am going to pull the plane out and attach the wings, complete all the attachment steps (might be tied down in my front yard for a few days), and then pull them off and put the plane back in the garage.

I believe I will be able to move it to the airport and take a 2 week vacation to finish up the last items and do the final tail/wing attach and be ready to fly.
__________________
Bill Thomasson
RV-10 - Flying - Phase II. 99.8% done... it's never really done!
http://sites.google.com/a/fusion4.net/rv10/
Suwanee, GA.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-20-2013, 07:52 AM
DaveO DaveO is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Greenfield, IN
Posts: 341
Default

I talked to Van's and they told me that I could wait and put the wings on during the final assembly. Seemed reasonable to me, i did and all went well.
Best to you.
Dave
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-20-2013, 07:54 AM
Dean Pichon Dean Pichon is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 532
Default

I built the fuselage of my -4 in my basement and had to have an opening cut thru the block wall to get it out. In the basement, I mounted both engine and prop, though had to remove both and the landing gear to get it out of the basement. It came out in April to move to a borrowed hanger and flew on August 8 (of the same year). Up to that point, the wings had never been mounted. Also, in June of that year, I got married and spent 2 weeks in Europe.

Take away message - Do as much as you can at home and do as little as possible at the airport!

Good luck,
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-20-2013, 09:36 AM
Mike S's Avatar
Mike S Mike S is offline
Senior Curmudgeon
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
Default Welcome to VAF!

Guido, welcome to VAF

Good answers above, I really have nothing to add.
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909

Rv-10, N210LM.

Flying as of 12/4/2010

Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011

Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.

"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-20-2013, 09:55 AM
izzybear's Avatar
izzybear izzybear is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 330
Default Welcome Guido!

I suggest you just dive in and your desire to build/finish will help you figure it out as you go along. I am probably 80% complete on the wings and I am building in 1/2 of a 2 car garage. My wife's car spends most nights in the garage, after I finish working on the project, I roll everything over to 1 side and pull in the car. It's really not that difficult - just plan your work space accordingly. Sure, there are times I wish I had more room, but I have a good setup for my space and I enjoy working in it. I wish I had started years ago and not "thought about it" so much (I tend to over-think everything). Great idea taking the sheet metal class - I took the EAA RV class and after the class I had 100% confidence that I could build an airplane! Good luck - dive in!
__________________
Jim
RV-8 N223GT (reserved)
Finish - arrived 10/7/15
Fuselage - arrived 3/14/14
Wings - arrived 3/7/13
Builder # 83331
www.mykitlog.com/izzybear
VAF Dues gladly paid up till December 2020

"The ultimate responsibility of the pilot is to fulfill the dreams of the countless millions of earthbound ancestors who could only stare skyward and wish." - Unknown
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:31 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.