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  #1  
Old 12-02-2014, 12:44 PM
pastranafan5 pastranafan5 is offline
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: jonesboro, ar
Posts: 63
Default fuel tanks

Is it worth buying already completed fuel tanks for $2000, or is dealing with the sealant not that big of a deal?
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  #2  
Old 12-02-2014, 01:00 PM
YellowJacket RV9 YellowJacket RV9 is offline
 
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Location: Clearwater, FL KCLW
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Default

It's a rite of passage like any other part of the build. Just a different set of annoyances. Certainly not worth $2000 to me to avoid. Heck, you could avoid building the entire plane if you wanted, but that's not the point

Chris
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  #3  
Old 12-02-2014, 01:32 PM
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wirejock wirejock is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Estes Park, CO
Posts: 3,947
Default Tanks

Quote:
Originally Posted by YellowJacket RV9 View Post
It's a rite of passage like any other part of the build. Just a different set of annoyances. Certainly not worth $2000 to me to avoid. Heck, you could avoid building the entire plane if you wanted, but that's not the point

Chris
What Chris said.
IMHO...Heck no but I'm pretty cheap.
I agree, it's a right of passage. Don't deprive yourself of the satisfaction. It really is no big deal. Read the tips section on fay sealing and read some builder blogs.
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Larry Larson
Estes Park, CO
http://wirejockrv7a.blogspot.com
wirejock at yahoo dot com
Donated 12/03/2019, plus a little extra.
RV-7A #73391, N511RV reserved (2,000+ hours)
HS SB, empennage, tanks, wings, fuse, working finishing kit
Disclaimer
I cannot be, nor will I be, held responsible if you try to do the same things I do and it does not work and/or causes you loss, injury, or even death in the process.
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  #4  
Old 12-02-2014, 01:34 PM
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Mel Mel is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 10,768
Default Be a BUILDER, not an ASSEMBLER!

If you can build an airplane, you can certainly build fuel tanks!

Please, let's get back to building airplanes instead of buying a kit and outsourcing everything.

Build your airplane, build your fuel tanks, build your instrument panel,................
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Mel Asberry, DAR since the last century.
EAA Flight Advisor/Tech Counselor, Friend of the RV-1
Recipient of Tony Bingelis Award and Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award
USAF Vet, High School E-LSA Project Mentor.
RV-6 Flying since 1993 (sold)
<rvmel(at)icloud.com>
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  #5  
Old 12-02-2014, 02:36 PM
Iluke Iluke is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Hope Valley, Rhode Island
Posts: 133
Default

Not worth it in my opinion. Yes it was messy, yes it smells bad, but it really is not particularly difficult if you make a careful study of all the posts and builder's logs on the topic. I can say I had no surprises at all.
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Ivan Luke
Hope Valley, RI
RV-7 SB
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  #6  
Old 12-02-2014, 03:51 PM
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DaleB DaleB is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Omaha, NE (KMLE)
Posts: 2,247
Default

Building my tanks was messy, messy, messy. And I'd do it again. No way I'd pay someone else to do it. But that's just me.
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Previous RV-7 project (sold)
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  #7  
Old 12-02-2014, 04:32 PM
Bevan Bevan is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BC
Posts: 1,674
Default Tank building tid bits

There are ways to keep the mess under control. You can be sure the pro's don't make a big mess. What's the difference? Experience and not wanting to clean up a mess everytime. How do you get that knowledge without experience? Read VAF, planning, have all tools laid out clean and ready, talk to others who've done it, better yet invite a veteran builder to assist. Here's a few tidbits I recall...

You should have a helper.

Wear two layers of gloves, and peel them/replace them often. Dedicate a full box to the job if you need to.

Dispense the sealant using full size caulking tubes available at hardware or fiberglass supply stores. One or two tubes per work session.

Have a good supply of cleaned rivets ready. I soaked a bunch in MEK overnight, then poured them out onto a paper towel to dry before the work session.

Be sure all the metal surfaces have been "scratched" with scotch bright pad (only on areas that will be covered with sealant). Clean everything with MEK or equiv. and don't touch anything after without gloves on.

Build each tank in two work sessions. Session one is for ribs, session two is for the back baffle. Don't forget to put a dab of sealant from your dispenser onto each rivet tail. The pro's probably do a whole tank in one session, but they can't drink beer at work either.

Don't rush the sealing procedure, but you do need to work steadily as the sealant has a working time of two hours. Time of curing depends on temperature and probably humidity.

Place the completed tank onto the wing (leading edge up so the baffle sealant will "sag" back to make a nice bead along all the baffle corners) and add a few screws to hold it in perfect alignment with the wing so you don't get a twist set in the tank.

All off the top of my head for now. It's really not that bad and the smell is only noticeable at the beginning. The satisfaction of doing it yourself lasts much longer. For everything else there's MasterCard.

Bevan
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  #8  
Old 12-02-2014, 04:58 PM
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wirejock wirejock is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Estes Park, CO
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Default Tank

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bevan View Post
Place the completed tank onto the wing (leading edge up so the baffle sealant will "sag" back to make a nice bead along all the baffle corners) and add a few screws to hold it in perfect alignment with the wing so you don't get a twist set in the tank.
Use wax paper over the spar before placing the tank. Proseal won't stick to it.
This is kinda sick but I actually started to like the smell!
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Larry Larson
Estes Park, CO
http://wirejockrv7a.blogspot.com
wirejock at yahoo dot com
Donated 12/03/2019, plus a little extra.
RV-7A #73391, N511RV reserved (2,000+ hours)
HS SB, empennage, tanks, wings, fuse, working finishing kit
Disclaimer
I cannot be, nor will I be, held responsible if you try to do the same things I do and it does not work and/or causes you loss, injury, or even death in the process.
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  #9  
Old 12-02-2014, 05:01 PM
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snoopyflys snoopyflys is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Katy, TX
Posts: 138
Default Also...

the satisfaction of having built the tanks yourself and finding that when you perform the leak tests and the manometer pressure increases or stays put for hours. Priceless.

Like others have said, do build them yourself. You learn by doing it rather than having others do it for you. Enjoy the build.
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VAF #1446
Slow Building - 7A Tipper
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  #10  
Old 12-02-2014, 05:15 PM
YellowJacket RV9 YellowJacket RV9 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Clearwater, FL KCLW
Posts: 1,281
Default

Don't spare the pro-seal. It's cheap and no judge is going to inspect the inside of your tank for style points. Slather it on there...
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Chris Johnson
RV-9A - Done(ish) 4/5/16! Flying 4/7/16
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