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Garage Size To Build RV-14?

GeneralT001

Active Member
I may only have a single car garage to try and build this in....would a 15' wide x 19' deep car garage be enough to build the fuselage/empennage and wings?

According to the specs the RV-14 is:

Height: 8' 2"
Span: 27'
Length 21' 1"



Thanks
 
Do you have a place (spare bedroom, corner of a buddy's hangar,...) to store finished assemblies?

If so, yes, a single car garage will work.
 
I could probably find a place. So as long as I don't try to assembly the RV-14 I should be good...just keep it in pieces (wings/fuselage/empennage).


Thanks
 
I could probably find a place. So as long as I don't try to assembly the RV-14 I should be good...just keep it in pieces (wings/fuselage/empennage).


Thanks

Right. You can test fit and rig the wings in the driveway when the time comes. Fitting the wings, rigging the controls, fabricating the wing/fuse fairings can be done in a day if you have a helper. Alternately, take care of that at the airport.
 
I’m currently building in 1/2 of a 2 car garage. I’ve looked ahead in the plans and believe I can build everything in that space. Storage is a different matter, as others have said.

Be prepared for slower progress. With little room, each task must be setup, performed and cleaned up (mostly) before moving on to the next.

You will get creative with space management. I can post pictures of my “shop” setup later if that would be helpful.
 
I'm in similar situation.

One issue that I'm up against is fitting the canopy.
Because I was waiting on some back order parts, I mounted the gear before finishing the canopy. Now I don't have the height to open the canopy inside the garage. So it will need to be rolled outside to complete some of the steps from 38-20.

Wing fitting will be a similar issue, but can be left until later in the build after you move to a hangar.
 
I’m currently building in 1/2 of a 2 car garage. I’ve looked ahead in the plans and believe I can build everything in that space. Storage is a different matter, as others have said.

Be prepared for slower progress. With little room, each task must be setup, performed and cleaned up (mostly) before moving on to the next.

You will get creative with space management. I can post pictures of my “shop” setup later if that would be helpful.


Yes please....and thanks!! :)
 
I'm in similar situation.

One issue that I'm up against is fitting the canopy.
Because I was waiting on some back order parts, I mounted the gear before finishing the canopy. Now I don't have the height to open the canopy inside the garage. So it will need to be rolled outside to complete some of the steps from 38-20.

Wing fitting will be a similar issue, but can be left until later in the build after you move to a hangar.


Good to know....Thanks! :)
 
See attached. If there are any ideas in here that seem like they are "genius", I probably stole it from someone else.

Some observances:
  1. Use vertical space as much as possible.
  2. I haven't seen the need to have a bunch of bins with labels for all the parts yet. Some people like doing that, but IMO, Van's already organized it and made a nice list. If you can, scan / OCR your inventory list; this will give you a text searchable document of "what bag is that part in"? I have mine on an ipad (along with the electronic plans) I take into the garage with me, so it never takes that long to find a part. Thus far, letting Van's organize the parts bags for me has saved a lot of time and space (for bins) in the garage.
  3. Rivets do not follow that rule, and go in their own bags with sizes.
  4. Benches are standard'ish EAA workbenches.
  5. The rolling tool cart, and 2x "Scrap" drawers are Tony Bingelis ideas. Tool cart discussion here.
  6. I use a 25 gallon / 120v / Oiled air compressor that has served well. It won't do everything, but when I bought it, it fit the criteria of being an oiled compressor with the most power that would run on 120v.

I'm not as organized as I could be, and expect the wings will push the limits of what can fit in here, and what I might need to find another home for. Time will tell.
 

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If you can hang the wings on the ceiling, and the tail feathers on a wall you can just do it. The problem will be that it's a tight fit trying to mount the engine on the fuselage in 19'.

Ceiling height may be a problem for working on the canopy, especially if you hang a wing over the canopy. Doing that work before putting the fuselage on the gear is a good idea unless you have a least 9 feet clear from the floor to the ceiling.

There is no reason to test fit the wings before you do final assembly at the airport. I know that some people do it but I couldn't find a reason too. My wings went on at the airport and I don't expect to ever take them off.
 
It can be done. Wings and tail feathers in the other garage.
 

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