Rotisserie

[asw20c]

Again I apologize for asking, but I can't get the search engine to work for me. I'm at the stage now where a rotisserie is necessary. I've been mining through some of my old EAA magazines and found one that was discussed that someone built for working on wings, but I need mine for the fuselage. Any ideas on where I can find a rotisserie design, or two, or three, to give me ideas for building my own?

[N804RV]

https://www.google.com/search?q=car+...w=1430&bih=696

[wirejock]

Most builders use the Harbor Fright Engine Stand modified with a bracket attached to the firewall. The tail end can be done a few ways.
1. Sawhorse.
2. Stand with a steel plate and hole. Tail wheel stinger or a plate clamped to the aft deck with a pipe.
There's photos of mine on my blog, Fuselage page. However, mine was a demo that is no longer in production.

[Aluminum]

In pictures:

Harbor Freight engine mount with an "X" adapter to firewall made of 2x4s. You can build out the front half hanging off of it.
https://vansairforce.net/community/a...1&d=1607362415

Have three guys lift the tail section to it; cleco it and hang the tail end from your garage/workshop ceiling.
https://vansairforce.net/community/a...1&d=1607362415

[Rurik]

I took the HF engine stand approach and added trailer hitch receivers and balls. I used a plate to the engine mount since I had it but a basic X to the firewall would have done the job equally well. There are some pictures on my blog at https://n747es.wordpress.com/2020/11...fuselage-solo/ which might give you some ideas.

[RViator60]

I suspended the fuselage on each end using engine stands purchased from Harbor Freight and mounted it from parts from my local hardware store. I can supply more detail if requested.

[Tom Martin]

I did not take the time to make a rotisserie for my fuselages on the first 10 planes but as I got older I really felt the climbing in and out. For the last project, RV14, I made a simple triangular jig that bolted to the main wing spar stub and turned the fuse on its' side so that the middle was about waist high. The aft end of the fuselage was supported with a picnic table. A simple wooden fixture was used to attach the aft fuse to the table.
The whole thing was very stable and it greatly helped with the wiring, floors, plumbing etc. I am not really sure how helpful it would be to be able to do a 360 degree type of fixture.
I would certainly use this method again.

[RViator60]

A benefit I found from my two engine mount approach was the ability to easily move the fuselage around in/out of my garage. Due to the height of the mounts, I'm able to tilt the fuse to about a 45 degree angle in each direction.

[Tom Martin]

The ability to roll it around in the shop Is a pretty big deal. I do wonder about the tipping potential? Some sort of a temporary outrigger might be a good idea?

[dpansier]

A bit more involved than the Harbor Freight engine unit but it allowed completing the underside of the engine and painting of the fuselage.
Constructed from one 4 x 8 sheet of plywood and two fixed roller casters.