New builder / first mistake

Hello all! After many many months of deliberating, I can now officially say I am a builder. I inventoried my 7 emp kit over the weekend and got to work. Things have been going pretty well thus far, but I did have what I believe to be my first mistake.

I was trimming the angle for the front spar of the HS, and was careless in putting the stress-relief notches in. They are too far in from the edge.



The instructions do say that the dimensions of this notch are not critical, but they do need to maintain minimum edge distances of 2xD (which they do - it is 8mm from the nearest rivet hole).

Also I found that I did not like the way this came out when trimming the channel with snips; I'm guessing a bandsaw would have made a better looking result?

Thanks for allowing me to use the group's expertise in figuring out what to do here. Any feedback is appreciated.

Notches

Welcome Mike.

If the minimum edge distance is ok, then clean it up and build on. I usually send the question to Vans to get something for the records.
Personally, I prefer the band saw and if it won't fit, a Dremel with thin kerf cut off wheel.

As above, ensure edge distances are good and debur very well as this area is known to be subject to cracking. Refer to SB 14-01-31 on the Vans site for more info. Although it is not mandatory in your case, they sell the mod kit referred to in the bulletin if you decide to incorporate it at build stage.
https://www.vansaircraft.com/public/service-rv7.htm

If it's a new kit, won't it already have the mod kit?

- mark

Mod kit

newt said:

If it's a new kit, won't it already have the mod kit?

- mark

Click to expand...

Yes it should. You might down load the Service Bulletin (and all the others for the 7) and review to be sure.

Mistakes are learning events

My first mistake was fitting the skin on the right horizontal stabilizer, I forgot to leave the 1/2" of over hang at the tip for the fiberglass tip to attach to. I was very upset and left the shop for the day. The next day I called Van's and ordered a new H.S. skin, the skin and shipping cost was about $100.00 .... But I saved the the old skin and used it for other things on the aircraft.
By the time I got done with the aircraft I had an entire box of scrap aluminum, to include a right aileron that had a built in 1/2" of twist.
If you are not making mistakes, your not doing anything! Remember that it is just metal and you can purchase another part if that one does not turn out the way you want it. I remember making one part 3 times before it was right. These are all learning events. Some times it hurts when you learn, sometimes physically , sometimes financially, and almost always pride.
Take care my friend and be patient. It took me over 10 years to get my metal parts in the air.