What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

RV-10 #41988 - DFW

tfoster100

Well Known Member
Sponsor
RV-10 #41948 - DFW

And so it begins........

After at least three years lurking on this site and flip flopping between a 10, 9a or 14a, and even looking at some high wing models I made the leap today.

Officially ordered my RV-10 QB wing kit. I?m waiting a few months to order the tail kit as I recover from Rotator cuff surgery. I figure this will be added incentive to do the exercises and recover.

Can?t wait to start the process. While I?m one armed over the next few months I plan to clean and organize my workspace/garage.

Thanks to dr?s website and the countless blogs and threads I have read to get to the starting point. And I?m sure I will be reading even more on this site as I move forward
 
Last edited:
Congrats on the purchase *and* the decision! I'm currently vascillating between a -10 and a -14A (don't "need" 4 seats, but...). Good luck in your recovery, too!
 
Congrats on the purchase *and* the decision! I'm currently vascillating between a -10 and a -14A (don't "need" 4 seats, but...). Good luck in your recovery, too!

If you want to come over to LVK I can give you a short ride in a -10. And if he?s around, guy in opposite hangar is building a -14 (almost done) - having previously built a -10. PM me.
 
Thanks all. Renegade9 for me it came down to the extra useful load for trips with my wife. I figured the extra seats would eliminate a lot of ?packing anxiety? from my wife. Normally just the two of us. And if I dial it back the performance numbers won?t be too much different. Just my thoughts - at the end of the day I decided I needed to stop thinking about it and just get started already!
 
You will love the RV-10. Sorry to hear about the rotator cuff surgery, had mine 2 years ago, regained full motion/function. Do the exercises religiously to make sure you have full recovery.

If you need motivation, contact me and we can go fly in my RV-10. I am at 52F near Texas Motor Speedway.

TJ
 
Welcome and excellent choice going with a QB wing!

Regarding your garage / workspace, looks like you have a little work to do! :) I know I continually struggle in my garage and am always jealous when I see others with a HUGE and clear workspace. But people have built in much smaller spaces too. Where there is a will, there is a way!

Hope your recovery goes well!
 
Garage

Ok I?m new to attaching pictures so trying this with Dropbox.

This is the before picture of garage. After pictures TBD.


https://www.dropbox.com/sh/z51xhr05jjctoe8/AAAtKnDIFT8nImigEQa9_masa?dl=0

I suggest, if you are willing to put all of the woodworking and anything else you don't need into storage or basement if you have one. The -10 will take up significant room once the fuselage and tailcone are one. If you want to get it done, your workspace should be as efficient a you can make it. It will kill motivation to work on something if you have to move stuff out of the way to do an hours worth of work. Organization and efficiencyis the key.
 
Tail kit

I?m thinking about buying a completed tail kit/ empennage. What type of things would you check from a quality and workmanship standpoint.
 
Christmas in February

Ordered my tools from Isham and starting to get serious here. I got the RV-10 kit tool package and looks like a bit of everything.

Also working with Brandon on the tail kit a couple hours at a time. Now I know why everyone talks about how much fun deburring is. The tail kit is coming together, fun to see it take shape and then take it apart again.

Cutting off that triangle piece of sheet metal on the front right part of tail cone was a bit disconcerting. Read that section about 5 times before cutting it off. lol.

Here are a few pictures.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3to6w6j8c68j1i4/AADwyRVQlptXqz1Dt-NgSWIBa?dl=0
 
I am determined to see this thing fly someday, glad you are local and I can still be involved in the project! Now that I know you have a blog we can get some better pictures and a video here and there. The look on Tim's face after deburring the first sideskin of the tailcone.... PRICELESS! :p
 
First Mistake

I was admiring my new found countersinking skills when I realized I had just drilled 24 of them on the wrong side of the battery bell-crank mount. Ugh. At least it’s a smaller part and it looks like I can reorder online at Vans. Hope the shipping isn’t too much. Lesson learned - read and reread directions at least 7 times. I’m guessing this won’t be the last time - part of the learning process.



https://www.dropbox.com/s/is0q611cp0syowb/IMG_3246.jpg?dl=0
 
Last edited:
I was admiring my new found countersinking skills when I realized I had just done drilled 24 of them on the wrong side of the battery bell-crank mount. Ugh. At least it?s a smaller part and it looks like I can reorder online at Vans. Hope the shipping isn?t too much. Lesson learned - read and reread directions at least 7 times. I?m guessing this won?t be the last time - part of the learning process.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/is0q611cp0syowb/IMG_3246.jpg?dl=0

I hated my first mistake... and my second mistake... and my third; fourth; fifth etc. etc. etc. Most of them were caused by not reading and re-reading the directions multiple times. Also, READ AHEAD... that helps greatly. I can't tell you how many times I really regretted not turning just one more page of the instructions...
 
Don't throw it away!

Yeah those happen! Remember to embrace failure! At least that's what I keep telling the children in my office but they don't listen.

I'm building my 'wall of shame' from reordered parts. So far its a rudder skin, an elevator skin, an H-stab fairing and an idler bracket pair... all up on the wall next to my work bench. A constant reminder to stay vigilant!

I also use the rudder skin as a scratchpad for calculations, ideas and to diagram proper riveting cross-sections to newbies.

- Kilroy
 
Priming Done

Now I know why there are primer wars/debates. So glad to have that part done so I can get on with riveting and the build. I studied and planned and prepared and mostly delayed just getting this done.
Used BonAmi to prepare and a HVLP gun to spray based on a lot of recommendations and it seemed to go well.
Now to get familiar with the rivet squeezer and the next phase. :)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hkr2ijruyz5dp5o/AAAAiJXTegW5oqWGT_jSdMgma?dl=0
 
Oshkosh Motivated

Finally made it to Oshkosh and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The highlights were meeting Van himself, hearing astronauts tell stories, the night time airshow and just the overall gigantic feel of the place.

Found myself motivated to get back and make some progress and wifey even open to helping out with some riveting.

A couple of pictures of airshow, picking out the color she wants, and the tailcone status.

AAB9jmkhL035n1ZKtlPW7Rtba
 
Back
Top