Storage space

We all know that the -8 does not have the most room in the world to store things. What have you all done to gain more space to put stuff? I have seen a number of in cabin ideas but very few panel glove boxes like on a -7 or -9.
How about the forward bagagge compartment? Does that little area by the the pilots RH foot really give that much more storage room? I see a number of people who have just made a flat floor for the forward bagagge area.
Just some input would be appreciated before I cross that bridge.

I built "map pockets" on both sides by closing in the arm rest area for the front seat. I got the idea from (I think) Randy Lervold's site.....very handy place to store all sorts of things that you would put in a glove box - charts, flashlights, etc...

Paul

speyers said:

How about the forward bagagge compartment? Does that little area by the the pilots RH foot really give that much more storage room?....Just some input would be appreciated before I cross that bridge.

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In total, the forward baggage compartment is larger than "little area by the pilots RH foot" as your words would seem to convey, since it spans the width of the fuselage and contains nearly 5 cubic feet of capacity.

My guess is some builders make the baggage floor straight across because doing so will allow more options for routing wires and cables from the FWF area to the starboard side of the cockpit. Personally if pressed, I would rather run utilities though a conduit through the lower portion of the baggage area than give it up altogether. Still, with careful planning all necessary wiring and cables can be run with things just as they are.

In addition, a simple modification allows for a very generous hinged access to the back of the instrument panel. RV-8 builder Jim Gray sent me pics of his very nice design and inspired by his creativity, I fabbed this version up in less than a day.

Finally, the cabin area offers several possibilities for the creative builder to incorporate pockets and enclosures. The second photo illustrates two obvious areas that can be potentially exploited.

Storage areas in cockpit

I don`t claim this as an original idea, but I have yet to see it in any other -8s.....I built a hatch into my starboard "mid cabin cover" that hinges at it`s fwd end and latches with a single Hartwell. The hatch is just big enough to pass a sectional that`s folded. A few hand tools, sunglasses, gloves, assorted small manuals (Garmin GPS user guide) etc, etc, also fit. To close the inbd side of the compartment, required minimal sheet metal work. Trim a piece of .025 to fit, cut a slot for the RH rudder cable, a few pop rivets, and I was done. Let me know if anyone is curious, and I`ll send along a photo or two......DB

pic

David,
Could you post some pics of that?

Thanks

Rick,

What did you use for the baggage bulkhead "door"?

Also, did you drill the 2 lightening holes in the F-817 seatback support plates (may be a different P/N on your kit)? I didn't see the option on my dwg. but I don't see why I can't do it if you did.

TIA. You rule.

briand said:

What did you use for the baggage bulkhead "door"?
Also, did you drill the 2 lightening holes in the F-817 seatback support plates (may be a different P/N on your kit)? .....

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Briand,

I asked the same thing when I more or less copied the design so I used .032 stock for the door and its doubler ring riveted to the aft side of the bulkhead. The door/panel is hinged at the bottom and secured with five equally spaced #8 screws/K1000 nutplates along the top. It was suggested that camlocs may be a more desirable fastening system than screws...probably so...but I reasoned the door will be opened only infrequently. This was a quick and easy one day job and an unanticipated bonus will be much easier access when the time comes to rivet the top skin in place.

The F-817's were shipped with factory drilled 2" lightening holes.

Some Pics. of My Mod.

I decided to add a few braces out of paranoia. They have nutplates for #8 c-sunk head screws so they are removable. The center is .125 bar and the two outers are scrap pcs. of .063 angles with most of one leg removed. I still have to put an order in to ACS for the .032 door.

How did you cut such nice doors/openings

Could you share the technique used to cut an opening in a panel with the normal builder type tools? I know laser and water jet will do the trick, but, I don't want to pay for that. I wanted to copy some of your good ideas as shown and if possible reuse the panel cut out as the door itself.

Anyone do this access panel on a -8QB. The panel is already riveted on the aircraft. I thought the easiest route would be to use a cutting wheel to cut the area out, rather than remove the rivets and work on the panel on the bench. Just curious what other QB builder have done.

Cheers

RVG8tor said:

Just curious what other QB builder have done.

Cheers

Click to expand...

I skipped the access panel. The fact is, I have two big EFIS screens (as many do now) that take me 30 seconds to remove, and leave me a hole 11" tall and almost 7" wide in the panel - pretty easy to get at anything back there. Alternatively, I can remove the entire panel in about five minutes. I have found that with the airplane complete, working through the forward baggage door is a bit more difficult than I thought it would be anyway - it's up high, and kind of narrow.

That said, a LOT of people have done the access door and found it very useful! I also had a QB, and just didn't want to to hack on the already installed bulkhead.

Paul

RVG8tor said:

....this access panel on a -8QB. The panel is already riveted on the aircraft. I thought the easiest route would be to use a cutting wheel to cut the area out.......

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Mike,

Based upon my sheet metal experiences over the years, I would say that in the case of your quickbuild situation, a cutting wheel is the way to go. No big deal really. Lots of access to the area from outside the airframe. Mark the area you want to remove...I prefer to etch in any cut line with an Exacto knife, though a fine point magic marker will work just fine. Using a cut off wheel, rough cut the opening just shy of the cut line, then use a die grinder fitted with a 2" sanding disk to remove more material up to and just shy of the cut line. Finally, you can fine cut and dress the edges of the opening using pattern or other files. There is a lot of margin for error here. As a builder option, there is no hard and fast dimension you are working to achieve. You can make the opening almost any size you wish....no comment on the potential structural ramifications of deviating from the plans from me though. That is between you and Van's. A hand squeezer should easily reach all or most of the rivets attaching the hinge half to the bulkhead. Of course, the door or cover itself will be fabbed up "on the bench" so that part of the job is no big deal. I say go for it.

This recent photo suggest that providing for back of the instrument panel access NOW will be greatly appreciated later when the plane is flying. I am into the wiring phase of the project now.....easily counts (for me) as the LEAST favorite milestone task I can think of.

Rick6a said:

Briand,

Click to expand...

What did you do for a tab to mount the aft. tab of your F-873G? I see it hanging down with clecos but can't make out what it's cleco'd to.

Access in a RV8 QB

Mike,
I did mine Friday...
Used a Dremmel with a flex shaft and cutoff wheel. Once it's cleaned up it looks just fine.
Don

APACHE 56 said:

Mike,
I did mine Friday...
Used a Dremmel with a flex shaft and cutoff wheel. Once it's cleaned up it looks just fine.
Don

Click to expand...

Hmmmm. Thanks but I already cut that area out and failed to leave a tab. I'm thinking of a riveted tab and spacer.

Dont feel bad, I'd guess that many of us have failed to leave the tab.

What about behind the passenger seat. Has anyone seen anything done behind the passenger cab(into the tail). for like some fishing poles or anything. Just an idea