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pilotian

Well Known Member
As I sat in the dentist chair as they drilled away at my cavity today, it made me want to drill some RV-8 holes as well. For about 2 months I have put the build on hold because me (a newby) has been stuck at step 2 on the front spar assembly. Along with my stuckness is the fear that I have, or will mess **** up. If anyone could help describe that step a little more clearly for me I would appreciate it so much!

Newby builder in a chilly garage,

Ian
 
Look at View A-A on DWG 3(HS), that diagram shows two bold ovals with dashes that say "DRILL IN ASSEMBLY WITH RIBS". The +'s in the ovals are the HS-404/HS405 attach points. Step #2 is referring to all the holes between those ovals. If I counted right there are 8 holes to drill on each HS-810-1 and HS-814-1.


Don't be too paralyzed by the fear of screwing something up, it is just a piece of Aluminum if you can't fix it and make it safe you can order another one. Ask me how I know ;)
 
Just do it!

I concur w/ Mill2978. I hate making mistakes, but I have made two in the past 3 months. Both required ordering a replacement piece from Van's. The worst part - not the cost... the wait for the new part to come in to be able to go back to building. Sometimes it helps to walk away for a few days too.

Ken
 
Thanks!

I love these forums because people like you guys answer so quickly! You guys, and a friend helped me through it on the phone and I was able to figure out that I truly was supposed to drill 6 of those 8 holes with #30. But of course i dont have a 3/16 bit to drill the other 4 holes. And Vans says a #21 isnt good enough so I guess im off to lowes tomorrow!

Thanks alot guys appreciate you guys helping a new young builder out and not making me sound like a retard!
 
you will screw up a lot, it's knowing whether to fix it, replace the part, or ask for help that makes you a good builder

keeping it to yourself, not sharing, and building on without 3rd party advice, will make you a dangerous builder

also if you're not sure how to do something with the tools you have, you probably have the wrong tools, so ask!
 
Road bump....

Thanks guys! I have since continued and was able to drill all eight holes on the front spar assembly. went to menards and got a 3/16 just so I could drill 4 holes. So in 2 weekends I will be driving my stuff down to a friends house to have a "building sessoin" Basically since I have 0 experience in any building like this, he and I thought itd be best to just have a learning session for me. We hope to get the horizontal stab done in a weekend so I can come home with the abilities to know how to do everything. BUT!!!! I am not addicted to being in my garage so he suggested deburring anything i can. So I have been doing the ribs, and I used the grinder for the edges but I am using the tool you see in the picture to debur the circle cutouts, but now matter how much i do it still seems to be rough along the edges!

ANY SUGGESTIONS!? Am i using the correct tool?

debburing%20ribs.jpg


(may i add that the edges are smooth as butter :D )

Thanks guys!
 
Hit the rough edges with some maroon scotchbrite or with a mini scotchbrite polish wheel. That will smooth them out. The deburr tool is only going to knock the rough edges down.
 
Ian, I applaud you for getting an initial building-session lesson from your friend. That will really increase your confidence in moving forward.

My only advice is to really take the time to visualize--in your "mind's eye"--each step you are taking and several steps ahead. Like in every great endeavor, you will imagine the whole thing many more times than you will actually do it. It's a great exercise, especially for a young mind, to build the whole airplane in your head. It doesn't require tools or parts, and there's more than sufficient information in the plans to give yourself hours and hours of quiet shop time entirely in the space between your ears.

That kind of visualization is useful in many areas of your life. Imagine your tests coming up in school while you're still at home. Imagine your golf swing. Imagine all the steps you'll need to take to get through college, and to become a commercial pilot. This is what Steven Covey calls "begin with the end in mind" and, the more detail you can train yourself to imagine, the better you will find you get at performing the correct steps of complex projects as if they are second nature.

My son and build partner Tyson is just three years behind you in school. I had told him about you last year when you got started. I'm glad to see you returning to your build. You're an impressive "kid" who is already taking on more than many men twice your age.

Read Rinker Buck's autobiography "A Flight of Passage" about his and his brother's cross-country flight in a Cub. Our hobby is increasingly owned by old men, but it's history was young guys like you, and it's future will be too.

Work hard. Have fun. Be safe.

--
Stephen
 
Ian, I applaud you for getting an initial building-session lesson from your friend. That will really increase your confidence in moving forward.

My only advice is to really take the time to visualize--in your "mind's eye"--each step you are taking and several steps ahead. Like in every great endeavor, you will imagine the whole thing many more times than you will actually do it. It's a great exercise, especially for a young mind, to build the whole airplane in your head. It doesn't require tools or parts, and there's more than sufficient information in the plans to give yourself hours and hours of quiet shop time entirely in the space between your ears.

That kind of visualization is useful in many areas of your life. Imagine your tests coming up in school while you're still at home. Imagine your golf swing. Imagine all the steps you'll need to take to get through college, and to become a commercial pilot. This is what Steven Covey calls "begin with the end in mind" and, the more detail you can train yourself to imagine, the better you will find you get at performing the correct steps of complex projects as if they are second nature.

My son and build partner Tyson is just three years behind you in school. I had told him about you last year when you got started. I'm glad to see you returning to your build. You're an impressive "kid" who is already taking on more than many men twice your age.

Read Rinker Buck's autobiography "A Flight of Passage" about his and his brother's cross-country flight in a Cub. Our hobby is increasingly owned by old men, but it's history was young guys like you, and it's future will be too.

Work hard. Have fun. Be safe.

--
Stephen

I really don't know how to respond to that! Thanks for such a positive message and I am humbled to know you have followed my progress. I have never once thought of this build or my flight story as a selfish act, I always went into these things hoping to give other young people the determination to try it out for themselves (ie. my website). I hope you the best and hope your son a bright future as well! I will read that book as well. I hope to keep in touch with you and if your son ever needs some young advice in aviation do not hesitate to ask, that is my whole platform for aviation. Thanks again I truly was moved man!
 
As I sat in the dentist chair as they drilled away at my cavity today, it made me want to drill some RV-8 holes as well. For about 2 months I have put the build on hold because me (a newby) has been stuck at step 2 on the front spar assembly. Along with my stuckness is the fear that I have, or will mess **** up. If anyone could help describe that step a little more clearly for me I would appreciate it so much!

Newby builder in a chilly garage,

Ian


Make your down time more productive, visit some other builders. I don't know the activity in Findlay or Toledo, but there is plenty of activity in Columbus. There are two of us at Delaware that are about 90% done with RV-10s.

Brent Owens RV-8 is just wrapping up his Phase I is at Buckeye Exec.

Plus there are many other flying RVs in the area.

Sign up for the Ohio RVators mailing list on Yahoo to get notifications which of the local airports will be invaded by dozens of RVs each weekend.

bob
 
Don't be afraid of making mistakes because you will, just like many others here, It is part of the learning curve. Just accept this fact and have fun. First thing you did right is asking a question here! lots of incredibly talented peps here. Look at the (show us your day job thread) by the way, I messed up my HS too!
 
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Been there, done that...

Ian,

A week or so ago, I was right where you are now. I've built a RV-4 empennage and started wings before, but it's been long enough ago that I'm having to relearn some "tricks of the trade". I broke out my edge deburring tool like the one you have, my maroon schotchbrite, and my die grinder with 2" scotchbrite wheel.

First, it was obvious that the 2" wheel was too large for the VS rib holes. Save that one for the wing ribs and the the thicker skins (I do the 0.016 rudder skins with just a piece of marroon pad.) There are 1" wheels you can get for the die grinder and they would work fine, but I'm out.

I too was getting rough edges with the edge deburring tool, but it turned out to be I was going too fast (about like using an egg beater), causing it to "chatter". When I slowed down to one or two seconds per turn in the hole, I got much nicer results, requiring only touch up with the maroon pad to finish.

DSCN3043.JPG


Hope this helps!
 
on the right path!

Ian,

A week or so ago, I was right where you are now. I've built a RV-4 empennage and started wings before, but it's been long enough ago that I'm having to relearn some "tricks of the trade". I broke out my edge deburring tool like the one you have, my maroon schotchbrite, and my die grinder with 2" scotchbrite wheel.

First, it was obvious that the 2" wheel was too large for the VS rib holes. Save that one for the wing ribs and the the thicker skins (I do the 0.016 rudder skins with just a piece of marroon pad.) There are 1" wheels you can get for the die grinder and they would work fine, but I'm out.

I too was getting rough edges with the edge deburring tool, but it turned out to be I was going too fast (about like using an egg beater), causing it to "chatter". When I slowed down to one or two seconds per turn in the hole, I got much nicer results, requiring only touch up with the maroon pad to finish.

Hope this helps!

Well it feels good to be one the correct path then! Today we got a die grinder and I already had wheels to put on it so we tried to make due with the softest of the ones I had..... Hope this looks alright, My step dad did the die grinding on the holes while i finished the edges of all the parts. I think it all worked out well, but now that one attachment is worn out time for a new one.

I just posted on my website http://www.pilotian.com all the pictures but here are some that pertain to what I am trying to explain! Thanks guys,

diegrinder.jpg


and this

wheels.jpg


Ended with a pile of these!

deburringribs.jpg




Now pondering on what to do next as I wait to bend the front spars with a friend that knows how to do it (I dont!!!!)

Thanks for the help guys appreciated it!
 
Back Into Building

Consider that if you make a mistake, you will KNOW that it's been fixed correctly. I'm sort of sure about the spam cans I rent at our flying club since with have an A&P and an IA, but I've gotten onto planes built by Boeing or Airbus that make me wonder mightily.

Just a fun fact...earlier in my career I was asked to to a manufacturing quality assessment at one of the AF's principal depots. I picked out 25 different parts at random from the "complete" pile (not really a pile) and was amazed to find that NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM met all the specifications for the part. But they were ready to go into aircraft. I reported my first day's findings at the end of the day, and the person in charge thanked me and I was notified that I had been re-assigned to another project starting the very next day.

So make mistakes, ask people, but be sure you're happy with the fix since you're the one who's going to be flying that plane.
 
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