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RV-8 "Pre-punched" empennage kit?

Tram

Well Known Member
Hey guys-

I've found a tail kit I'm looking at purchasing and starting an 8.

One question I had, and the seller said he hasn't even broken the kit down from when he got it and he wasn't sure - have the 8 tail kits always been prepunched?

He said he's had the kit around 5 years.

Thanks

Jeff
 
My 2008 kit was pre-punched, so if your one is only 5 years old it will be also. Be aware that there are a couple of SB’s that apply to the empennage, and old kits may not come with the SB parts required.. not a big deal though.
 
My tail kit is 2010 vintage and was pre-punched. I recently had to drill out some rivets for the SB. I'd have no problems buying a 2015 vintage tail kit, then ordering the parts and incorporating the SB while building.
 
-8 tail kits have been “pre-punched” since at least the late 90s. Please note that “pre-punched” is not the same as “matched hole” which is the modern standard in which both the skins and underlying ribs/ bulkheads/ spars come with holes already there. “Pre-punched” refers to the evolution between the old school kits (where nothing was drilled) and the modern era. In a “pre-punched” kit only the skins are pre-punched.
 
In a “pre-punched” kit only the skins are pre-punched.

Not sure this is completely accurate. The RV-7 kit I bought was marketed as pre-punched and it had holes in both skins and underlying substructure. I presume all RV-7/8 models regardless of age come this way.
 
-8 tail kits have been “pre-punched” since at least the late 90s. Please note that “pre-punched” is not the same as “matched hole” which is the modern standard in which both the skins and underlying ribs/ bulkheads/ spars come with holes already there. “Pre-punched” refers to the evolution between the old school kits (where nothing was drilled) and the modern era. In a “pre-punched” kit only the skins are pre-punched.

Thank you.

Any idea when they started going to "matched hole?"
 
Not sure this is completely accurate. The RV-7 kit I bought was marketed as pre-punched and it had holes in both skins and underlying substructure. I presume all RV-7/8 models regardless of age come this way.

This is what I'm trying to find out. The seller hasn't broken the kit down, so he didn't want to comment, but said he'd find out.
 
Not sure this is completely accurate. The RV-7 kit I bought was marketed as pre-punched and it had holes in both skins and underlying substructure. I presume all RV-7/8 models regardless of age come this way.

Not true. My late 90s, or early 2000 RV-8 had some holes, but not all. For example, the elevator skins had holes for the spar, but none for the stiffeners. I had to measure and lay out the stiffener holes. The stiffeners themselves weren’t drilled or notched either. The ribs in the vertical and horizontal stabs didn’t have any holes..
 
Not true. My late 90s, or early 2000 RV-8 had some holes, but not all. For example, the elevator skins had holes for the spar, but none for the stiffeners. I had to measure and lay out the stiffener holes. The stiffeners themselves weren’t drilled or notched either. The ribs in the vertical and horizontal stabs didn’t have any holes..

Ok. My elevator stiffeners did have holes and the were manufactured with the little cut notches to help you in sizing them correctly. That must have been something they upgraded with time. My inboard Horizontal stab ribs were not punched but all the other interior ribs had holes that lined up with holes punched in the skin. An its also true that sometimes there are some parts where substructure holes do need to be created by using the skin as a drill guide, but in general, there are enough pre-punched holes in both skin and rib/spars to use clecos alone to align parts for drilling vice the original method of building wooden jigs and/or using copious clamps for everything (ie RV 3,4, and 6)

So perhaps the answer to the OP is, "maybe", but probably not an issue I would consider a deal breaker.
 
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I heard from Van’s today - it’s a 2016 kit and from what I understand is the same as the kit they are currently selling.

I appreciate all the help guys.. Now to buy some tools. LOL
 
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