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How much 5052 should I order?

RV7AJeremy

RV7AJeremy

Well Known Member
I am finishing up the wings and about to order the fuse kit. I have decided to use 5052 tubing for my project. How much ? and 3/8 tubing should I order, and what wall thickness have others used? Can I get away with 6? lengths? And what else would you guys recommend I order for future parts of the build (additional angle, hinge material, ect.) to save on shipping costs. Thanks for the input.
 
Here's what I did

I ordered material as I needed it, not before and determining what I needed was part of the task. Many systems such as the fuel system will be custom fit to your airplane and the requirements will be unique. As you build some things will not be acceptable to you and you will have to come up with your own work arounds - this may not be so true in later kits like the RV-7A (in our RV-6A there were several show stoppers that had to be dealt with). If the material was not extremely expensive, it was not uncommon for me to order twice the minimum requirement.

Bob Axsom
 
Bob Axsom said:
I ordered material as I needed it, not before and determining what I needed was part of the task. Many systems such as the fuel system will be custom fit to your airplane and the requirements will be unique. As you build some things will not be acceptable to you and you will have to come up with your own work arounds - this may not be so true in later kits like the RV-7A (in our RV-6A there were several show stoppers that had to be dealt with). If the material was not extremely expensive, it was not uncommon for me to order twice the minimum requirement.

Bob Axsom
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, I know I will make things that are not acceptable and will need to redo them, I am just looking for a starting point in hopes to reduce shippings costs as much as possible.
 
Pilot card

Apply for the Pilot Card when you get an A/S order in and then the shipping is free!!! :)
 
RV7AJeremy said:
I am finishing up the wings and about to order the fuse kit. I have decided to use 5052 tubing for my project. How much ? and 3/8 tubing should I order, and what wall thickness have others used? Can I get away with 6? lengths? And what else would you guys recommend I order for future parts of the build (additional angle, hinge material, ect.) to save on shipping costs. Thanks for the input.
Click to expand...

Indeed, get the ACS-sponsered credit card to save shipping. Meanwhile to answer your questions:

  • Get the same amount of 5052 as the Vans provided softer tubing. 6' lengths are fine. Practice bends with the Vans stuff, do the final with the 5052. Get this tube bender: http://www.averytools.com/prodinfo.asp?number=370-FM
  • Order a variety of different sizes of snap bushings, AN931 elastic grommets, bolts, screws, nuts, washers (including lock washers), Adel clamps. etc.
  • Order some extra Al angle, Al sheet, and steel sheet, again of different widths and thicknesses. 2' x 2' is good for the sheet, and 2' lengths of the angle.
  • I also like the clamps from Terminal Town and other goodies they have.
You'll still need a bunch of other stuff which you'll discover as you build ;)
 
How much in the fuse kit

Can anyone tell me how much tubing they received in the fuse kit? I sent an email to vans but did not get a response. Thanks
 
Been a while since I bent and flared any tubing, but my old RV-4 had a builder error (not mine) that led to a cracked aluminum fuel line ahead of the firewall, and I was pumping a gallon a minute overboard into the engine compartment and didn't know it. There was no fire, but I had fuel exhaustion 30 seconds after making it back to the hangar. And, you guessed it, the fuel gauges didn't work, even though I had replaced *everything.*

I've since become a really big fan of flexible fuel lines.

Ed
 
Ed_Wischmeyer said:
Been a while since I bent and flared any tubing, but my old RV-4 had a builder error (not mine) that led to a cracked aluminum fuel line ahead of the firewall, and I was pumping a gallon a minute overboard into the engine compartment and didn't know it. There was no fire, but I had fuel exhaustion 30 seconds after making it back to the hangar. And, you guessed it, the fuel gauges didn't work, even though I had replaced *everything.*

I've since become a really big fan of flexible fuel lines.

Ed
Click to expand...

Rigid lines from the firewall to the engine, regardless of material, should be a no-go in the first place. They are fine everywhere else but I also opted to use 5052 vs 3003 for my rigid lines from the cabin side of the firewall all the way to the tanks.
 
RV7AJeremy said:
Glad I finally got an answer to this questions:eek: Just finished my second conditional inspection:D
Click to expand...

Well, then tell us the answer! Just how many feet did you order? :D

In my case it was: order some, make a bunch of scrap, order more, make a few good parts and more scrap, order more, make more good parts and a little more scrap and finally had a little left over meaning I could stop.
 
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