Quiet solitude...

ksauce · #1 11-03-2006, 09:50 PM

Howdy all,

I'm still debating the build decision. Primarily I'm concerned about the noise of riveting. I just am not a big fan of noise. Fir instance, when I build furniture I mostly use hand tools. I'm curious if the noise is going to drive me out of the garage. How much construction time is noisy? I've also been considering the Zodiac due to the pop rivet construction method. Any thoughts?

Also, I'm most likely not going to have a building partner readily available to help buck rivets. Will this be an issue?

Thanks,
Kevin

David Johnson · #2 11-03-2006, 10:19 PM

Noise is not a huge issue- at least not as much of an issue as self discipline>

You'll need a riveting partner from time to time. If you are even moderately good looking, such a partner can be found at the local tavern. Tell her you're a pilot building your own airplane, make 6 figures a year, and you won't be able to get rid of her. Show her how to use a bucking bar before you show her how to use a %ucking bar and you're all set.

ksauce · #3 11-03-2006, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Johnson

Noise is not a huge issue- at least not as much of an issue as self discipline>

You'll need a riveting partner from time to time. If you are even moderately good looking, such a partner can be found at the local tavern. Tell her you're a pilot building your own airplane, make 6 figures a year, and you won't be able to get rid of her. Show her how to use a bucking bar before you show her how to use a %ucking bar and you're all set.

I wonder if that line will work on my wife?

lorne green · #4 11-04-2006, 12:03 AM

one word:

Ear plugs.

Spend a few bucks and ware 'em; but only when you are riveting.
The rest of the time you are working in relative silenece and of course listening to satalite radio - npr, rock and roll, pop, classical.....
What ever floats your boat (vertually no commercials)

lorne green · #5 11-04-2006, 12:05 AM

I know, I know, ear plugs...it's two words

cytoxin · #6 11-04-2006, 05:42 AM

very lttile riveting still the best aluminum plane on the market.

bullojm1 · #7 11-04-2006, 07:00 AM

Kevin-
Most of the build process is not riveting. I'd say that so far riveting has accounted for less than 5% of my total build time. And out of that, probably 50% of that time is spend squeezing rivets...YMMV. Most of the construction time is prepping parts, priming, drilling and trying to figure out how not to screw up the next part (big time waster there).

When I do rivet, I have on hearing protection and I don't find it bad at all. Just make sure you invest in a comfortable set of hearing protection.

So far (empennage complete, 30 hours into wings) I have only needed help riveting 4 rivets on the HS on my -7. Everything else I could of done solo, and now with more knowledge, I could of got those rivets too.

I'd recommend that you take a RV builders class if you are really concerned about the noise. That would be good exposure to all the noises involved in RV building.

fstringham7a · #8 11-04-2006, 07:03 AM

Kevin

Get a quality compressor.

Frank @ SGU and SLC .........Wiring 7A

ChiefPilot · #9 11-04-2006, 07:39 AM

I'd echo what others have said - bucking rivets is such a small percentage of what you do that it's not a big deal. I do find the air compressor to be more of an annoyance, as well as the forced air heater I use to heat the garage in the winter months, but not bad. You can still have a normal conversation over either.

Guy Prevost · #10 11-04-2006, 08:32 AM

Kevin,

I made furniture for a living for quite a few years. I've never worked in a production environment, it's always been just me and one helper building one-off pieces.

One of the things I like about working on the RV is how quiet and clean it is compared to woodworking. No dust, no shavings, and very little noise. It's a 5 minute job to put everything away and clean up at the end of a session. Try that with woodworking!

Guy