Advice on minimum building space

[JeffH]

Hi all,

I'm a new forum member with a first-post question. I'm thinking about diving into a RV-7(A) project but I have some concerns about the space I need for construction.

It could be a garage/shop as shown in the attached (I hope) scale figure which is a three-car garage. In the figure the squares are 1 foot. The green squares are support posts. Obviously the cars could be moved out if necessary from time to time.

Seems I have read that something like 25 x 30 ft square is "ideal" but this space is a lot smaller. I fully realize that people have built these things in much tighter quarters (living rooms, basements, closets) but ...

1) Am I nuts to think about building in this space?
2) For those who have been there already - how much extra estimated time did limited space add to your finished project? 1.1x? 2x?
3) How often is it necessary to have one or both wings attached to the fuselage prior to final assembly?
4) Is it reasonable to finish the wings and store them out of the way while working on the fuselage and finishing kit, and then do final assembly at an airport hanger? (nearest would be an hour away - basically weekends-only)

Thanks,
Jeff

[Mel]

We built 2 RV-6s side by side in a 20 X 23' garage. No problems. We built both fuselages simultaneously and built 2 wings at a time. We did have parts scattered all over the house.

[grover]

you are right on with your remarks. build the tail, get it out of the way. build the wings, get them out of the way. build the fuse, bolt on the wings as required (for fitting, trimming, etc) then get the wings off and out of the way again. I'm working in a 20x32 shed which the plane shared at various stages with a couple of Imperials, a boat (no snide remarks about being redundant!) and the crates and plane parts that were awaiting assembly. organization (a talent which I don't possess) would make your available space quite manageable. get to it!

[Thermos]

I'm building in a 14'x21' single-car garage...



It's a little cozy, but my only real problem is finding storage for the wings when I'm done with them. I'll be looking for a hangar when the fuse is done.

Dave

[Captain Avgas]

I know builders will tell you that they built a plane in their single car garage...or their loungeroom....or in a tent in the backyard....but building in a very tight space is a real pain in the you know what.

It's hard enough completing any project without spending years tripping over yourself and constantly misplacing tools and components. Also, being really tight for space doesn't lend itself to building good quality. Having nice clear areas for fabrication and assembly of sub-components is a major advantage. There is an equation that says that as the building space halves, the need for greater organisational skills quadruples (it's sort of like the speed/drag equation).

And this is particularly true if you're building a slow-build.

I built mine in a double garage and as time went by I became really envious of my mates who were building in triple garages and bigger. In the end I wasted a lot of time moving things around constantly.... and inside the house it ended up looking like an aircraft junk yard for years (which stressed out my wife no end). By the time I got to FWF I had components in the second bedroom, in the loungeroom, in the dining area, etc. Eventually I bit the bullet and built an extension to the garage.

When it comes to building an aircraft, building space is like money....you just can't have too much of it.

[JeffH]

Originally Posted by Thermos

I'm building in a 14'x21' single-car garage...



It's a little cozy, but my only real problem is finding storage for the wings when I'm done with them. I'll be looking for a hangar when the fuse is done.

Dave

Thanks all for the thoughts. I'm just trying to weight things in my favor for actually getting this project DONE once I dive in.

BTW, Thermos - awesome wing stands. Are those your own design or did you buy them?

Jeff

[Thermos]

Jeff,

I didn't come up with the design for those stands, Rudi Greyling did and they're very nice. I just copied his design and welded them up with a friend's help. Check out this thread...

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ead.php?t=5058

Hope this helps...

Dave