What would you do?

[Top_prop]

I wanted to build a RV-10. I fly regularly, so I get my fix on form and aerobatics... but will be transfering to a new (and still to be determined) duty station next summer (only got about 9 months left here). The aircraft I'll fly after this won't be aerobatic... so now the appeal of the aerobatic two seaters is starting in on me... but I still think the family sedan is a better fit for us.

My wife is very supportive, but has her hands full with two kids in diapers. She's urged me to buy the tools and the tail/empanage kit many times... we've got $ saved but I've always been aprehensive about starting it over concerns of having to move so soon and needing $ to buy when we get to our next duty station (we'll be there for four years).

We rent the house we live in now, and have a rudimentary shop set up in the un heated two car garage: rough built work benches with bench top grinder, drill press, and lots of store bought snap together shelving, a small portable aircompressor. I ran a new 20A 110v circuit and wired it to the benches I build along the perimeter of the garage. I installed lots of 4' florescent lights, but am apprehensive to put any money or effort into insulating the walls and attic. Perhaps 5 nights a year we get below freezing, it always warms up in the day.... the garage never has anything freeze in it.

I share the space with the gass hot water heater, the lawn mower and my kids' tricyles, otherwise its mine to do what I want with.

We'll always be near the ocean so corrosion control is key to my piece of mind with the project, but I also want to keep it simple as I can as I know this will be the project of my life time... I've read so many threads here about priming that my head spins....

I'm open to suggestions... and insight. Please fire away!

[Mel]

Originally Posted by Top_prop

I share the space with the gass hot water heater, the lawn mower and my kids' tricycles, otherwise its mine to do what I want with.

First and foremost develop a checklist that includes dousing the pilot light on that water heater before spraying any primer or other paint!

[jetjok]

There always seems to be a RV-10 tail kit for sale on this forum. Why not make the small initial investment in the tail kit and the tools required to complete it? By then you will likely be be coming up on your move, and it would not be too difficult to pack away with the household stuff.
By the time you finish the tail kit, you will likely have your shop set up the way you need it, and will also know what you need to have at your next residence. Just a first thought idea.
OK...Here is my caveat; Due to my peripatetic (sp?) life over the last 5 years, I bought my RV-6 flying, and did not have to deal with all the issues of building while moving and traveling.
I am sure that you will get lots of good advice from this groupand those that have been in your postion. Good Luck!!

[flytoboat]

... use a waterborne paint such as Stewart Systems which is a primer/sealer and non-flamable, non-explosive, non-toxic paint system and is easy to clean-up.
http://www.stewartsystems.aero/

Originally Posted by Mel

First and foremost develop a checklist that includes dousing the pilot light on that water heater before spraying any primer or other paint!

[HERKEYBIRD]

If you have the $, write the check and get started ! When I first flew in an RV-6 there were less than 1500 completed planes. I too am in the military, and I just went over my 29th year of service but I'm still saying "someday". I had the same thoughts as you, worrying about the "what if's" that life might bring. My kids are grown and married now and the Lord always provided for us. As I get ready to retire and start building a -9A, I wish I had started the tail kit 20 years earlier. When it comes time to move to a new base, rent a U-haul and move the plane yourself if the movers wont transport it. Just get started so that you don't have all those years of regrets about not doing it. BTW, I finally ordered my preview plans this weekend. (It's a start)

CMS Dave Allen
"herkeybird"
Buckley AFB, CO

[TSwezey]

I started building my -10 in a similar environment. It will get cold every so often and a space heater will usually get warm enough to work. The key to me for corrosion protection is alodining. I would start with the tail kit and get that done before the move. It doesn't cost too much and isn't too difficult to move. Plan on doing the rest at your next stop. There isn't much to do at night in the winter which makes for great building time. It is better to build in the winter than the summer in the south.

[Robert M]

Originally Posted by Top_prop

I wanted to build a RV-10. I fly regularly, so I get my fix on form and aerobatics... but will be transfering to a new (and still to be determined) duty station next summer (only got about 9 months left here). The aircraft I'll fly after this won't be aerobatic... so now the appeal of the aerobatic two seaters is starting in on me... but I still think the family sedan is a better fit for us.

My wife is very supportive, but has her hands full with two kids in diapers. She's urged me to buy the tools and the tail/empanage kit many times... we've got $ saved but I've always been aprehensive about starting it over concerns of having to move so soon and needing $ to buy when we get to our next duty station (we'll be there for four years).

We rent the house we live in now, and have a rudimentary shop set up in the un heated two car garage: rough built work benches with bench top grinder, drill press, and lots of store bought snap together shelving, a small portable aircompressor. I ran a new 20A 110v circuit and wired it to the benches I build along the perimeter of the garage. I installed lots of 4' florescent lights, but am apprehensive to put any money or effort into insulating the walls and attic. Perhaps 5 nights a year we get below freezing, it always warms up in the day.... the garage never has anything freeze in it.

I share the space with the gass hot water heater, the lawn mower and my kids' tricyles, otherwise its mine to do what I want with.

We'll always be near the ocean so corrosion control is key to my piece of mind with the project, but I also want to keep it simple as I can as I know this will be the project of my life time... I've read so many threads here about priming that my head spins....

I'm open to suggestions... and insight. Please fire away!

Build what YOU want and consider the family, I'm building a -9 because that's what I wanted and it's just me and the wife.

I am building in one half of an unheated two car garage. Approximately 11 feet by 16 feet. Add 4 work benches and things get tight. My wings are hiding in a building in the back yard with the lawn mower and other implements of yard destruction.

I live 160 miles from the east coast and I'm not priming anything except where metal meets metal regardless of similarity or not. If I lived within 50 miles of the coast I'd alodine!

[Bugsy]

Seein as your at Pensacola hows about building the 1st RV10 float plane...RV7 already been done.

Yeah I worry most about a PCS when 95% complete. I am already budgeting time for the next deployment. But neither have stopped me from fulfilling the dream.

Cant weigh in on which model you should build, your wife and account will have more say on that than any of us.

What I can say is don't wait for the kids to move away. I am willing to take the PCS risk in order to have my kids share in the building process. I never imagined how much fun it would be to build an airplane.

[Top_prop]

Thanks for all the great advice.

Went to the lumberyard today and bought the lumber to build a tweeked version of the Chapter 1000 work benches. Looked at better aircompressors as well... Got the first bench almost completed... will finish it and the others tommorrow.

It looks like Mobile, AL will be our next duty station, so it should not be a difficult move... I almost pulled the trigger on a RV tool kit from plane tools yesterday as well... so close but still not quite ready.

[JordanGrant]

Dude, get started. I started my -6 whilst in pilot training. As you know, that's a busy time. And I finally finished it 7 years later. Get going - there is no time like the present. You won't regret it.