-7 emp jig questions

[JulietGolf]

Newbie poster here....

I recently bought an older non-prepunched -7 emp kit which needs the jig. Everything has gone well and I am getting ready to build the jig. I'm looking for suggestions as to how wide to build the jig. I'd like to use the jig as the wing stand but someone told me for that the uprights do not have to be outside of the wing spar but can sit inside. So I was thinking of building the uprights with a couple inches clearance on either side of the HS emp spars (about 108"?). Does this sound correct?
I've read what I can from the archives and will build the jig out of 2x4s mated togther to make a 4x4. I may even add 3/4" strips of plywood inbetween to even further minimize warpage. I have about 11' between floor to ceiling so they'll be pretty long.
Any other suggestions from anyone whose been down this road before?

[D-Dubya]

My 7 kit was made right after the switch to the pre-punched, so I didn't have to jig the tail. But my drawings for the wing stand show 114" between the posts. Your drawing may show something different. If I remember correctly, Van's originally had you build the empennage jig so it could be used for both the HS and the wings.

While you might be able to put the skins on the wings with the vertical posts closer together, I'm not sure what you'd gain by this. If your work area is so small that you can't fit the posts at the suggested spacing, then you're quickly going to hit a roadblock in construction.

I wouldn't worry about wood warpage too much. Bring your wood inside and let it dry before you mount it. After your tail is done, you can check the whole jig for square again and adjust (bend) the wing jig mounting brackets you'll make if needed.

[RV7ator]

Better check the pedigree of your emp kit with Van's. I believe all -7s were prepunched from initial release. I recently bought 2nd hand serial 16 and it's prepunched, serial 202 was also.

None of the pre-punched emp kits need jigging/fixturing. The early instructions contained many artifacts from the -6 instructions that were obviated or no longer applicable.

The wing jig on a -7 is really a fixture primarily to hold the spar in a convenient position. The assembly self-jigs. The posts must be wider than the spar or they will block riveting access.

John Siebold

[JulietGolf]

Originally Posted by RV7ator

Better check the pedigree of your emp kit with Van's. I believe all -7s were prepunched from initial release. I recently bought 2nd hand serial 16 and it's prepunched, serial 202 was also.

None of the pre-punched emp kits need jigging/fixturing. The early instructions contained many artifacts from the -6 instructions that were obviated or no longer applicable.

The wing jig on a -7 is really a fixture primarily to hold the spar in a convenient position. The assembly self-jigs. The posts must be wider than the spar or they will block riveting access.

John Siebold

Hmmm.. is there a definitive way to tell the difference? I have #26 and Van's told me it needs the jig BUT.... it looks like many parts in my kit have been replaced and updated and I think I have a whole new HS except for the rear spar that was already assembled. So I guess my question is which parts can I look at to see if everything is pre-punched?
To further add to the confusion I have 2 sets of preview plans that came with the kit - one calls for the jig and the other is newer and does not.

[N941WR]

Didn't Van's offer a free RV-9 VS and rudder for the early -7 builders?

[JulietGolf]

Originally Posted by N941WR

Didn't Van's offer a free RV-9 VS and rudder for the early -7 builders?

I think just the -9 rudder which this kit has.