[late4my8]

I have my priview plans, and am in the process of mentally coreographing my build processs.

I've determined that myworkshop/living room (they connect through sliding doors) will be plenty of room to build emp, wings and fuse, and that I'll even be able to simultaneously mount both wings to fuse (with the rear of the fuse poking out the door and into the closet across the hall).

but I have one question. at 3ft wide I won't be able to get the fuse through the shop door upright, but tilted 90 degrees (without canopy or rollbar) I'm just about there. The bulkhead to which the panel will mount is probably just a tad to high to clear. assuming I do not want to "modify" the doorframe, can anyone give me any advice in terms of the order of operations riviting and skinning those areas of the fuse?

...can I leave the top segments of those bulkheads clekoed and still get most of the work on the fuse done?

...how much work will I be able to get done on the canopy before that area is skinned? I want to do as much in the house as possible.

I let the wife know that we may have a fuselage in the hallway for a while, as our front door is 2 inches wider and I'll want to finish up on the fuse before the next stage... ....she's been very cool thus far.

any thought? or photos of 8's being freed from tight squeezes?

thanks,
j

 

[briand]

A front entry door with a hinged side light. They are extremely useful. Mine gives me about 44".

If you can't install one of those, just do like you said. There is a lot of work to be done before you get to the rollbar so just start now and worry about getting it out when the time comes. I think your wife will get sick of the fuse in the living room long before you get to the point where it won't fit out the door.

 

[jmartinez443]

I've determined that myworkshop/living room (they connect through sliding doors) will be plenty of room to build emp, wings and fuse, and that I'll even be able to simultaneously mount both wings to fuse (with the rear of the fuse poking out the door and into the closet across the hall).
j

I'm on to you!!! This is candid camara right? Let's see how many idiots actually answer my posts?

Just messing with you. I've actually answered one of your posts before. I guess you figured out how to mount a silencer on the rivet gun.

I must say I admire your tenacity and will to build this thing in your second floor apartment. Please post some photos as you get going. I lived in SF for years, then the east bay and then moved to FL last February. I'll be in the bay area to get my 8A QB at the end of September. You are more than welcome to come out to Pittsburg to take some measurements of the fuse and wings before you commit to build it in you living room. The fuse ain't that small. In the meantime, if you wanna do some fun 8 QB reading for S's and G's, feel free to check out my site http://rv8alog.com

 

[late4my8]

still going

yup Jorge, still working on making it work.

I talked to the folks at Vans and did some calcs and determined that although riveting will be quite noisy, the amount of time actually pulling the trigger is relatively small compared to the prep stuff. I also think that I'll keep my compressor in either the basement, the relatively vacant apartment above, or the one room we have that does not have a room below (if I really have to, I can rivet in those locations too, but they're not ideal).

...that and I'll coordinate my riveting with when they're not there (I have every other Friday off as well as the weekends).

after I posted my last note I made up a full scale mockup of the biggest fuse cross-section, and determined that it's just a hair too big to get out of the workshop door, which stinks as it's easy to get down the steps and out (can pass it through the window if I want to rope it down to the street).

I'm in the middle of figuring out what I'll do there, but if I have to rent a space I'll almost certainly go with the quick build as it would pay for itself.

....I'm wondering what it would take to put together a little Bay area RV collective in some warehouse. I'll talk to my local EAA chapter about that.

either way I'll build the emp and wings in my shop. it's my understanding that if you're going to get the slow wings and quick fuse Van's wants to have your main spar to match drill the center spar section of the fuse.... ....if this is true I'll have to make my decision pretty soon (after the emp).

I'll keep you posted as I go.

-john

 

[szicree]

....I'm wondering what it would take to put together a little Bay area RV collective in some warehouse.

That is a great idea. Think how cheap it would be to rent some industrial space and split the costs maybe 4 ways. Plenty of space, good lighting, no neighbor complaints, etc. You could also share the costs of tools and materials. I think in the long run this has gotta beat working in an apt.

 

[jmartinez443]

....I'm wondering what it would take to put together a little Bay area RV collective in some warehouse. I'll talk to my local EAA chapter about that.

either way I'll build the emp and wings in my shop. it's my understanding that if you're going to get the slow wings and quick fuse Van's wants to have your main spar to match drill the center spar section of the fuse.... ....if this is true I'll have to make my decision pretty soon (after the emp).

I'll keep you posted as I go.

-john

The woes of city dwellers and the reason I left California.

The other problem you'll run into (hopefully sooner rather than later) is where to flight test your bird. San Carlos and Palo Alto lie under SF Bravo airspace and are surrounded by cities or water. Your next choice is HAF (half moon bay) with the pacific on one side and hills on the other and some of the fiercest turbulence I've been in off of the ridge to the east. So then you have to go to OAK (Oakland) class C and the same problem as PAO and SQL. Farther to the shoutheast looks more promising, Hayward and Livermore are actual posibilities, if you don't mind the hour and a half trek accross the Bridge. Concord (CCR my home field) is doable but again a hellish commute for you. Anyway you get my drift. Not trying to discourage you (sounds like that ain't gonna happen anyway - you sound commited). Just trying to point out that SF ain't all that GA friendly. Can I interest you in a house in the east bay? Kidding sold mine at the beginning of the bust. Only lost 50K in the transaction, on the other hand I'm sure you can pick up a forclosure pretty cheap in Antioch

Oh, for what it's worth, I kept my wings and fuse at a public storage while I worked on the emp, then i moved the emp to storage to work on the wings, etc, etc. Now I gotta go get the kit from PS in Pittsburg since my new workshop in FL is ready.

 

[late4my8]

I hear you

I fly out of San Carlos and Palo Alto and have had the same thoughts about my first flights. I don't mind taking a trek out of town for the early flights, and with the crowding here (had to make 2 360's entering the pattern at san carlos on monday) a few flights at another local will be a refreshing change.

-john

 

[dan]

Livermore (KLVK) has lots of RVs. If I lived up north I'd be based there.

 

[late4my8]

thanks dan

thanks dan, I'll check livermore out. I'm still trying to get in tough with the local RV community, so livermore might be a good place to visit... ...perhaps I'll crash their local EAA chapter's meeting.

-john

 

[N941WR]

but I have one question. at 3ft wide I won't be able to get the fuse through the shop door upright, but tilted 90 degrees (without canopy or rollbar) I'm just about there. The bulkhead to which the panel will mount is probably just a tad to high to clear. assuming I do not want to "modify" the doorframe, can anyone give me any advice in terms of the order of operations riviting and skinning those areas of the fuse?

My basement had a 32" door when I started my project, it now has a 64" door.

The -9 did fit but I had to remove one gear leg.

Your -8 should make it.

BTW, I held the airframe up from the engine. The biggest problem was getting the engine hoist over the door seal and out the door enough to re-install the missing gear leg.

Some time back one of my brothers told me about a co-worker who built a Pitts S1 in his 2nd story apartment. When it came time to move he hired a crane, flat bed truck and a team of carpenters, painters, and carpet layers. The story goes that he cut the window out of his apartment with a chain saw, reached in with the crane, plucked the Pitts out, and while they were on the way to the airport the carpenters put the apartment building back together. Needless to say, he also moved out that day.