[mlwynn]

Hi all,

I am just about finished with wiring my -8. I have not riveted on the front fuselage skin. I figured out that I cannot finally mount the engine because I can't get to a couple of the firewall rivets due to interference from the engine mount. It shouldn't be that big a deal to sort out the last of the FWF wiring with the front deck on.

I have read here that getting the brakes finished up and bled before putting on the front skin makes finding and fixing leaks a lot easier. Makes sense. In reading about building and fitting the baggage door, some have said that you need to drill from the inside--requiring that the rudder pedals be out--hence brakes disconnected and unbled. Does that apply to the pre-punch or will I be okay fitting the baggage door entirely from the outside?

The column to which the front and rear control sticks connect is very difficult to get in with the pedals in place. Can I permanently mount it now or will that interfer with some other part of the assembly that I cannot currently foresee?

The ideal assembly order would seem to be:
1. mount the control column
2. Install the pedals, connect and bleed the brakes
3. Rivet on the front skin
4. Re-mount the engine
5. Install the cowling
6. Build and fit the baggage door

Does anyone foresee a problem that I am going to encounter? Nothing beats experience. The next one will get built in half the time.

Thanks,

Michael Wynn
RV 8 Finishing
San Ramon, CA

 

[JFRV8]

I just riveted on my front skin.

A couple of comments:

The instructions call for you to rivet the baggage door inside skin while in place. This was the most uncomfortable thing I have done so far, except maybe the nuts inside the gear tower. The baggage door can be assembled with the front skin clecoed in place. I don't see how you could pull the rivets in the baggage door inside skin with the brake pedals in place.

The control column needs to be put in place, but you can't put the rear support in (final) until the floors are installed. Put the control column in place, but only temporarily install the rear support or wrap the control column in foam or rags until the floors are installed.

Make sure all your fuel lines, cabin heat control cables, etc. are also in place before doing the front skin. There likely is no perfect order but some choices are easier than others.

 

[algrajek]

You are correct about the baggage door. With the pre punched you do not need to drill from the inside. I had to do it that way on my first 8. That was a #itch.
You have the order right. However I went ahead and did my engine first and on the 2 rivets at the motor mount areas I just used the SOLID 3/32 pop rivets and after paint they are invisible

Nordo

 

[Bob Kuykendall]

...on the 2 rivets at the motor mount areas I just used the SOLID 3/32 pop rivets and after paint they are invisible...

Can you please clarify? What are "solid pop rivets?"

On the RV-8 I helped build, I think we used a couple MK319BS pop rivets in that area as well. I think you can tell they're pops if you look close, but they're about as strong as MS20426AD and there seemed to be no particular point to being too fussy about it.

Thanks, Bob K.