M

Mohammed

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Hi

Few days ago while fitting/drilling the main rib, lead edge rib, front spar and the reinforcement bar I drilled the bar too close to the edge. It was ok mistakes are anticipated and the parts were cheep. I ordered the parts and they costed me $100 just for shipping.

Happily I carried on building and started to redoing the new parts. I spent a whole weekend to catch up. I followed the instructions step by step (and turned that was a mistake) because at the last step I did a major mistake and I drilled through the lower and the other reinforcement bar (HS-814-1) to end up with double holes (ole and new) and that damaged the angle!


BLyH-aHCAAAPO0z.jpg



That night I could not sleep out of frustration! even at work next day I could not stop thinking the whole thing! What did I got myself into? Am I the right person for this job? Could I really this project through which is very slow already. Specially that I do not have the local support and technical advisory like every body else?! :confused:

The next day I clecoed the whole H stab and looked at it for motivation :rolleyes:
 
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Hi Mohammed,

You can absolutely do it!

I know the frustration of making a major screw up on an almost completed assembly. It's unfortunate that there are not alot of builders in you area, however, I've found that looking through various other builder's logs online, as well as searching this site, before I try a new and unfamiliar step helps to mentally go through the steps without actually cutting metal .. and I can pick up the wisdom of the group. Some operations are tricky!

Build on! It's one big learning experience!

-Bill
 
My advice is to use that "Search" box here on VAF and be looking two steps ahead through your build. It sure has saved me many times from doing some expensive mistakes.

I worried about this also before I began. As I get near the end of the build there is still more to learn, but you will gain confidence as you go. There is nothing that is too difficult in the build for the average person to be able to complete with acceptable results. Just take your time and ask lots of questions.

Good luck with your project!
 
been there

When I come across anything helpful, I immediately copy the URL, the author, text and photos to a Word document so when that item comes up to build, I don't have to hunt for it a second time.

Fix it, move on. You'll gain confidence as soon you complete your next task.
Good luck,
David
 
Advise

Hi Mohammed,
I have been doing aircraft sheet metal wok for most of my adult life, and I would like to offer some encouragement and advise.
I spent this week at work replacing a $1500 landing gear fitting, and the tips there are likely to apply to your situation as well.
First, there is more than one way to get from here (pile of parts) to there (what the blue print shows as a finished assembly). Vans instructions are O.K., but they are not always the best way to do things.
Tips for success
1 Fabricate parts oversize, then drill, then trim to minimum edge distance, not cut to final size and try to maintain edge distance. It is O.K. for a part to be a little bit to big. Edge distance should be the driving factor for overall size in most cases.
2 When drilling in assembly, pay attention to how the drill feels. It is possible to know that something is wrong by feel. In closed areas, it is better to just "touch" the part with a drill bit to mark it, the take it apart and drill one hole it the with everything out in the open.
3 Get used to putting together and taking apart with clecos. I like to cleco things together as far as I can just to get an idea how things go together. The drawings make more sense when I have parts together. Many times I can only pick up one or two holes with everything in assembly, then it comes back apart, with only the two parts that need to be drilled clecoed together out in the open.
Once something goes together, you will never "get to " take it apart again, so enjoy the process.
4 Don't do anything that cannot be undone unless you are sure. Sure for yourself, not just blindly following instructions.
5 Find an aircraft repair facility close to home and make friends. Buy them lunch. Most airplane people are in it for the love of aircraft, and what you are doing is something to offer as a new friend. They will have, or will know where to get a lot of the parts for less than what you can get from Vans
6 Building an aircraft is not for everyone. Your desire to do this already sets you apart from most people. Only you can decide if this is something you can do. Give yourself the chance to find out by committing to finish the tail kit, as if YOU are going to fly it. See how your confidence is. Emotional ups and downs are part of the experience.

My nearest airplane person for help is 40 miles away in person, or a few keystrokes away by computer. E-mail me for anything at all.
 
Thank you guys for the encouraging words.. Thank you Andrew for the tips..

I am actually doing what you guys had suggested. I search/read VAF posts, building blogs and I even bought the RV8 Building DVD..

It is not the complex steps, it is those simple and obvious steps that screw you because you take them as granted..

The image link above is wrong.. here is the right link, do you think that I can just drill new hole a bit below this one without weakening the strengths of the reinf. bar, forward spar and main rib? or should I just replace it?

BLyH-aHCAAAPO0z.jpg



Mohammed
 
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I would drill a new hole about 1/4" away from your current mis-aligned holes and move on. This won't be your first nor your last.

There is an old carpenters saying, "Measure twice, cut once", which means don't rush forward without thinking through what you're about to do. Like someone else basically said, don't just do something without being able to undo it. In sheet metal it's pretty hard undo anything without starting over.

Think twice, drill once!

Good luck and build on!
 
The DVD is probably a good idea

When we bought the RV-6A Vans supplied a Video Tape set by George and Becki Orndorf (sp?) and I watched it before I took on each new part of the project. I had no previous aircraft building experience and I had no one to go to for information and advice but I had worked in the industry a long time so I was sensitive to being careful in doing things. You have been sensitized now and you are at a point where you can give up and cut your losses or commit even harder. If you continue and fail or quit now you need not feel alone, MANY MANY kits are not completed by the original buyer - it is a real airplane designed by someone that wanted to create a very high quality airplane ("total performance") as the primary objective. This is not the same design objective as an airplne designed to be built with common house tools and no talent. If you are to finish the airplane you must focus on it and and acquire the skills necessary to do it. Sometimes you may find the need to create a special one of a kind tool to do a single step right. If you succeed in building the airplane you will pull yourself up to another level in many ways. You are obviously a smart person so you can acquire the ability but it is not going to be easy. You have systems, canopy, wiring, plumbing, sealing, rigging, testing and many other challenges ahead so choose your path carefully. Practice on scrap material to build your skills before committing to the project parts is not a bad idea. If you continue you will also acquire an ability to visualize for yourself what is to be done and look ahead to the things that can go wrong and take steps and use the right methods to avoid them. If you choose to continue there are harder problems ahead and if you proceed carefully and get through them, you will end up with more than the airplane.

Bob Axsom
 
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Double dip

Hi again,
Bob mentioned all the skill required to pull something like this off. Here is a little story I tell about how to proceed.
I was tasked with recovering an aircraft from a remote location in Alaska. (N715HE google imigas)
Jim Twedo (Flying Wild Alaska) asked how I was going to do it. I told him I never know what I am going to do, I only know what I am doing when I am doing it. That's all I need to know. When we arrived there, the pilot just tossed all our stuff out of the airplane and left us there scratching our heads. Three weeks later we had changed the right wing, engine and mount, and field repaired the aft spar carry thru. In the winter, out in the open. There is no way I could have dreamed up all this stuff before hand. It can't be done all at once either.
People have been building airplane for about a hundred years now. Its not an unknowable thing. I'm just some guy with a high school diploma, and a tech education (A&P) an a little experiance. I believe the only thing that sets me apart is desire, commitment, and a little faith. Desire is key.
 
One more thing

Even the big companies make mistakes and they do not throw away the parts and start over every time. They employ Material Review Boards (MRB) to disposition the defects. You can contact Van's or this forum for assistance but I think it is good to try to fix mistakes and learn from them rather than scrap and replace every time.

Bob Axsom
 
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Yes you can ,

Hi Mohammed
I am also building in isolation, I am building a RV 7 in Dubai , so not too far from you, I must admit it would be easier to build with a local support, but with great sites like VAF it can be done. Now for the bad and good news, the bad news is the suport angle should be replaced, the good news is that I have a piece of 6061T6 1 inch by 1 inch by 1/8 inch angle you can have for free to make yourself a new support angle. We only need to figure out the shipping from the UAE, but it cant be too expensive ( maybe FedEx reverse charge ) . You are also most welcome to come pick it up youself and have a look at my project ( I am just finishing the wings now...). It might be a good idea before you start riveting to get some hands on experience .
Hope to hear from you
Regards
Arie
 
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