Feel better

Hi Jim,

Once you get the bulkheads put together it goes quickly. From your pics you are almost there. I was test fitting the bulkheads to the two bottom skins this morning when Stein walked in and grabbed a handful of rivets and a gun. We had two rivet feeders and two pullers and we got this far (see attached pic) in about 35 minutes. I hope to have the rear fully skinned by Sunday. This has been the most fun of any project I have ever had. I love near instant gratification!! Feel better and know there are plenty of guys not as far as you (I have not done the wings yet, they are next).

http://web.me.com/paul.story/Pauls_website/Photos.html#26
 
Welcome back Jim. We missed you. Thanks for the usual great pictures. My tail kit comes Tuesday, just in time for Christmas. I must have been a very very good boy this year!

Can't wait to get started.

Get well and have a great Christmas.
 
Welcome back Jim. I just started the tailcone this past week and have completed the vertical stabilizer w/o any issues. Add any hints you have to your pictures. You are and will be ahead of me. Stay well!!
 
Welcome back Jim. Was wondering why we had not seen any posts from you lately. I was going to call you tomorrow to see if you were ok. Hope your hospital visit went well and that you are much better. I guess you are pretty much snowed in at the present time and getting ready for a bigger storm this weekend. Hope to still get over there to get a little training from you. Take care of yourself and have a Merry Christmas.
 
Empicone Assembly

Hey folks!

Mitchell Lock here, Van's East Coast Rep. As you all know, I've been assembling an RV-12 that will be used as a demo aircraft on the right coast. Everyone who is building, uh, assembling one of these has to be amazed at the quality of the kit and its ease of assembly.

I'm just about finished with the empicone and will attach it to the fuselage this weekend. At this point in the project, I've learned three things that makes life much easier:

1. Stay in step-by-step order! Do not skip ahead in any process. Yes, early on I had to drill out a couple of rivets because I didn't.

2. Study the drawings in detail. Make sure you clearly understand how the pieces are to fit together.

3. Read and fully understand the instructions for the process your are about to undertake. I find myself sometimes just looking at the exploded drawings and want to starting clecoing parts based on that. Then, after something doesn't fit quite right, I go back and read. Should have read it first.

Number two is particularly pertinent when it comes to the box structure for the stabilator. Study that drawing very, very carefully. It is clear what to do once you fully understand the orientation of the assembly and its respective pieces.

Good luck to all builders out there and Merry Christmas to you and your families!!!

Mitch Lock


If anyone would like to contact me off list, I can be reached at [email protected].
 
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