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designerX

Well Known Member
This Question is for those builders that have worked with the RV-8 "updated" plans (announced at Osh 2006) and RV-7 plans. Are they on the same level of detail and accuracy?

Thanks,
Stan
 
Probably more so.

I've only seen some -7 plans once, and I would say that the new RV8 fuselage plans are more developed than the 7's. The instructions and plans are more on par with the RV-10.

That said, very few people have used them yet, so there are still mistakes. I've been in weekly contact with Van's making corrections to the plans and instructions. Nothing too major though.
 
RV 8 Pre-punch issues

Hi Gary,

I would very much like to see what you have come up with for questions on the instructions/plans. I am on about the second page. The only thing I have found so far is an omission in the instructions about countersinking on of the reinforcements on the firewall. Van's reply to that was, if we included everything on the plans in the instructions, it would be too long. I was slightly taken aback by that. I didn't note any omissions on the empennage instructions which leaves me scratching my head about what I may miss on the fuselage.

At any rate, if you would be willing to post the errors you find here, it might save several of us from fouling up.

Regards,

Michael Wynn
RV 8 Prepunch Fuselage
 
Jig the matched-hole fuse?

I asked about jigging the matched hole fuse and Vans said it was no longer necessary and to do "whatever works".

So you guys that are building with the new kits:-

1. Are you jigging it, or what are you doing? Pictures?

2. Are the longerons pre-punched or pre-drilled or pre-bent or anything? Just curious, 'cos the ones I got with the wing kit last year are not (obviously).

I'm expecting my fuse kit to leave Vans and the end of this month and spend anything up to six weeks on a boat...

Cheers,
 
I'm NOT a prepunch builder but the longerons that come with the wings are the ones you will use. Sooooo I guess that would mean you have to do all the bending and drilling. The .063 longerons are just straight on the fuse but the 15 footers are not. I just did mine this past week and I thought they were actually FUN to bend and twist so don't sweat it. I used a 3.99 harbor freight dead blow for the bends and an adjustable for the twists. Do you have a Smart Level?


http://www.amazon.com/M-D-Building-...ref=pd_bbs_4/102-4535666-8299301?ie=UTF8&s=hi
 
mlwynn said:
Hi Gary,

I would very much like to see what you have come up with for questions on the instructions/plans. I am on about the second page. The only thing I have found so far is an omission in the instructions about countersinking on of the reinforcements on the firewall. Van's reply to that was, if we included everything on the plans in the instructions, it would be too long. I was slightly taken aback by that. I didn't note any omissions on the empennage instructions which leaves me scratching my head about what I may miss on the fuselage.

At any rate, if you would be willing to post the errors you find here, it might save several of us from fouling up.

Regards,

Michael Wynn
RV 8 Prepunch Fuselage
Click to expand...

Hi Michael,

One thing that I have learned about the new pre-punched 8 fuselage is that the detailed instructions can lull you into a false sense of security. It is VERY important to look at the plans and get all of the information you can there. Just like it was on the wings. I have made several mistakes because I followed the instructions blindly.

Off of the top of my head, here are the things I've found that have been incorrect.

There are many cases on the forward section where the instructions are dead wrong about whether to dimple or machine countersink. They actually say to dimple some .062" material and say to machine countersink some .032" material for 1/8" rivets. Just use the knowledge you already have in cases like this.

If you're building an A model the cooling ramp attachment contains some errors. It's necessary to trim the two forward outboard bottom rivet holes off, or (my preffered solution) to put a .063" shim between the two forward floor ribs.

The auxilary longeron on DWG 66 doesn't show the center line for the rivets. The line called for in the instructions needs to be centered between the OUTSIDE of the vertex and the edge.

I know there is more, but I can't think of it at the moment.

Regards,
Guy
 
AntiGravity said:
I asked about jigging the matched hole fuse and Vans said it was no longer necessary and to do "whatever works".

So you guys that are building with the new kits:-

1. Are you jigging it, or what are you doing? Pictures?

2. Are the longerons pre-punched or pre-drilled or pre-bent or anything? Just curious, 'cos the ones I got with the wing kit last year are not (obviously).

I'm expecting my fuse kit to leave Vans and the end of this month and spend anything up to six weeks on a boat...

Cheers,
Click to expand...

1. I'm not jigging anything. I'm building it just like the RV-7 and RV-10 guys do. It mostly gets assembled on sawhorses and remains portable. :)

2. The top longerons are the ones you got with your wing kit. You do all of the bending and drilling on these yourself. I just finished bending mine. It's no big deal. The plans and instructions for doing this are much improved with the new fuse. The bottom longerons are pre-bent, but you still have to twist the heck out of them yourself. Again, no big deal. By the time I was done, the factory bend on one of them was different than the other. Van's just said to make the one that didn't fit as well match the one that did. The auixillary longerons have been machined already, but will require you to do a simple, slight bend.

There are photos on my website.

Regards,
Guy
 
Saw horses

Thanks Guys. I'll check out your sites and photos. I just came back from seeing another local builder doing an RV-7. That's matched hole, obviously. His longerons were un-drilled and un-bent. I was just curious. I'll be keeping an eye on your progress!

Cheers,
 
I'm not too far from ordering the matched hole fuse, but want to get a bit further on these wings before ordering the kit. In the meantime, I certainly appreciate you guys getting this stuff worked out with the new fuse, so that the rest of us can benefit from your early experiences with this!!
 
I checked out Guys website and looking at his floor assy. all I can say is WOW. there are lightening holes all over the place. There are none on the old kits. It even looks like the angles that go on the f-814's are thinner and pre-punched.
 
Landing gear

Has the landing gear attachment changed on the new fuse? I see from Guy's site that there is a weldment that looks like it takes the round landing gear leg. I've order Grove Airfoil gear and I'm wondering now whether they will fit with the new design? Worried :eek:
 
Here's a photo from the new plans.

Here's a photo I took of one sheet of the new plans. Pretty much every sheet is like this. It's all exploded isometric views.
123209756-O.jpg


Cheers,
Guy
 
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