[N804RV]

I've seen people post that their RV-8 is an "old" "not pre-punched" kit. What do they mean by this?

I'm working on my empennage kit that my wife got me for Christmas in 1999. That's kit #80566. My tail kit is certainly "matched-drilled" just like Vans says on their website.

So, what gives? What do people mean when they say their RV-8 kit isn't "pre-punched"?

 

[AX-O]

I've seen people post that their RV-8 is an "old" "not pre-punched" kit. What do they mean by this?

I'm working on my empennage kit that my wife got me for Christmas in 1999. That's kit #80566. My tail kit is certainly "matched-drilled" just like Vans says on their website.

So, what gives? What do people mean when they say their RV-8 kit isn't "pre-punched"?

Not pre punhed refers to the original fuse kit. You need jigs just like a -3 or -4. The -1 fuse kit is pre punched just like your tail. The -1 kit is what vans sells now.

 

[JanRV6UK]

Simply put .. old kit had no holes ! You had to jig and hold bits in the right place .. and THEN drill each hole .... yourself ... The old kits was one step up from just buying a raw Alu sheets and do it all .. the main stuff was cut out .. ribs formed ... etc .. but no rivet holes put in any components ..

 

[rv8bldr]

My -8 had prepunched skins for everything, but none of the ribs/bulkheads were prepunched. I had to build jigs for the tail, wings, and fuselage and line up and drill every hole into the underlying supporting structure. For example, I had to jig my spars and ribs such that everything was plumb and square. I then drew a black line on each rib that could be seen through the holes in the skin, and then drilled the skin to the ribs keeping everything nice and tight and flush.

Same deal on the tail and fuselage. (I wish I had a dollar for every time I scooted underneath the fuselage jig to do something...I'd be a freaking millionaire )

Cheers