Advice Needed

[JohnF]

I am at the point where I have to decide whether or not to rivet the side skins to the frame. Those of you who have gone beyond this point, let me ask this: Is it almost mandatory to NOT put the skins on until you absolutely have to, or is it just more CONVENIENT not to put them on.

My inclination is to rivet them on, but I would appreciate your advice since many of you have gone way beyond this point.

On or not?

 

[vernhendershott]

It will not keep you from doing anything.

I left mine off until all the work inside that could be done was done, including plumbing, wiring and painting. I painted the insides of the side skins then installed them.

I also did not rivet the step and upper firewall until I was sure we had done everything we could and we needed to do it so that we could start on the canopy.

Good luck.

Best regards,
Vern

 

[JBPILOT]

I followed the instructions

But - I wish I had done some of the things that were easier to do with the sides off first. Painting would have been easier I would guess looking back now. Don't fret over it.

John Bender

 

[MartySantic]

Installing the Sides - A Personal Choice!!

I put the sides on and then painted the interior. Painting was no problem. The sides being on did not seem to bother me one way or another.

What made a world of difference was leaving the turtle deck skins off. I am 98% done with the finishing kit and I still have not riveted them nor have final installed the rear window, though they have been test fitted (cleco's for the skin and screws for the rear window). They will stay off probably until I am ready for the DAR inspection. Have to get into the tailcone one more time for the magnetometer install (avionics kit).

 

[Mark Henderson]

There is no rush

I asked the same question a while back. There was no definitive answer. Having gotten past this point, here is my 2 cents. If you are going to paint with a gun, leave them off. It is a real pain to try to hit all the nooks and crannies and keep the hose out of the way. If you are using rattle cans, no big deal.It is easier to reach in if the skins are off. If I was building another 12 I would leave them off until the wiring and controls are complete.
I am putting mine on a rotisserie this week, in part to make up for the skins being on. Either way you can have a quality build, but why make things more difficult.

 

[Threetracker]

Off or On ...just a matter of choice...

There of dozens of operations that are easier one way or the other. I put my sides on as per instruction sequence and I have been able to do everything I had to with the fuselage on its' side. I wouldn't put the rear window in until the interior and exterior painting are complete...I expect that eventually I'll have to crawl into the tail for some reason and I want to 'save the plastic' from distress.

Probably the only thing I would do totally out of sequence is install the fuel line fitting below the floor in it's bulkhead before the floor skin goes on...that install was a royal pain.

The Vans Team has done a very nice job with the planning and the plans for the 'first go around'. The only thing they totally missed the boat on was having kits available in good time...they really were slow! There are a number of people that are very disappointed in not making OSH this year.

Jay Sluiter
N124CS
Albany, OR