Well the wings showed up today and I have them pretty much unpacked and ready to inventory tomorrow. One question though, are the instructions layed out like they were for the empenage kit, with little boxes by each step or are they alot more vague? I really liked the way they were layed out in the empenage kit and just want to make sure I have the right instructions before I start.
Van's Air Force
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instructions for wing build
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LifeofReiley
Well Known Member
You're pretty much spoon fed with the emp plans. With the wings you get a fork, the fuse... well you get the picture. Chop Sticks...
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morlino
Well Known Member
It's not so bad
It looks like I'm just a little bit ahead of you at this point. I match drilled my right (I'm not sure why I am building the right wing first) tank skin this evening. So far the build instructions for the wings have not been too bad. Just try not to get the initial overload of nutplates and rib preparation get to you... Life gets much better when you are done with those tedious tasks and you start putting something together that looks like a wing.
It looks like I'm just a little bit ahead of you at this point. I match drilled my right (I'm not sure why I am building the right wing first) tank skin this evening. So far the build instructions for the wings have not been too bad. Just try not to get the initial overload of nutplates and rib preparation get to you... Life gets much better when you are done with those tedious tasks and you start putting something together that looks like a wing.
I can handle the tedious things well, at least I know I'm not screwing something up by doing that. Where can I get a good set of prayer beads? By the way it sounds, I'll need a set. The only thing I worry about is riveting something before I'm supposed to. Empenage kit walked you right along so there was no real confusion. Guess the only way to do it is to just do it. Wish me luck.
I wouldn't worry about it. I am taking my time and finished the spar and spent last weekend working on all the ribs and just clecoed them to the spars. Look at the drawings closely and do a lot of research on the web from other builder who came before use. There is a lot of good info out there. If your confused, then post a question and you get a ton a replies with great advise.
57 hours after inventory and here I am.
57 hours after inventory and here I am.
morlino
Well Known Member
Don't worry about riveting too early. You'll need to set some rivets for the tiedowns and a whole bunch of nutplates. But you'll have to do a fair amount clecoing and unclecoing of most of the skins so you'll have a pretty good idea of the assembly order before you need to rivet ribs to spars or skins to ribs.
I like Naruto's setup that lets him build both wings at the same time. If you've got the room that is probably the best way to go. You'll probably need a bunch more 3/32 clecos (and also some more 1/8 clecos too) though. I borrowed about 200 more 3/32 clecos from another builder plus what I have from the Avery kit (maybe 250?) and there have been times when I could have used a few more just building my right wing...
I like Naruto's setup that lets him build both wings at the same time. If you've got the room that is probably the best way to go. You'll probably need a bunch more 3/32 clecos (and also some more 1/8 clecos too) though. I borrowed about 200 more 3/32 clecos from another builder plus what I have from the Avery kit (maybe 250?) and there have been times when I could have used a few more just building my right wing...
LettersFromFlyoverCountry
Well Known Member
The drawings ARE the primary means of building an RV. The problem is the drawings don't tell you the best order to do something in. However, there are so many RV 7/7A build sites now, you can easily follow along with any of them, consulting the drawings constantly, and you'll be fine.
Thanks for the info. What worries me is finding a situation where I would do something before I should and have to drill a bunch of rivets out. There were a couple spots on the empenage where the instructions said do not rivet or drill a certain part at that point in time. Like I said, I like being spoon fed. I just sleep easier at night knowing for sure I an doing it correctly. These things are not cheap. Oh ya, one quick question, I didn't look to far ahead yet but was just wondering, does it tell you when to run electrical lines for lights and where to run them? That was just one concern I had but if someone has the answer for me, I won't have to look for the answer myself. Not yet anyways
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When ever you see "rivet in assembly" and a bubble around several rivets on the drawings, it means there are multiple parts that get riveted together.
http://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/Wing_Wiring.pdf
I also forgot to say that what ever you thought you were going to spend, forget about it. While working on the wings there are a ton of things I want for my RV that don't come with the wing kit or tool kits that I will be spending quite a bit more money earlier than expected. I just dropped over $300.00 from vans for things like deluxe fuel caps (standard ones will work but suck) AN fittings, fuel pick ups....ect. I figured I'd spend about $1,500.00 more on things like more convenient tools, strobe kit, position lights, landing lights, pitot (haven't decided about heated or non heated yet), pitot mast and pitot tubing...ect. I still need to decided if I want a autopilot yet. Lots of thing to think about on whether you want it or not and whether you want to build it yourself or buy it to save time. Obviously it is going to cost you if you go for all the bells and whistles. I'm going way over budget and I haven't told the wife yet.
http://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/Wing_Wiring.pdf
I also forgot to say that what ever you thought you were going to spend, forget about it. While working on the wings there are a ton of things I want for my RV that don't come with the wing kit or tool kits that I will be spending quite a bit more money earlier than expected. I just dropped over $300.00 from vans for things like deluxe fuel caps (standard ones will work but suck) AN fittings, fuel pick ups....ect. I figured I'd spend about $1,500.00 more on things like more convenient tools, strobe kit, position lights, landing lights, pitot (haven't decided about heated or non heated yet), pitot mast and pitot tubing...ect. I still need to decided if I want a autopilot yet. Lots of thing to think about on whether you want it or not and whether you want to build it yourself or buy it to save time. Obviously it is going to cost you if you go for all the bells and whistles. I'm going way over budget and I haven't told the wife yet.
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LettersFromFlyoverCountry
Well Known Member
Yes, you do.
I picked up a Tru-Trak pictoral pilot. They make brackets to bolt it right into the wing. They have brackets for either wing. I had a Century I in my Cherkee 140, and it was really nice to have it to handle the directional chores on a longer trip. My Mooney had a Century IIB which never really worked right, so I didn't use it. Really missed having an autopilot.
I ran some of Van's conduit through the ribs to the tips after my top wing skins were riveted on. I drilled the ribs prior to installing them on the wing spar. I followed Dan C. 's original before reading through to where he advised against that location due to difficulty because of where they need to enter the fuse. So my conduit now enters the wing root in the location Van's recommends, low on the rib aft of the 1st lightening hole, and after the wing walk ribs transitions to the upper corner where rib meets spar. The conduit is well secured and clear of the aileron control. I used the "tie a string to a cotton ball" method to get strings to pull wires through. Man, does that work well! It was so easy I blew 5 into each wing, lol.
I figure when it's time I can make a cut into the conduit very close to where the auto pilot is to pull wires. The only other thing I see in the wings is the landing lights, Duckworks, both wings, and recognition lights. Strictly VFR for me.
I did buy my fuel pick ups from Vans, 1 ea std & flop tube. Std. float fuel senders. Stainless steel pitot tube from Vans. Used the aluminum tube & fittings suppplied wih the kit. Van's pitot tube isn't the most attractive or fancy. But it's simple, cheap, and proven. One of the last things I want to deal with when flying off hours is any inaccuracy in the pitot system. I'm VFR only anyway.
I ran some of Van's conduit through the ribs to the tips after my top wing skins were riveted on. I drilled the ribs prior to installing them on the wing spar. I followed Dan C. 's original before reading through to where he advised against that location due to difficulty because of where they need to enter the fuse. So my conduit now enters the wing root in the location Van's recommends, low on the rib aft of the 1st lightening hole, and after the wing walk ribs transitions to the upper corner where rib meets spar. The conduit is well secured and clear of the aileron control. I used the "tie a string to a cotton ball" method to get strings to pull wires through. Man, does that work well! It was so easy I blew 5 into each wing, lol.
I figure when it's time I can make a cut into the conduit very close to where the auto pilot is to pull wires. The only other thing I see in the wings is the landing lights, Duckworks, both wings, and recognition lights. Strictly VFR for me.
I did buy my fuel pick ups from Vans, 1 ea std & flop tube. Std. float fuel senders. Stainless steel pitot tube from Vans. Used the aluminum tube & fittings suppplied wih the kit. Van's pitot tube isn't the most attractive or fancy. But it's simple, cheap, and proven. One of the last things I want to deal with when flying off hours is any inaccuracy in the pitot system. I'm VFR only anyway.
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mikeasselin
Member
Thinking ahead - Wings
A heads up for down the road.
You will want to look ahead to take a good look at how the tanks splice with the leading edge skins. The placement of the initial holes in the tank attach brackets will dictate how the joint alignes from top of wing to bottom of wing. When the plans say to drill exactly in the centre of the tank attach bracket they mean it.
I have built my ailerons and the wings and tanks are all match drilled and looking good so far.
Next step for me is to prepare/seal and rivet the tanks. Wish me luck!
A heads up for down the road.
You will want to look ahead to take a good look at how the tanks splice with the leading edge skins. The placement of the initial holes in the tank attach brackets will dictate how the joint alignes from top of wing to bottom of wing. When the plans say to drill exactly in the centre of the tank attach bracket they mean it.
I have built my ailerons and the wings and tanks are all match drilled and looking good so far.
Next step for me is to prepare/seal and rivet the tanks. Wish me luck!
Got another question, when I counter sink the holes in the main spar for the tank nutplates, do you end up drilling out so much metal that the holes become pretty large? I dimpled a scrap piece of metal with an 8, put the screw in it, then placed it in the countersunk hole and kept countersinking until the scrap fit in the hole. Used a #30 countersinker. I assume this is right but just seems like you have to remove an enormous amount of metal to get the dimple flush. The hole is way larger than the screw at this point but otherwise the dimple won't fit flush. Did 2 that way and stopped to ask if it's right before I move on.
yes...
As long as you are going just deep enough to allow the dimple to lay flush and no more, you are doing it correctly.
It does remove a lot of material which does enlarge the hole slightly. That is why you are pre installing the nut plates and using a #30 countersink cutter piloting in the nut plate. If you used a #19 coutersink cutter there would be no material there for the pilot to center in.
As long as you are going just deep enough to allow the dimple to lay flush and no more, you are doing it correctly.
It does remove a lot of material which does enlarge the hole slightly. That is why you are pre installing the nut plates and using a #30 countersink cutter piloting in the nut plate. If you used a #19 coutersink cutter there would be no material there for the pilot to center in.
When I put the dimple in the hole, it fills it up and lays fairly flat. When you look at the hole itself, it's alot larger than the screw shaft. I assume this is correct even though it looks bad. The strength to hold the gas tank on must come from the friction of tightening the screws and not having the shaft of the screw tight in the hole. Is this correct?
RVAddict
Well Known Member
It's called a "Mouse"
Believe it or not, they actually make such a thing comercially. You tie a small twine to it, Pull the mouse through with a vaccum cleaner, or blow it through with compressed air. Then tie a larger twine to the first, one that is suitable for pulling larger wire, and there you have it. Makes long wire pulls MUCH easier, for times when a fishtape just won't do it....
Josh
Actually most of the strength is from the shear strength of the dimple in the countersink.
Pre-Punch RV 8 Fuselage Instructions
If it makes you feel better (or worse), the new prepunch RV 8 fuselage instructions are back to the check boxes. As a first time builder, I find that really reassuring. I complete a task, check the box and date it.
The wings were a shock after the really clear empennage instructions. But, you figure it out eventually. As others have said, really study the plans. The instructions are certainly good enough.
Good luck
Michael Wynn,
RV 8 Fuselage
San Ramon, CA
If it makes you feel better (or worse), the new prepunch RV 8 fuselage instructions are back to the check boxes. As a first time builder, I find that really reassuring. I complete a task, check the box and date it.
The wings were a shock after the really clear empennage instructions. But, you figure it out eventually. As others have said, really study the plans. The instructions are certainly good enough.
Good luck
Michael Wynn,
RV 8 Fuselage
San Ramon, CA
Mating the fuel tank skin to the outer leading edge
A previous poster on this thread made mention of mating the fuel tank skins to the leading edge skins. Vans' plans are not very clear on this subject area, but RV-7 builder Dan Checkoway has a brilliant way to address this on his website... http://www.rvproject.com/ . I did it that way with excellent results. Go to his website and find where he talks about it.
Vans plans may be lacking in many areas, but the beauty of the internet and the beauty of such great people as Doug Reeves and Dan Checkoway make this project a heck of a lot easier!
A previous poster on this thread made mention of mating the fuel tank skins to the leading edge skins. Vans' plans are not very clear on this subject area, but RV-7 builder Dan Checkoway has a brilliant way to address this on his website... http://www.rvproject.com/ . I did it that way with excellent results. Go to his website and find where he talks about it.
Vans plans may be lacking in many areas, but the beauty of the internet and the beauty of such great people as Doug Reeves and Dan Checkoway make this project a heck of a lot easier!
I do have to thank Dan for a tip on drilling the gas tank nut plates. He made a jig to keep the center of the countersinker in place. I did the first 2 holes with out one and they were horrible. Drilled a hole in scrap aluminum and clamped it under each hole and they turned out great. Thanks Dan.
