Hi everyone. My first post. I am new to all this so any help is appreciated. I ordered my empennage kit for the RV7A last week and should be arriving shortly. I also bought the complete RV tool kit from Browns Tools. I have a question on the garage space required. I have a 2 car garage (seperated garage doors). Both my cars are now parked outside so the whole garage will be dedicated to my project. My garage dimensions are: 16' length, 19' width and 8' height. The height of each garage door opening is only 6'10". Will my garage be enough for assembling all the parts? i know i will have to attach the wings in a hangar and the weels too. But how about the fuselage and empennage, engine???? Does anyone have similar garage dimensions or close to it that can help here? Thank you.
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New RV-7A Construction Project
- Thread starter osaleh
- Start date
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
Welcome to VAF!!!!
Omar, welcome to the best RV site on the net
You can build in the space you have-----a friend built a 10 in something about the same size.
Plan things out well, build movable work/building benches, and set up a movable table for the drill press, band saw, and belt sander-----all will fit on a surprisingly small area.
I wouldnt be surprised if photos of the above magically appear here
Omar, welcome to the best RV site on the net
You can build in the space you have-----a friend built a 10 in something about the same size.
Plan things out well, build movable work/building benches, and set up a movable table for the drill press, band saw, and belt sander-----all will fit on a surprisingly small area.
I wouldnt be surprised if photos of the above magically appear here
lorne green
Well Known Member
Omar
Welcome to the club! Good choice.
Two car garage is plenty of space, although the Fuse with the emp attached will only fit diagonally in that space assuming that the wings are stored off site.
Regards.
Welcome to the club! Good choice.
Two car garage is plenty of space, although the Fuse with the emp attached will only fit diagonally in that space assuming that the wings are stored off site.
Regards.
rzbill
Well Known Member
Don't jump too fast to obtain big power tools
If you are working in a smaller space, the band saw and belt sander can be considered luxury items. A hack saw and a file can do everything the above tools do. Use of a drill press (bench top is adequate) is mandatory in order make some of the parts in a safe and good quality manner.
Put everything on wheels.
Build a robust table and stick a good vice on the corner.
Put everything on wheels
Save the crate lumber from Vans. You can use it to make wing cradles.
Put everything on wheels
If you are working in a smaller space, the band saw and belt sander can be considered luxury items. A hack saw and a file can do everything the above tools do. Use of a drill press (bench top is adequate) is mandatory in order make some of the parts in a safe and good quality manner.
Put everything on wheels.
Build a robust table and stick a good vice on the corner.
Put everything on wheels
Save the crate lumber from Vans. You can use it to make wing cradles.
Put everything on wheels
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Welcome to Obsession Sir!
The height of the door is good. Mine has 6' 3" and with the canopy I still have 1" clearance. Eight feet shop height is good, I have 7'. Your length and width are marginal fuse about 15 feet long. But hey it's still a shop. I built my empennage in small basement studio in New York and my HS barely fits the kitchenette.
The picture from 2006
Now
The height of the door is good. Mine has 6' 3" and with the canopy I still have 1" clearance. Eight feet shop height is good, I have 7'. Your length and width are marginal fuse about 15 feet long. But hey it's still a shop. I built my empennage in small basement studio in New York and my HS barely fits the kitchenette.
The picture from 2006
Now
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Rick6a
Well Known Member
OMAR,
First off, welcome to VAF. You could not have discovered a finer source of RV information than exists right here.
It seems your garage and my garage are similar in size and euphemistically referred to as "2-car." Yeah, I suppose that technically you *can* wedge two vehicles within that space IF you leave the floor almost completely devoid of anything. An empty garage floor? Under the best of circumstances, what do you think the chances of that are? Still, shown with its door closed I was able to assemble my RV's and do everything...and I mean everything but splice the wings on within its confining dimensions. The cars stay outside. To illustrate, I offer you the following image and note the closed door:
Nothing conveys an idea like an image and I hope you develop the habit of posting your own. Still, space wise you have a greater challenge than I did because my garage at 19' X 19' enjoys 3' greater length than yours does.
Nevertheless, you should be able to build your entire airplane including its attached engine and propeller and roll the airframe around on its landing gear within the confines of your 16' X 19' garage. If you are clever enough to build an airplane you are clever enough to figure that one out.
Again...welcome aboard!
agirard7a
Well Known Member
Build on wheels
Also, after you put the fuse together, go to
UHaul and buy a furniture dolly (four rotating wheels and sits about
6" of the ground). Attach 2 2x4's, one vert. One horizontal on top of the verticle
make the width of the fuse and this will support under the center wing strut of the fuse. Take another 2x4 and run it aft to support the tail. Attach a 2x4 "T" to support the tail with another single wheel below.
Works great as a fuse dolly about 10" off the ground, nice and low and
is great for working on the fuse and move out of the garage to work on a sunny warm day. Wear sunglasses.
I also built a temp. Extension off the front of my garage
4' deep. 8'wide, 8'high with a slight pitched roof. Easy to build with
1/2" cdx ply and some 2x4s. Allows me to tuck the tail out the garrage so
to have room to work on the engine.
Also, after you put the fuse together, go to
UHaul and buy a furniture dolly (four rotating wheels and sits about
6" of the ground). Attach 2 2x4's, one vert. One horizontal on top of the verticle
make the width of the fuse and this will support under the center wing strut of the fuse. Take another 2x4 and run it aft to support the tail. Attach a 2x4 "T" to support the tail with another single wheel below.
Works great as a fuse dolly about 10" off the ground, nice and low and
is great for working on the fuse and move out of the garage to work on a sunny warm day. Wear sunglasses.
I also built a temp. Extension off the front of my garage
4' deep. 8'wide, 8'high with a slight pitched roof. Easy to build with
1/2" cdx ply and some 2x4s. Allows me to tuck the tail out the garrage so
to have room to work on the engine.
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sbarger24
Well Known Member
Welcome
Your going to love that airplane when you get it done! One thing I would do differently if I ever build another one, would be to keep it in the garage as long as possible. I jumped into a hangar as soon as I got my quick build kit, with a garage about the same size as yours. The truth be told I cold have built the project nearly complete to the point of just installing the wings in my garage. By driving just 10 minutes to the hangar everytime I wanted to work on the project cost me at least a year of build time. When you have it in your garage going out for 10 mins after dinner is know big deal
Your going to love that airplane when you get it done! One thing I would do differently if I ever build another one, would be to keep it in the garage as long as possible. I jumped into a hangar as soon as I got my quick build kit, with a garage about the same size as yours. The truth be told I cold have built the project nearly complete to the point of just installing the wings in my garage. By driving just 10 minutes to the hangar everytime I wanted to work on the project cost me at least a year of build time. When you have it in your garage going out for 10 mins after dinner is know big deal
thank you all
thank you all for your inputs. i will definitly throw away the grinder wheel i used to grind the stiffeners. Now I know, Aluminum and Iron oxide makes Thermite. I think i will go in this order:
1) SNIP or BandSaw
2) Belt Sander
3) ScotchBrite wheel
4) File if needed
thank you all for your inputs. i will definitly throw away the grinder wheel i used to grind the stiffeners. Now I know, Aluminum and Iron oxide makes Thermite. I think i will go in this order:
1) SNIP or BandSaw
2) Belt Sander
3) ScotchBrite wheel
4) File if needed
great ideas. do you have pictures for the dolly after you added the 2X4s? as for the garage extension, i am not sure my community association will allow me to do that.
thank you sir
thank you sir.
OMAR,
First off, welcome to VAF. You could not have discovered a finer source of RV information than exists right here.
It seems your garage and my garage are similar in size and euphemistically referred to as "2-car." Yeah, I suppose that technically you *can* wedge two vehicles within that space IF you leave the floor almost completely devoid of anything. An empty garage floor? Under the best of circumstances, what do you think the chances of that are? Still, shown with its door closed I was able to assemble my RV's and do everything...and I mean everything but splice the wings on within its confining dimensions. The cars stay outside. To illustrate, I offer you the following image and note the closed door:
Nothing conveys an idea like an image and I hope you develop the habit of posting your own. Still, space wise you have a greater challenge than I did because my garage at 19' X 19' enjoys 3' greater length than yours does.
Nevertheless, you should be able to build your entire airplane including its attached engine and propeller and roll the airframe around on its landing gear within the confines of your 16' X 19' garage. If you are clever enough to build an airplane you are clever enough to figure that one out.
Again...welcome aboard!
thank you sir.
