Wing Cradle

RV14 Build March 17

Quick Build Wing

After we messed up the flange we decide to stop working on the airplane because it clearly was one of those days. But I figured we couldn't bungle a wing cradle too bad so we decided to build that.

I more or less copied Tims wing cradle design.

I found on Aertoons website what the quickbuild look like and modified the cradle by putting carpet on both sides so the wing spar has less risk of falling off the cradle moving from the truck to the shop.

Vans did come out with quick build wing instructions on the website now with pictures it looks like, although currently its only 2 pages long, so more to come I would think.

Basic dimensions.

They are 9.5' long** after looking at Shawn's Im going to shorten them to 8.5'

The vertical are 26"

The horizontal are 28"

The carpet is 24"

Wing Cradle 2.0 Man Hours

Shop Time...New Bench

RV14 Build December 8

FWD MID FUSE Side Structure

I made this bench to hold this section, I got smart and made the height the same as my saw horses. I also cut the saw horses I made for the paint booth to be the same height as the bigger work bench. This was some real foresight!

Bought a new tool for back Friday! Its very satisfying to use .

Shop 3.0 Hours

Fuselage Inventory and organizing the shop

RV14 Build October 2 & 4

Fuselage

Continuing the inventory and organizing the shop!

Lots of counting. In the end I was only missing a few pieces of hardware.

Still counting

Things are starting to get organized. I separated all of the different rivets, pop rivets, nuts, bolts etc into their own bags and labeled everything. Made notations on the pull sheet to reference my new categories. Everything will then get put into plastic storage separators by type. AN426, AN470, Pop Rivets, and Hardware.

Boom! All organized and nice.

Now its time to reorganize the shop to fit everything in here.

Before.

After. I moved my storage racks against the other wall because this was kind of a dead space in the shop for me and put the shipping container on top of them to store the larger longer pieces still. I covered it with shipping paper just t help keep things clean. Way up top left is the Empennage control surfaces and in the top right above the paint booth is the rear fuselage.

Inventory 6.5 Man Hours, Shop 2.0 Hours

Elevator May 6

May 6

Shop

I WENT SHOPPING TODAY, YEAH NEW TOOLS!!! I finally broke down and decided to buy a band saw, wish I wold have done this way sooner. I also spent some money on the paint booth. I bought 2 new LED lights and mounted them, so I will have 40,000 Lumens of light from all around now when I paint. I also put up 2 more 2X4 cross beams on the roof of the booth so that I can store finished parts on top when the time comes that I will need the space.

Elevator

I had only planed on doing work on the shop today, but I was feeling good and wanted to get some work done. I trimmed a few pieces to size.

Used a soldering iron to melt the blue plastic off the upper and lower skins to bend the close out flanges on the elevator that has the trim tab.

The plans have to measure off the bend line to start the bend, presumable to get the correct radius and location. The distance for the upper and lower are different, i think by 1/32 so that the one close out flange will sit just inside of the other. Again, my moving to fast without reading I didn't catch this until after I bent both side.

Used a wood block clamped to the table to bend the tab down with my fingers and used the rivet gun with a flush set to finish the bend at at VERY low PSI.

 Over all, Im very pleased with how well the technique works.

Slowing down now, reading the plans I came across a part I didn't understand. the trim tab hinge is suppose to be directional, front and back. I didn't know if it came that way or if the 2 holes they plans have you drill in it make it directional. the eyelet on the metal hinge didn't match up with the drawings adding to my confusion. Vans said it's the holes you drill and the eyelet side doesn't matter.

Time to use the new tools! The elevators use foam blocks to help the trailing edge keep its shape, I've read other peoples blogs where they didn't cut the blocks exactly and it caused a wave in the trailing edge so I was exact as possible to keep each one uniformed.

 Had to run to the store to pick up this step drill bit, these things are not cheap!

Finished the day with the initial mock-up almost completed!

Shop 3.5 Hours, Elevator 3.0

Shop March 10th

March 10th

Shop

I spent several hours today working on the shop. I wanted to get the shelve up and installed and remove all the cardboard boxes I had been using to protect the floor in the painting area and lay down some protective paper. The cardboard had to many cracks and opening so it was impossible to clean the dust out of that area.

Installed the second header board. This one I bought a 2X6 and 3" anchor bolts, it feels a lot more solid than the doubled up 2X4s.

Finished the shelf and loaded all the finished pieces as well as the longer fuselage parts. Making all the cuts with a battery powered circular saw is less than ideal. If I keep doing wood working Im going to need to buy a table say and a miter saw. Im thinking about trying to build some furniture pieces for me apartment so who knows...

Have the floor cleaned up and the paper down in the paint booth area.

 Decided to move the back shelving unit to the other was to clean up the space.

Shop 3.0 Hours

Horizontal Stabilizer and Shop March 8

March 8

Horizontal Stabilizer

Got back to the shop today, spent most of the time deburring the rest of the HS ribs.

The Emery Cloth does a really nice job of getting into the tighter parts on the ribs are deburring. I am starting with the dremel green Scoth-Brite pads, then going over it with the 320 grit and finally the 600. I was just the 400 and calling it good, but I got worried it was to course. So a little extra time, but it makes me feel better. Then i do all the edges with the Scoth-Brite wheel that it can reach, that thing deburs in no time, so much easier!

Finally finished all the deburring!

Next the plans have you bend angles onto 4 or the pieces, this was easy enough just used the edge seamer and bent slightly. 

Now I have to make cradles to build the HS structure in. The plans say to use the shipping container wood, which is nice because I need to cut that up and clear out the space its taking up in the shop anyway.

Final HS jigs.

Shop

Next I decided t cut up the rest of the shipping crate to get it out of my space.

I repurposed the 2x4 legs to use as header boards for the raised storage shelf I said I wanted to put in.

Stopped by home depot on the way home and picked up the rest of the wood that I think I need to build my shelf. Ive never done this before, and I intend to put the finished pieces up there so the are stores safe until I need them in final assembly so I really hope google didn't lie to me about how to install header boards!

Horizontal Stabilizer 3.0 Hours, Shop 2.5 Hours