|
|
|
The hardest part of any project is getting started. Building an airplane can be an intimidating experience, and the more you prepare before your kit arrives, the better off you will be. Where to start? First your going to need a place to build. This was a major obstacle
for me, as I live Tools Your next consideration is tools. I recommend getting one of the
starter kits from Avery or Cleveland. Both have high quality merchandise
and great service. Beyond this, a general rule of thumb is that the more $$$ you
spend, the easier this will be. Unless you want to get intimately familiar with a sanding
block and file, get a
Priming When I asked about primers, I got more advice then I could ever list here, and I ended up more confused then ever. Basically there are three schools of thought: 1. I must spend a million hours and a million dollars on priming my plane, so it will last a million years. I prime, therefore I am. 2. I will prime because I want to do a quality job, but I'm not going nuts. 3. I don't give a damn. Cessna doesn't prime, so why the hell should I? Of course it's not really that cut and dry, but it's close. There are hundreds of ways to protect your internal structure. I'm a #2. I use Sherwin Williams 988 self etching primer in a spray can on my Aluminum parts. I highly recommend it. Fast, easy, no cleanup, great for touchups. Call 1-800-SW-ULTRA for a distributor near you. I prime my steel parts with Tempo Zinc Chromate after sandblasting. The Sherwin Williams 988 does not offer a moisture barrier, so it's not the best thing for steel. Click HERE to see pictures from a little experiment I did with some different primers.
Bench Space Your not going to be able to build this thing on the floor, and you've got a long way before it sits on it's own wheels, so you'll need some bench space. I started off by making a 3X8ft monster out of 4x4's and 3/4" plywood. This thing will outlast me. It was way overkill, and I spent too much time and effort building it. I recently built a simple 4x8 bench out of 2x4's and this is now my primary work space. A few small tables and some folding chairs round out the shop nicely.
Extra Help There's plenty of help out there for builders, you just have to search a little. I get alot of information from the RV-List. This is a group of several hundred people who argue about trivial matters pertaining to building RV's. If you have a question, they will answer it. The Orndorff building and sheetmetal videos are a must have. They are extremely helpful in figuring out the sometimes fuzzy plans. Frank Vanderhulst has a very nice set of directions he wrote for the RV-6, and much of it applies to the RV-8. I bought a few reference books from the Builders Bookstore. Much of it is dry reading, but books like "Aircraft Inspection and Repair", and "Aircraft Sheetmetal" can be helpful in figuring out the confusing hardware designations. They also sell the Orndorff videos.
|
|
Top of Page |
in a condominium, and my association are a
bunch of communists who don't allow me to park my pickup outside the garage. I
considered building in my wastepaper warehouse, but quickly dropped this idea as my
employees are experts at running over things with the forklift. I went to the local
airport to look for hangers, but unless you're going to share one, the price is probably
too high. If you can find another builder to buddy up with, you're in business. I would
not recommend sharing a hanger with somebody who has a completed aircraft, for obvious
liability reasons. Also consider the fact that most hangers lack electricity, and most
airports prohibit kerosene heaters. I am currently renting space in a printshop across the
street from work, and it's perfect. I've got a space about the size of a 2 car
garage, and it's lighted, heated, and air-conditioned!
belt/disc sander. A bench grinder and
scotchbrite wheel is also very useful, but get a model with only 1 wheel, a second wheel
only gets in the way when deburring long parts. I bought a small 10" reach 1/4"
bandsaw from Sears, and I use it often. From here you can wing it, buying as you go along.
I invested a small fortune on a Pneumatic squeezer, and now I can't live without it. At
$500, it's a tough nut to crack, but you
won't be sorry, I highly recommend
it. Whether you use a hand or pneumatic squeezer, a flange yoke is very useful, as is a
thin nosed yoke. If you are planning on getting a pneumatic squeezer, get the Avery hand
squeezer to go with it, as the yokes are interchangeable. Clamps are another necessity,
and you can never have enough. I keep 3 types handy: quickgrips, springclamps, and
c-clamps. As I go along, I'll make note of what tools I bought for each job, and include
pictures when I can.
