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Jig Assembly
To build a good flying airplane you need to build it straight. So I decided
to use teleposts and sqare metal tubing. I was leary of wood since it would
twist with humidity changes. My 1/16" thinwall 3x3 metal tubing is true
for the whole 10' length and won't change either. I edged the metal with
3/4" pine so that I could attach the hinge brackets with screws.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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Empennage Parts Inventory
So you want to build an RV-8... here is what the empennage kits looks like,
less some of the spars channels which I have hidden in the back.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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Primed rear spar components
I decided to go with the rattle can Zinc Chromate primers, its just too
easy. Color selection was limited as you can see but it will all be covered
up anyway.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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HS-411
HS-411 center hinge bearing, watch your rivet length.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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HS-413 Empennage hinge
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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HS-412 empennage hinge
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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Hinges clecoed to rear spar
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Hinges clecoed to HS-603 rear spar
Preparing to install the hinges to the rear spar
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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Completed Rear Spar
Completed rear spar with hinges attached.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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HS-810 & HS-814 on front spar
Alining the HS-810 and HS-814 flanges to the HS-602 front spar. I used
a hint from another builder on the web for the overall distance of HS-602.
I shortened Vans distance by a little over 1/16" thinking I would rather
shim than fabricate new tongues on HS-602 if it was too long. As it turned
out, my distance was perfect, no shims needed.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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Completed HS-810 & HS-814 front spar flanges
HS-810 and HS-814, construction was straight forward, my bandsaw cut the
aluminum perfectly. Just watch your edge clearances on the HS-810 when
drilling the holes in the drill press, and don't drill the holes for the
HS-404 and HS405 rib. Leave it till your ready to assemble the front spar
to the skeleton. I found out the hard way.....
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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Alodine treated HS-810 & HS-814
HS-810 and HS-814 after alodine treatment. My first attempt at Alodining
was fruitless, wish I would of utilized the RV-List first. The instructions
say to apply with a scotchbrite pad, don't waste your time again. Use the
dip method, dip the part for 1 minute and rinse. The outcome is a nice
golden color.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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HS-602 front spar prior to riveting
Completed front spar awaiting my rivet gun. The front spar construction
is not difficult, just take your time and follow the instructions. And
never assume anything, assumption is the mother of all evils..... as I
found out.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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HS-602 front spar completed
Completed front spar, awaiting priming and attachment to the skeleton
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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Ribs attached to HS-603PP rear spar
Mounting the ribs to the HS-603, don't waste time measuring like I did
trying to find the exact location. Use the skins as a guide, especially
for the HS-405 and HS-608 rib.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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Skeleton Assembly
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HS-405 Modification
My first mistake... after the anxiety left I found a solution (the anxiety
lasted for about 4 hours). I made the mistake of drilling HS-810 and HS-814
for the HS-405 rib attachment, my problem was that after drilling the holes
through into HS-405 I found that I did not have edge tolerance for the
-4 rivet. After seeing I had some room in the HS-602 front spar I fabricated
new flanges for the HS-405 which were just long enough to give me edge
tolerance. A quick call to Vans and they seemed to like my fix.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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Skeleton prior to riveting
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Skeleton prior to riveting
The skeleton in the jig, I decided to install the skeleton in the jig before
I had installed the front spar. I found it easier and thought alignment
was easier.
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Photograph taken on: 5/29/99
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Skeleton in jig
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Skinning the Horizontal Stab
Ensure your clothspins are located in a position to achieve a tight fit.
This arrangement worked out great for me.
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Photograph taken on: 9/26/99
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Horizontal Stab Skin drilled to skeleton
I used clecos on every hole I drilled, I was worried about oil canning.
In the end everything turned out great.
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Photograph taken on: 9/26/99
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Vertical Stab Rear Spar components
Here is the VS-803 and VS-808, my VS-808 had a slight banana to it. I just
lightly bent it the other way and tookk most of it out.
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Photograph taken on: 9/26/99
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VS-803 and VS-808
This shows the dimpling on the VS-803 and the countersinking of the VS-808.
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Photograph taken on: 9/26/99
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Completed Rear Vertical Stab Spar
No problems were encounterd on the rear spar, it is pretty much the same
idea as the HS rear spar.
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Photograph taken on: 9/26/99
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VS Skeleton Assembly
I used the skin to align the ribs along the rear spar. worked out quite
well.
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Photograph taken on: 9/26/99
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VS Skeleton in the Jig
Same principle as the HS, I ended up buying another telepost and installing
a seperate beam for the VS construction. I wanted to have both the VS and
HS ready for inspection in the jig before final rivetting.
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Photograph taken on: 9/26/99
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VS Skin Drilled
VS skin drilled and rivetted on the spar and center rib on one side. Waiting
for inspection.
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Photograph taken on: 9/26/99
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Rudder Construction
A different approach is taken here, but not all that difficult. Mark you
spar line and stiffener locations on the skin.
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Photograph taken on: 9/26/99
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Stiffener Closeup
Here is a different angle of the stiffeners, my band saw made fabricating
them quite easy. I have read that some have use snips, I'd invest in a
$150 band saw.
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Photograph taken on: 9/26/99
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Completed Rudder
Rudder section riveted on one side awaiting inspection before close-up.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Right Elevator Skin
Right Elevator skin with stiffeners backrivetted on and trailing edge bend
complete. Right elevator construction is quite basic after completing the
Rudder.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Right Elevator Jig
Right Elevator in jig supplied by Van's, After checking alignment you can
drill the skin to the skeleton.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Counter Balance Skin
Close up of the Elevator counter balance skin prior to drilling.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Right Elevator
Right Elevator rivetted on one side and awaiting inspection before close-up
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Left Elevator
The dreaded left elevator, construction to this point is pretty straight
forward. The only difference is the length of the stiffeners at the root
end.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Trim Support Plate
The Trim support plate backrivetted to the elevator skin along with the
placenuts.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Trim Support Plate
Exterior view of the trim support plate, do yourself a favor and tape the
edges of you backrivetting plate. As you can see I have induced a bit of
a rash on my skin. @#$& !!
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Left Elevator Skelton
Basic construction, the only difference is the rear spar.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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E-605 Rib
My E-605 inboard rib seemed to be too short to align right. I added a shim
between the rib and the E-606 rear spar to align things right.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Dreaded Bends
I wasn't looking forward to this, especially after reading all the horror
stories on the various web sites. Things turned out ok, not perferct by
any means but good enough. Thanks Moe for the great info you have on your
site.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Trim Tab
View of the trim tab with bends completed and drilled to E-607 trim spar.
In view is one of 2 control horns which will attach to my trim servo in
the elevator.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Trim Tab Hinge
I trial fitted my trim tab to the elevator and measured the required distance
to maintain my trailing edge line on the outboard edge. I then centered
this distance on the hinge centerline to find my line up points on either
surface. Drilling was uneventful.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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Trim Tab Mounting
I clamped the inboard end and lined up and supported the outboard end and
proceded to drill the outboard end. After clecoing the inboard end I adjusted
the outboard end to line up with the trailing edge line before drilling.
All in all things went quite well. My edge distance between my tab end
and elevator is off a little but mainly because my bend in the elevator
skin was not perfectly straight.
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Photograph taken on: 11/16/99
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