And so it begins......

Mike Smith

Mike Smith

En-Route
Joined
May 15, 2011
Messages
2,627
Location
Prattville, Alabama
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Fresh Prince of PrattVegas
This morning I took delivery of an RV-9 empennage kit. Spent the day gathering material to get my work tables built. About to head out to start building tables. I bought lumber to build hanging shelves for larger pieces and some wall mounted parts bins for rivets and cleco’s etc. I hope to be banging rivets in a week or so after getting my shop set up. I bought the tool box practice kit, I’ll do that first of course. There is a fundamentals class at PDK next weekend, I think I’m gonna do that. I’m pretty stoked to get started.
 
Awesome! Please keep us updated with the progress!
 
You are probably patient enough to be successful. Me? I’d have mangled half the rivets in the toolbox the night I got the kit.
 
Do you need a toolbox kit? I will sell you have the price, pm me if interested.

Keep banging those rivets
 
Great. Congratulations on pulling the trigger. I would have thought you'd have the tables built before the empennage arrived, but that's just me. Just focus on one step at a time, but to keep moving, plan ahead so you'll be ready to start the next step when the current step is done.

And remember::needpics:
 
Congratulations! You are going to have a great time. Get onto the Vans Air Force site or Rivetbangers, where you will find support and answers to the many questions you’ll have. Do a task each day if you can, and enjoy small successes along the way. The way you eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

Enjoy the journey!
 
Build day one is over. I managed to build one of the two tables. Have all the lumber cut for the second. I am building the EAA tables, I built them to the plan and then added the casters, it’s too tall so I’ll cut 3 inches off the legs tomorrow and build the second one properly. I bought an not started kit from a local guy. It wasn’t in the box, but I have the packing list and I’ll inventory once I get my tables and shelves up tomorrow. The guy is in my EAA chapter, so he can’t hide if anything is missing. I’ll post some pics tomorrow. I’m going to bed now.
 
Salty said:
You are probably patient enough to be successful. Me? I’d have mangled half the rivets in the toolbox the night I got the kit.
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LOL! I would probably have the skills to build my own plane, but I sure wouldn't have the patience. Two or three year build time? I don't think I would ever finish. I would be one of those guys who sells off a partially complete kit.
 
Day 2 is in the books. Finished my tables, added some storage and built a stationary work bench. I’ll put my drill press, band saw and sander there. I also need to buy a pneumatic squeezer and a DRDT-2 C-Frame. I also inventoried the kit and tools. The kit is complete, but one side rudder skin has some corrosion. I don’t know if I can salvage it or if I’ll have to get a new skin. Still plenty to do before I’m banging rivets, but I’m getting closer.
 
Just in case you are unaware, Van's Air Force http://www.vansairforce.com/community/index.php has a huge repository of info on building and operating RV's and generally you can get answers to questions within minutes. It's highly moderated but still an incredible resource unmatched in the E-AB world. The EAA Hints for Home Builders videos are also an excellent source of info -- I wish they had be around when I was building -- https://eaa.org/eaa/aircraft-building/eaa-hints-for-homebuilders .
 
tsts4 said:
Just in case you are unaware, Van's Air Force http://www.vansairforce.com/community/index.php has a huge repository of info on building and operating RV's and generally you can get answers to questions within minutes. It's highly moderated but still an incredible resource unmatched in the E-AB world. The EAA Hints for Home Builders videos are also an excellent source of info -- I wish they had be around when I was building -- https://eaa.org/eaa/aircraft-building/eaa-hints-for-homebuilders .
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Thanks Todd, already on both!
 
Mike Smith said:
Paging @DaleB, don’t you fly a -9A? Didn’t you also build it?
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A 12. I spend 3 years building a 7 before having to switch to the 12.

That tool box fits six cans of your favorite beverage, with ice, by the way. :) Actually mine is at the hangar, loaded with tools.
 
DaleB said:
A 12. I spend 3 years building a 7 before having to switch to the 12.

That tool box fits six cans of your favorite beverage, with ice, by the way. :) Actually mine is at the hangar, loaded with tools.
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I am just having so much trouble starting! I wasn’t nearly as prepared as I thought. I have a friend in town here building a -12. He is finishing, so he is about half done ....lol
 
You know, I have always been pretty mechanically inclined. I have good hand/eye coordination. I am a decent carpenter and I can repair almost anything. BUT..........I can’t rivet for ****. This sucks.
 
They look a little under-set (in addition to the tilt). Are you squeezing those, or banging them? I'm assuning a squeezer... mine (from a well respected tool company, but not THE original) seems like it's just a little more flexible than is good for riveting -4 rivets. Mine would tend to be a little off parallel like that if I didn't use the smallest yoke that would possibly fit. I found myself wishing I'd bought a better squeezer.

No such issue with the massive 10-pound or so pneumatic squeezer, but your arm gets tired after a while with one of those.
 
According to the gauge, those are about right. I initially bucked all 6. I squeezed the 3 I replaced. I have the Cleaveland Main Squeeze.
 
Did you have the hinge bracket clamped to anything when setting the rivets? The main squeeze is great but if the parts aren't held rigidly in place when squeezing or bucking any movement of the tool as you're setting the rivet can induce die offsets that can produce the results you've shown. Another potential source of this problem is not keeping the die or bucking bar as perpendicular to the rivet shank as possible. Trust me, experience will solve these issues.

Also I agree with Dale in they look a little underset. Ideally when properly set, the shop head won't fit in the hole of the gauge or slide through the gap.
 
tsts4 said:
Did you have the hinge bracket clamped to anything when setting the rivets? The main squeeze is great but if the parts aren't held rigidly in place when squeezing or bucking any movement of the tool as you're setting the rivet can induce die offsets that can produce the results you've shown. Another potential source of this problem is not keeping the die or bucking bar as perpendicular to the rivet shank as possible. Trust me, experience will solve these issues.

Also I agree with Dale in they look a little underset. Ideally when properly set, the shop head won't fit in the hole of the gauge or slide through the gap.
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My understanding was if the shop head won’t fit it is over driven?? These are all close. It “could” be that the rivet called out is too long. However, the instructions specifically state that the -6 rivet is correct.

ETA: yes, I have it clamped in the vice using wood spacers to protect the piece.
 
Also, I am going to slow down. I am going to take a fundamentals of building class on the 14th. I am also ordering the 4 piece tungsten bucking bar set today.
 
Mike Smith said:
My understanding was if the shop head won’t fit it is over driven?? These are all close. It “could” be that the rivet called out is too long. However, the instructions specifically state that the -6 rivet is correct.

ETA: yes, I have it clamped in the vice using wood spacers to protect the piece.
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It's over driven if it won't fit in the hole of the gauge and the notched end of the gauge will slide over the shop head. It's under driven if it fits in the hole but blocks the notched end from sliding over. It's perfect if it doesn't fit in the hole or slide through the notch. In time you'll know just by looking.

To me it doesn't look like the rivets were too long, although there are variances and this batch might be on the long side of the tolerance. My guess, since you said the part was clamped, is you got the squeezer dies and bucking bar slightly off perpendicular. The bucking bar is especially prone to coming off perpendicular as it bounces against the rivet's shank. Make sure you are setting the rivet gun to the right pressure too as that can also have an effect. I use a 3X gun and usually use around 35-38 psi for -3's and 45-50 psi for -4's.
 
4-piece tungsten set? Wow. Nice work, Warbucks. :) You'll love the tungsten bucking bar. I just had one, and it was darn near perfect for everywhere. One perpendicular end, one angled, a little over a pound. The best thing is, you can use 'em for years and sell them for nearly the same amount you paid for them.
 
DaleB said:
4-piece tungsten set? Wow. Nice work, Warbucks. :) You'll love the tungsten bucking bar. I just had one, and it was darn near perfect for everywhere. One perpendicular end, one angled, a little over a pound. The best thing is, you can use 'em for years and sell them for nearly the same amount you paid for them.
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Dale, I am resigned to the fact that I will have about as much in tools as I do airplane.
 
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