About
Build log for an RV-10

By
Jae Chang
web@jline.com

Contents (Index)
These are links to the major kits for the project.

Section 33: Baggage Area

I am getting closer. It has been over 13 months since my last update to this section. That is scary!

After much debate on conduit, I decided to just go overboard and add 4 conduit tubes to each side. There is easily enough room to add them, and if they remain empty and unused, so be it. I have no clue how many will be used or allocated.

I also discovered that the access holes for the step bolt, are located directly behind the permanently riveted access covers on both left and right sides. Thus, I decided to make these access covers removeable by installing nutplates. This was a major time waster, unfortunately. However, my goal is to complete the baggage floor areas, so i can move on and get to attaching the canopy top some day.

IMG_1543.JPG IMG_1544.JPG IMG_1545.JPG IMG_1546.JPG IMG_1547.JPG IMG_1548.JPG IMG_1549.JPG IMG_1550.JPG IMG_1551.JPG IMG_1552.JPG IMG_1553.JPG IMG_1554.JPG IMG_1555.JPG IMG_1556.JPG IMG_1557.JPG IMG_1563.JPG IMG_1564.JPG IMG_1565.JPG IMG_1566.JPG

posted at: 16:59 | path: /aviation/build/airframe/fuselage/sec33 | permanent link to this entry | add a comment

Section 34: Baggage Door

I did not do a good job keeping up with updates in this section. It probably spanned a good year. However, the baggage door came out reasonably well, after a lot of careful thought.

I did deviate from plans and replaced riveting the hinge to the airframe structure with nutplates and #6 screws.

There was one thing I wish I could do over again. If you look very very carefully at the door hinge, the hinge sticks away from the skin at the top of the hinge, more than at the bottom. This came about, when first drilling the hinge rivet holes into the door frame. You HAVE to be extremely careful and exact here. Doing it by eye was clearly not smart.

Small variations here create a much large effect. Anyway, it came out okay in the end and is only slightly noticeable. The door now has a tendency to swing open, but that is not a bad side-effect.

The door lock i got from Home Depot. The Van's door latch was too thick for the lock i got, so I had to modify the one that came with the lock.

posted at: 16:55 | path: /aviation/build/airframe/fuselage/sec34 | permanent link to this entry | add a comment

Section 34 Photos: Baggage Door

posted at: 16:51 | path: /aviation/build/airframe/fuselage/photos/sec34 | permanent link to this entry | add a comment

Section 34 Photos: Baggage Door

posted at: 16:51 | path: /aviation/build/airframe/fuselage/sec34/photos | permanent link to this entry | add a comment

Section 43: Canopy Micro and Sanding (5 hours)

The first batch of micro i ever made, had much too much resin and was much too wet. I probably added 4 pumps (not sure in ounces) of resin, which basically made at least a pint of micro slurry in volume. You end up adding at least twice as much micro as you think you initially need.

However, in my case, it still wasn't enough. When applying the micro, it would definitely self-level off a bit and create a glossy texture. In a way, it made it easier to apply, since it levelled itself. However, I expected this micro to be about as hard to sand as you would want.

When creating another batch of micro, i decided to make some very dry and some about in the middle to wet.

The problem with dry dry micro, is that it is hard to apply. it will not stick well to a dry surface. i suppose i could wet out the surface first, but i'm lazy, i guess.

The wet slurry was definitely easier to apply. Stuck well to the surface and was fairly easy to smear with my finger, even. Along the many contours of the door posts, using my fingers was the tool of choice.

Now I have to wait a day to find out how each one sands.

posted at: 20:52 | path: /aviation/build/airframe/fuselage/sec43 | permanent link to this entry | add a comment

Broken Hand

Well, this is my first post in probably 5 months. unbelievable. however, on May 20th, i broke the 4th metacarpal bone in my hand while windsurfing - a spiral fracture into 4 pieces.. i had surgery a week later. instead of putting hardware on my plane, i am having hardware put into my hand - 2 screws and a plate.

as best as i can tell, i just crashed into water and just held onto the boom too tight. break wasn't caused by an impact on the hand.

thus, now, i am enduring physical therapy to get utility from my hand again, instead of being just a hook. it looks like the airplane will continue to wait longer.

posted at: 01:40 | path: /aviation/build/airframe/fuselage | permanent link to this entry | add a comment

Section 43: More Canopy Trimming (4 hours)

On this New Year's Eve 2007, I did some more cabin top trimming. yeah!

1. Trimmed the far aft edge, against the tailcone top skin. I took a bit off here and the fit looks very good. I was afraid the cabin top was not flush with the tailcone top skin, but after clecoing everything in, everything was pulled flush.

2. Trimmed the windshield area. I had no scribe lines to go by and had to do this more or less by feel. I think I did a pretty good job. The only thing I could have done better was to accommodate the curvature of the forward skin in this area. I trimmed more or less in a plane for the tangent of the curve, so there is a gap to the skin away from the tangent point. It is a minor point. The results look better than I could have expected, i think.

posted at: 18:49 | path: /aviation/build/airframe/fuselage/sec43 | permanent link to this entry | add a comment

Section 43: Cabin

Trimmed the doorway. It almost fits. I still need to trim the doorway bottom ledge, so the cabin top can fit down more snug.

posted at: 20:01 | path: /aviation/build/airframe/fuselage/sec43 | permanent link to this entry | add a comment

Section 39 Photos: Control System

posted at: 19:28 | path: /aviation/build/airframe/fuselage/photos/sec39 | permanent link to this entry | add a comment

Section 39 Photos: Control System

posted at: 19:28 | path: /aviation/build/airframe/fuselage/sec39/photos | permanent link to this entry | add a comment