Fuselage Tips

Recent Posting gleaned from freedomflyers.com:
So far I have found a couple of issues with the RV-10 fuselage kit that you should be aware of.

25-3 Step 6: Calls for a 7.9mm drill (.311") Van's says a 5/16" bit is OK  (A .311 reamer would be perfect...not hard to find)

25-6 Calls for a F-1004M (plastic wear pad) It is not in the inventory. I called Van's and they told me that the part did not exist in their databast even. The other night we found bag 1398 which is no where on the inventory list and in it was this part plus the scat tube brackets that we could not find anywhere.

25-8 Step 5: Dimple the nutplate attach holes and add a step to rivet them to the spar.

27-3: Remember that the scat tube bracket is in bag 1398

27-5: The drawing only shows one nutplate on the angled bracket but there are holes for two (one on each side) All the other pictures show this with two as well.

27-6: Figure#2 calls for AN3-3A. Van's says to use 4A's and add a washer if you need too. They don't even ship the kit with a 3A.




More from freedomflyers.com
http://freedomflyers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32
Well, I found a pretty confusing section with the plans.
Some of the measurements on the F-1013 longerons are wrong on Page 29-2. The plans say to start the bend at 30 9/32" from the forward edge and stop the end of curve is at 92 3/16. Well the length of the whole jig is about 58 3/4". So if you add 30 9/32" + 58 3/4" it is definately shorter than 92 3/16". (It is 89 1/32"). So right there you know something is wrong. Now I am going to send this info to Van's and see what he says but this is what I was able to figure out. From fitting the skins and all the parts to the plane it appears that the 30 9/32" is the right dimesion for where the jig starts. So you can start making the bend here. Once the bend is complete it asks you to drill the #40 holes from the jig. Now the F-1015C-R and L that the peice mates to has 36 holes and the jig only has 35 holes. What you have to remember is when you assemble these parts on page 29-7 is that the first hole in the F-1013-R and L will actually be aligned with the second hole from the front on the F-1015C-R and L. So once this is all clecoed together you will have to drill the front hole (the 36th hole). Now this took me forever to figure out why this wasn't fitting. If this is not right, I will post Van's comments ASAP. But I wanted to get this out because I know what a headache it can be when things are not working out as planned.

Here is a picture showing how the jig holes all line up perfectly if you align the front hole in the jig with the second hole in the F-1015C-R and L. If you align the front hole in the jig with the front hole in the F-1015C-R adn L they will be off by as much as half a hole in the middle. I hope this makes some sense.

Other areas to watch for:
Page 29-13: There is no step for drilling #40 the F-1042-R and L and the side skins. I know they must be done because they get countersunk in a few steps.
Page 31-2: Apparently, Step 3 has the wrong dimensions and it will end up too short. (I will call Van's and post the correct dimesions when I have them)


Van's says:
Scott,
The 89 1/32" dimension is the end of the curve, the 92 3/16" dimension is the aft twist mark. All the dimensions are correct. The jig is supposed to skip the first hole in the F-1015C. As you say the holes line up perfectly.
On page 29-13, we will add a note to drill the holes common to the bulkhead. This will go into step 7.
On the issue of step 3, page 31-2, we double checked the dimensions and if anything they are slightly generous. The dimensions are correct as is.

Bruce Reynolds
brucer@vansaircraft.com


I have e-mailed Bruce the following. Now if your plans are like mine you don't have a 89 1/32".

"I must not have the latest revision. On my plans page 29-2 has five dimensions. 5”, 30 9/32”, 67 11/16”, 92 3/16” for the left and 113 ½” for the right.
It also says that end of curve is at 67 11/16” which apparently is not right. I do not have a 89 1/32” dimension. That is what I measured it to be approximately.
I am now assembling the side skins and I’m finding out that we should have dimpled the F-1015A-L and R. It is very difficult to now. Since the F-1018L and R are dimpled on page 26-5 step 6 I assume the F-1015A-L and R should be done here as well. And the F-1015B-L and R that is behind the F-1015A-L should be done.
Again I am assuming that this should have been done sooner since all the #40 holes use 426 rivets. Is this correct?
Page 29-14 Step #9: says to machine countersink the F-1013 that is common to the F-1069. It appears that the holes that are common to the F-1070 should also be countersunk too. I do not see any step that counter sinks these later. "


I talked to Van's and he did say to machine coutersink all the holes in the F-1013 L and R.
Now for all of you who who haven't already riveted on the F-1015A- L and R. I would drill and dimple all the #40 holes except the holes that are behind the F-1004K-L and R. These holes do not get dimpled in the later steps and like I said, I think it should have been done on page 26-5 step 6 when the F-1018-L and R are drilled and dimpled. You will also want to drill and dimple the bottom six #40 holes on the F-1015C-L and R which coorespond to the F-1015A-L and R.


Per Bob Condrey, RE: Rolling the fuselage skins

First the problem:
The picture on page 29-11 illustrates how to roll the forward fuselage skins. It involves clamping a piece of wood to a workbench, clamping a couple of "construction angles" to the skin and then rolling the skin. Finally, while holding the skin in a "rolled state" you give a sharp whack with a rubber mallet.

Here's a couple of hints:
1) The angles are shown held to the skins with vice grips (the kind that form a "C"). There really isn't much of the angle to grab onto. It turns out to be MUCH easier if you use the kind without the "pads". C clamps and other methods of holding the angles to the skin are difficult at best. You either don't have enough surface to clamp or there won't be clearance while rolling. The exception is at the small end of the "cone" - there is a small C clamp there holding the ends of the construction angles together.

2) Use actual C clamps to hold the skin and wood form down to the workbench. I was originally using the "quick grip" type of sliding clamps. You get a lot more clamping force with C clamps. I spent a long time last night working on the first forward skin and the result was poor. Making the above two changes allowed me to do the other side in only about 15-20 minutes! I then reclamped the first skin and "touched it up".

In the final analysis the picture on 29-11 is very good. If you do it EXACTLY like it shows without tool substitutions it will turn out great. Using the vice grips without the pads makes it even easier!

Do yourself a favor - if you don't have the right clamps, go get them before starting!

Per Mark Cooper: Here's a tip on looking at the plans carefully for some holes to dimple

Step 26-5 of putting the Mid Fuse Ribs and bulkheads together. Step 6 on that page tells you to dimple the exterior #40 holes in the web of the outboard seat ribs in the F-1018-L (and -R). However, there is a similar
piece just in front of that same bulkhead and with the same exterior contour - the F-1015A-L (and -R). The web on these two pieces should be dimpled as well.


For a good fuselage holder idea, go HERE: