My RV building guru told me to build the flaps and ailerons BEFORE setting up the wing jig and building the skeleton. He said it was best to keep building control surface parts, since I had just finished the elevators. I agree with Greg & Spike, a particular skill gets better with experience. Use th...

I am with Charlie on this. I am building a 9 and have managed to warp some things, especially control surfaces. You can get away without a jig in the prepunched stuff, but that doesn't mean your parts can get warped accidentally. My RV guru recommended building the flaps on a perfectly flat surface...

Thanks Chuck, I am lucky to have a matched hole wing kit and tail kit. I dont see how a wing can be built crooked with a matched hole kit. snipped Mike Balzer Mike, That is EXACTLY the attitude which will get you in trouble. Remember that there is still a slight clearance in every rivet hole. On lo...

Mike, One thing about waiting to rivet. You can't scrimp on the Clecos. I try to use one in every other hole, to help maintain alignment. I built both wings at the same time, which required about 2,000 3/32" Clecos. During the "opening up to #40 process, I used a Cleco in EVERY hole. Nothing shifted...

Mike, I think most folks are simply following the plans blindly. My EAA tech councilor (he built an RV4) advised me not to rivet anything until I had reached a point where waiting longer would make assembly more difficult. I drilled and clecoed my wings together first. The only things I riveted toge...

Jeff, I doubt that any type of welding could be performed with the step installed without melting the UHMW inner retainer block. One other way to fix this "might" work. Place wet rags on the step on and near the inner UHMW retainer. Quickley heat the area where the cable rubs with an oxygen/acytalyn...

Listers, I don't have my engine mount yet, but I'm trying do get some of the stuff on the front of the firewall nailed down. However, I've learned NOT to trust Vans dimensions blindly. For those of you with IO-360s with Forward facing fuel injection, did Vans location call out for the Cabin Heat Sel...

Leave them alone. Later you will back drill through them into the empennage fairing. Then you'll install nutplates at those locations. You can install the nutplates now if you know how to make a centering transfer punch. HINT You take a machine screw of the appropriate size (#eight) and chuck it up ...

I noticed the same thing. The elevator skin is .020" and the access plate is .032". Being the anal builder I am (it's the German in me) I also wanted flush, not pan head screws. To get the cover to sit flush do the following. Be warned, folks may look at you strange. I could not find any aluminum ma...

Jeff, I originally intended to put steps on both sides of my 8A. I went as far as making mirror image reinforcement pieces of the right side of the F-807 bulkhead and installing them. The best solution I've seen for your problem was the following. The builder notched the horizontal part of the inter...

Cap'n John, I started my slow build as an 8. I changed my mind after getting to sit in the cockpit of both an 8QB and 8AQB. I'm 6'4" tall. I really like the extra leg room (side to side) that the 8A offers. The reduced weight was a bonus. Did I mention that insurance is 30% cheaper too? :-) Charlie ...

Greg, The main things that need to be changed are the belly skin and possibly the two inner floor ribs under the belly skin. The A model has ribs which are made from .063" material. This is to help support the firewall and motor mount where the two additional motor mount bolts for the nose gear go. ...