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RV-10 Build #41347 Minnesota

NovaBandit

Well Known Member
Construction of my RV10 began on Valentines Day, 2012 (I have a VERY supportive wife!).

As of last night, I got the HS cleco'd up for the first time. It's cool to start to get a feel for the size of this thing!!!

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I've been keeping a very detailed build log on my blog (link in my sig), but one of the things I'm going to attempt is to make a time-lapse video of my entire build. Every time I work on the plane, I start up the webcam. When the night is done, I throw the pictures from the cam into Windows Movie Maker, and it spits out a WMV video. This gets uploaded to youtube and added to a play list. The play list feature of youtube will let you watch the entire build in order, starting with the first video.

The only problem is that at the current time lapse rate of 100x real time, a 2000 hour build will be 20 hours of video!

You can check out the time lapse HERE

I also ran out of clecos last night. Time to order more tools!
 
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Looks great. Loving the German Shepherd! My GSD loves hanging out in the shop with me while I build :)

I grew up in the Eden Praire area and loved looking at the few RVs while working the ramp at FCM.
 
I too started on V-day

I also started my build on V-day, just 1 year before in 2011.:)

Still not sure how I got away with starting it that day, but wife is still supportive.

This time next year your project could look like this
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averaging about 75 hrs/month.
 
I also started my build on V-day, just 1 year before in 2011.:)

Still not sure how I got away with starting it that day, but wife is still supportive.

This time next year your project could look like this
IMG_2160.JPG


averaging about 75 hrs/month.

That's really encouraging, as I'm going the slow-build route as well! I put in 60 hours in the first 4 weeks, but I've had some unusually busy weekends to contend with so far.

This weekend, I have all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday free... so I'm hoping to make some good progress!
 
I see your R/C trucks in the background. Are they for sale yet? ;)
Won't have much time for those!. I raced 1/10 and 1/12 scale on road
until 1993 (the year I started my -6), should have sold the stuff then, cause
I still have most of it! Tried to get back into it but decided to build another
RV instead.

Good luck on your project.
 
The time-lapse is great. How did you do it?

Andy

Copy pasta from my post here: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=83632&page=4

I have a full desktop PC on my main workbench (with a 32" HDTV for a monitor ) running Windows 7. A laptop would work just as well. Not sure about other operating systems, as I use Windows Live Movie Maker... which comes pre-loaded on Windows 7.

The webcam is a Microsoft LifeCam HD-5000, but any webcam that the PC recognizes will work.

I also have a 30' USB extension cable from monoprice.com ($9, LOVE MONOPRICE!!!)

The program I use to capture pictures from my webcam is called Booru (http://lumai.se/bc.html). The extent of the configuration is telling the app which webcam to use, how often to take a picture, and where to store the pictures. Mine is set to take a pic every 5 seconds. There are other apps that do the same thing, but I haven't investigated them.

My process is this:

1. Put the webcam somewhere it can get a good view of the work area. Mine is normally clamped to a shelf somewhere.
2. Open Booru (it starts recording as soon as it opens)
3. Build an airplane.
4. When finished building the airplane, quit the Booru app.
5. I move the captured pictures to another folder, but only because I'm going to keep them all. If you're only interested in the video, you can ignore this step... and delete the pics when you're done.
6. Open Windows Live Movie Maker
7. In WLMM, click "All Pictures or Videos"
8. Browse to your pictures folder, right click > select all, then click "open".
9. In WLMM, hit the edit button.
10. There is now a field to choose how long to display each pic. I use .05 seconds.
11. Hit "Save Video" You now have a WMV Video file.


It looks like a lot all typed up, but it takes me about 20 seconds from start to finish (except the "build an airplane" step)


I see your R/C trucks in the background. Are they for sale yet? ;)
Won't have much time for those!. I raced 1/10 and 1/12 scale on road
until 1993 (the year I started my -6), should have sold the stuff then, cause
I still have most of it! Tried to get back into it but decided to build another
RV instead.

Good luck on your project.

Yup. Lots of RC. Too much RC. Mostly brushless/lipo off road, one on-road, gas 1/5 scale buggy (HPI Baja), and 11 ones that fly, from mini heli's to an electric ducted fan jet w/ retracts!
 
I am finally getting 5 r/c planes(1 elec) and 1 elect buggy back out to clean all the spider webs off after 5 years. I cycled batteries once a year...we'll see how they hold up. Capacities did not drop as much as I figured. I have 8/12 year olds that want to learn.

Many of us got our start in r/c. Makes this the fourth restart for me. Military, moving, house building, kids, rv building...you know. I decided to keep them all this time.

Keep trucking on that build and in three years you can be joining us in the air. It is a great airplane. Well worth the time and money.
 
3/14

We started final drilling the HS skins last night. I let the wife run the drill (with a reamer in it), and I followed behind marking finished holes and moving clecos. After a few minutes, we got into a good rhythm and made good progress.

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Half the HS is now drilled, and in a little under 1 hour.
 
The only problem is that at the current time lapse rate of 100x real time, a 2000 hour build will be 20 hours of video!

You can check out the time lapse HERE

I also ran out of clecos last night. Time to order more tools!

LOVE THE VIDEOS!!! Very inspiring, makes me want to build something again. I wanted them to go slightly slower though. I use Enounce MySpeed to speed up most youtube video to a rate that is tollerable. I thought that it was on, and when I opened it up found that you could slow down the playback too. I found that on 0.4 x normal speed I could see what I wanted. Very cool idea.

Not to discourage tool sales, but how on earth did you run out of clekos? You must need to start setting rivets ;)

-
 
LOVE THE VIDEOS!!! Very inspiring, makes me want to build something again. I wanted them to go slightly slower though. I use Enounce MySpeed to speed up most youtube video to a rate that is tollerable. I thought that it was on, and when I opened it up found that you could slow down the playback too. I found that on 0.4 x normal speed I could see what I wanted. Very cool idea.

Not to discourage tool sales, but how on earth did you run out of clekos? You must need to start setting rivets ;)

-

I bought my tool kit from you guys, and when I ran out of clecos, I didn't think I could have possible used all 500. I used roughly the same number of clecos per side per skin... so I counted one of the sides. 125. Times 4 = 500. I did use a lot because the skins were very tight.

I'll be calling you guys for another 1-200 soon!
 
Don't feel bad, I am at the same place on my HS and I ran out of clecos, too. Ordered another 300 beginning of the week and will have them when I get home from work...
 
Uh oh... Looks like I will be needing more clecos. I am still working my way through the VS. It is helpful to be ambidextrous to use the cleco pliers.

Cool video.
 
Nice to hear that there are other 10's close. I am up in Wahpeton, ND not to far away. Maybe have to stop in and check out your project as I get to Hastings quite a bit as have friends there.

Currently finishing up the doors and glassing the cabin top on. Hopefully start hanging the engine in the next week or so.

Brian
 
Hey Ed -

I'm building a -10 up on the north side of the twin cities, in Andover. I grew up just up the road from you in Cottage Grove. I'm just getting started with the wing kit. If you get up this way let me know.
 
1 Question, 1 statement...

1) Does your "supportive wife" know you put her on the internet in her hooded onesie? :eek: then :mad:

2) Your dog is taking up valuable shelf space :D

1: She knows! I'm not brave enough to put something like that online without permission!

2: Believe me... every time I'm looking for more storage space, I eye Sawyer's bed up. But then he looks at me the way only a dog can and I just can't do it!
 
3/16

3 more hours in today!

I didn't work on the plane at all yesterday. It was just one of those days. Bad night sleep the night before, nothing went right at work, I sliced a chunk of skin off my thumb changing the air filter in my car, I was in a bad mood... and I just knew I would mess something up.

So I had a nice dinner and had a relaxing night. Just what I needed.

Today, though, I was able to get the final drilling done on the HS, and I replaced some rivets on the spar doubler that had tipped heads. It was a beautiful weather (80 in Minnesota in March), my dad was able to come out and help with the drilling, and just an all around good day.

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The old man putting in some time

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The remains of the tipped rivets that were removed

Next I get to do a whole lotta deburring...
 
3/19

I got all the holes in my HS ribs deburred last night. I kinda like the work where you don't have to think at all and can just zone out!

I would have done more work, but I have been having issues with my #40 countersink cutter. It seems to "smear" the metal around the countersink... it's not really cleanly cutting.

I've tried high speed, low speed, high pressure, low pressure, in a drill press, in an air drill, in an electric drill, and every combination possible, and I'm just not getting a good clean countersink.

A quick call to Cleaveland Tools, and Mike is sending me a new cutter to try out. Once that's in hand, I can start all the HS countersinking... which appears to be abundant!

Pile 'o Ribs(TM):
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3/20 - 3/21

5 hours...

HS Skins deburred, scuffed for primer, and dimpled. Also got the HS ribs dimpled, and began scuffing them.

And I LOVE MY DRDT-2!

Pic from tonight's timelapse:
timelapse41576.jpg
 
3/23

Got all the prep work done on the HS parts... so they are ready for priming. Lottsa counter sinking.

One question... should I be wearing gloves when I'm scuffing parts with the scotchbrite pads? I'm starting to look like the Tin Man!

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Gloves

Ed -

I can't tell you how many Western Safety nitrile gloves I have gone through! They are very inexpensive and help keep skin oils off the parts.

- Strike
 
I've been making steady progress on the elevators over the past week or so. It's to the point where everything is primed and I've begun riveting things together.

That's when I made an OOPS.

I managed to back rivet the wrong rib halves to one of the elevator skins. Yup. I got to drill out 64 rivets! Luckily, since they were back riveted, the dot in the head was still in good enough shape to center the drill bit, and using a #42 bit worked perfectly. No oversized holes!

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http://www.edandcolleen.com/final-elevator-assembly-begins-and-another-oops/
 
Oops! Been there... most builders have I'm sure. Sounds like you got it solved with ease so nice job. Keep up the great work - love following along with your progress.
 
Sunday marks the completion of the tail feathers! I got the trim tabs hinged up to the elevators. The counter weights are cut down, but I seem to have misplaced a bag of washers, so they aren't attached to the elevators yet... so that's still on the to-do list.

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Last night I was able to start on the first few pages of the tail cone section. I think my favorite part of building so far is the first few days working on a new component.

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<Link to last elevator blog post>
 
Hit the 200 hour mark!

I have begun riveting up the tail cone. So far, so good... I've been back-riveting as much as possible, and it's been working well.

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GREAT!!!!

Hit the 200 hour mark!

I have begun riveting up the tail cone. So far, so good... I've been back-riveting as much as possible-----

You are flying through this thing------and you had to have eaten up a few :rolleyes: hours priming also.

Back riveting is a huge time saver, use a big plate, and rivet tape and just go to town:D
 
You are flying through this thing------and you had to have eaten up a few :rolleyes: hours priming also.

Back riveting is a huge time saver, use a big plate, and rivet tape and just go to town:D

I figure I have about 26 hours into just priming and primer prep for the empennage.

As for a big back rivet plate, I couldn't agree more. I made a DIY plate out of some scrap steel a buddy had, and it's 19"x10"... and it feels small sometimes.

And Rivet tape... I always thought rivet tape was a gimmicky waste of money, but I figured I'd give it a shot. What a difference that stuff makes!
 
Quick update:

The tail cone has been finished, the tail feathers attached (for initial fit), and the HS, VS, rudder, and elevator fairings are at about 80%. I'll wait on the last 20% until it's time to finish for paint.

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Everything was then disassembled and put into storage. The HS and elevators are hanging on the wall in the garage like a beautiful work of art, the tail cone has been strapped to the ceiling, and the VS and rudder are staying comfy in a spare bedroom.

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Aaaaaand on to the wings!

I took delivery of my (slow build) wing kit last Wednesday. I got lucky with FedEx, and the crates were in good shape. Van's also got the order perfect with no missing parts.

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Once unloaded and inventoried, I dug into the main spars. Everything has been counter-sunk, nut plates riveted, and misc parts attached.

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With about 15 hours of work, the spars are done.
 
Nice work, Ed! Keep that up and you'll have a pair of wings in the stand before you know it. :)
 
Hi Nova - Nice work on the wings!

I'm a follower of your progress on Youtube and am toying with the idea of trying to form a club here in New England to build an RV-10. It looks like a really great way to spend evenings and I imagine it's rewarding to see parts of the plane come together.

Good Luck!
Bill
 
Thanks, Bill!

I'm neck deep in proseal, and have been for quite a while now... but I can see a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. For the tanks at least!

I just finished the first quart of proseal. It got me thru everything on both tanks up to the j-channel stiffeners. I'm glad I have another quart on the shelf, as I still have the attach brackets, rear inner ribs, and rear baffle to do.

I think I'm going to be sending in the order for my fuselage next week. Hopefully, I will still have at least 8 weeks of work to finish the tanks and build the flaps and ailerons while the fuse kit packaged and shipped.
 
Since Doug put some of my videos on the front page today, I suppose I should update my build thread!

First, the fuel tanks are done! I pressure tested them a few days ago, and are looking good. I have them attached to the wings.

A few pics from the build process:
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I've also done everything for the bottom skins (including the Gretz pitot mount) and gap fairings except riveting. I'm going to hold off on riviting the bottom skins on until I do the aileron control linkage and install the AP roll servo.

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And to bring us fully up to date, the ailerons are under construction:

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Primer Question

Hi,

I'm impressed with your priming efforts!

What kind of primer are you using and what is your prep process?

Thanks in advance,
Steve
 
Hi,

I'm impressed with your priming efforts!

What kind of primer are you using and what is your prep process?

Thanks in advance,
Steve

I'm using Akzo 463 epoxy primer. My prep method is scuffing with maroon scotchbrite, and wiping down with acetone. I've been very happy with the performance of the primer. It's ridiculously tough, goes on smoothly in one coat, and isn't wiped away by acetone once it's cured. I tried some rattle can self etching primers for a quick little job when I didn't want to go thru the setup required to spray the Akzo, but the rattle can stuff sprayed poorly, scratched easily, and dissolved away when I got some acetone on it. I'm sticking with the Akzo!
 
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