Van's Air Force
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Show us your shop
- Thread starter chuck
- Start date
Lorin Dueck
Member
Micro shop...
I don't have a lot of room, but there were a few things I feel I right.
First - get lots of light!!
Second - have plenty of electrical outlets
Third - make it comfortable (radio, TV, computer.... heat - A/C??)
Finally- think about:
- work flow (my wing jigs had to go in a certain way to avoid the garage door),
- part storage (I hung completed emp from ceiling)
- and building surfaces (lots of horizontal surfaces - and 2 small benches that can be moved)
Here's some pics...
Lorin D
9A Wings
(N194LD reserved)
I don't have a lot of room, but there were a few things I feel I right.
First - get lots of light!!
Second - have plenty of electrical outlets
Third - make it comfortable (radio, TV, computer.... heat - A/C??)
Finally- think about:
- work flow (my wing jigs had to go in a certain way to avoid the garage door),
- part storage (I hung completed emp from ceiling)
- and building surfaces (lots of horizontal surfaces - and 2 small benches that can be moved)
Here's some pics...
Lorin D
9A Wings
(N194LD reserved)
Just a shop
Have to have a TV. And a fridge.
Bruce Pauley
RV 7A
http://www.mykitlog.com
Rowlett TX
Empannage underway
Have to have a TV. And a fridge.
Bruce Pauley
RV 7A
http://www.mykitlog.com
Rowlett TX
Empannage underway
My Basement Shop
Ditto to what everyone else said, and:
-silence your compressor
-get some of those relief mats to stand on in key places to save your feet
-a good portable shop vac to clean as you go
Sorry about the large number of pictures...I just learned how to post them
Started here...
Current...
Ditto to what everyone else said, and:
-silence your compressor
-get some of those relief mats to stand on in key places to save your feet
-a good portable shop vac to clean as you go
Sorry about the large number of pictures...I just learned how to post them
Started here...
Current...
RudiGreyling
Well Known Member
chuck said:
Hi Chuck,
Good one, I also had to extend and build a shop. Here is a couple of my photos, lots more ideas on my website. A man needs to be comfortable in his shop. This is the Empty Shop.
BEFORE:
THE PLAN:
AFTER:
INSIDE:
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RudiGreyling
Well Known Member
SETUP and Random Tips: - See my website for more
White Boards and nice movable table
Movable Grinder:
Spray Table:
Aileron & Flap Rack:
Horizontal Stab Rack:
White Boards and nice movable table
Movable Grinder:
Spray Table:
Aileron & Flap Rack:
Horizontal Stab Rack:
RudiGreyling
Well Known Member
Wing Stand:
Wing Rack:
Fuse Platform:
I hope this gives you some ideas,
Kind Regards
Rudi
Wing Rack:
Fuse Platform:
I hope this gives you some ideas,
Kind Regards
Rudi
Lorin Dueck
Member
Greylingr -
Dang - your shop is way nicer than my kitchen!
I've definately got Shop ENVY!!!
Looking great!!!!
DZ -
I love what you've done with the place!!
Enough room.... comfortable.... and plans / drawings in easy access!!
Way to go!!!
Lorin D
9A Wings
Dang - your shop is way nicer than my kitchen!
I've definately got Shop ENVY!!!
Looking great!!!!
DZ -
I love what you've done with the place!!
Enough room.... comfortable.... and plans / drawings in easy access!!
Way to go!!!
Lorin D
9A Wings
f1rocket
Well Known Member
Don't Go Overboard
My advice is provide yourself with some organized space but don't go overboard. It's easy to get excited and spend hours and hours putting together a super-sharp work area. Once the kit arrives, much of that will go by the wayside. Besides, you're not setting up a production line for building a bunch of airplanes, the goal is to get YOUR airplane built.
My advice is provide yourself with some organized space but don't go overboard. It's easy to get excited and spend hours and hours putting together a super-sharp work area. Once the kit arrives, much of that will go by the wayside. Besides, you're not setting up a production line for building a bunch of airplanes, the goal is to get YOUR airplane built.
Davepar
Well Known Member
Rudi, your shop is amazing.
I ran some copper pipe around on the ceiling for compressed air, but otherwise my shop is pretty low tech. I use the same work table as Randy. A piece of particle board on two saw horses. I have a workbench, but the "table" is much handier. I can move it around easily, drill into it without worrying about ruining the workbench, and best of all break it down so my wife can still pull her car into the garage at night.
I ran some copper pipe around on the ceiling for compressed air, but otherwise my shop is pretty low tech. I use the same work table as Randy. A piece of particle board on two saw horses. I have a workbench, but the "table" is much handier. I can move it around easily, drill into it without worrying about ruining the workbench, and best of all break it down so my wife can still pull her car into the garage at night.
Thanks Lorin!
Ditto on Rudi's shop. You can eat off of the floor in there
Brandon...my experience is no matter how big you build it...it won't be big enough.
The main section of my basement where I work is 37'x12' and the section I have on the other side of the stairs is 20'x11'. The rest of the basement is for storage/pottery stuff for my wife.
If we don't move before I get to the FUSE I am going to build it in our living room as I won't be able to get it out of the basement. The wings will be tight as it is. My wife is a potter and has taken over the garage...I told her it was not big enough when we moved in!!
One nice thing about the basement is it never gets over 73F in the summer and no colder than 53F in the winter...really comfortable for me. I am also lucky in that my basement is bone dry as far as basements go and the relative humidity is always 55 to 60%...if it was only a walkout basement.
Ditto on Rudi's shop. You can eat off of the floor in there
Brandon...my experience is no matter how big you build it...it won't be big enough.
The main section of my basement where I work is 37'x12' and the section I have on the other side of the stairs is 20'x11'. The rest of the basement is for storage/pottery stuff for my wife.
If we don't move before I get to the FUSE I am going to build it in our living room as I won't be able to get it out of the basement. The wings will be tight as it is. My wife is a potter and has taken over the garage...I told her it was not big enough when we moved in!!
One nice thing about the basement is it never gets over 73F in the summer and no colder than 53F in the winter...really comfortable for me. I am also lucky in that my basement is bone dry as far as basements go and the relative humidity is always 55 to 60%...if it was only a walkout basement.
workshop
Here's my workspace:
My air compressor is in the far corner, with the hose going along the wall to my
wall mounted regulator/filter (behind the easel holding the plans).
I have two of the long benches (holding my toolbox, etc), which are both on
casters. The other one is moved off to the other side of the garage, out of
the way (and holding other stuff) until I need it.
Now if only I could find a place to hang that HS now that I'm done with it..
Here's my workspace:
My air compressor is in the far corner, with the hose going along the wall to my
wall mounted regulator/filter (behind the easel holding the plans).
I have two of the long benches (holding my toolbox, etc), which are both on
casters. The other one is moved off to the other side of the garage, out of
the way (and holding other stuff) until I need it.
Now if only I could find a place to hang that HS now that I'm done with it..
Capflyer
Well Known Member
Your Beautiful Big Shops Make Me Jeolous
Here's my hanger...err...one car garage shop along with some some gorgeous living/dining room furniture and office adornments. Not shown is the propeller and finishing kit sitting in my front foyer. At least my engine is at the airport. It's great not to be married anymore and I plan to enjoy it while I can. If I was all these beautiful home furnishings would probably be replaced with a bunch of family pictures and other frilly stuff. Blahh! Ahh...it's good to be king again
Here's my hanger...err...one car garage shop along with some some gorgeous living/dining room furniture and office adornments. Not shown is the propeller and finishing kit sitting in my front foyer. At least my engine is at the airport. It's great not to be married anymore and I plan to enjoy it while I can. If I was all these beautiful home furnishings would probably be replaced with a bunch of family pictures and other frilly stuff. Blahh! Ahh...it's good to be king again
Glasair34me
Member
You guys RULE!
Man, I have to show these pix to my wife! You guys have your parts in the living room and bedrooms. Heck, I have a hangar and a 4 car garage full of "stuff" and the wife complains about not being able to park her car in the garage. Wait till I show her what I plan to do now! Thanks for the ideas guys!
Man, I have to show these pix to my wife! You guys have your parts in the living room and bedrooms.
Heck, I have a hangar and a 4 car garage full of "stuff" and the wife complains about not being able to park her car in the garage. Wait till I show her what I plan to do now! Thanks for the ideas guys! 
RudiGreyling
Well Known Member
Hi Guys, thanks for the kind comments...
True, if you are not going to spend lots of time in your area after your project for years to come, then don't go overboard. I know for sure, there will be a another build of something later, maybe a car again, maybe a RV12. That is why I invested in a nice area now already. Don't use me as an example, I might be the exception! I had to extend the garage to make space, I also had about a 5 month wait time for the kit to get to South Africa after order. All that wait time got put into the garage, and some additions to the house to keep the wife happy.
That said I'm sure you can pick at least one or 2 good ideas from what I've done.
Kind Regards
Rudi
f1rocket said:
True, if you are not going to spend lots of time in your area after your project for years to come, then don't go overboard. I know for sure, there will be a another build of something later, maybe a car again, maybe a RV12. That is why I invested in a nice area now already. Don't use me as an example, I might be the exception! I had to extend the garage to make space, I also had about a 5 month wait time for the kit to get to South Africa after order. All that wait time got put into the garage, and some additions to the house to keep the wife happy.
That said I'm sure you can pick at least one or 2 good ideas from what I've done.
Kind Regards
Rudi
f1rocket
Well Known Member
Rudi,
Your shop IS outstanding, probably one of the best I've seen.
I made my comment based upon what I did on my first project. I wasn't poking at you. I spent months building this super-clean shop in my garage. After about 9 months of building, I found that I'd spent a fair amount of time and money on features that I really didn't need.
It sure looked cool though!
Your shop IS outstanding, probably one of the best I've seen.
I made my comment based upon what I did on my first project. I wasn't poking at you. I spent months building this super-clean shop in my garage. After about 9 months of building, I found that I'd spent a fair amount of time and money on features that I really didn't need.
It sure looked cool though!
Scott Will
Well Known Member
PRE RV-7A days... lots of models
with the RV... space and lighting are critical! The wings are against the wall where the RC models are in the 'pre RV' days. I managed to do a whole lot in a 12' x 20' shop.
Now the plane is at the hangar and the shop is empty and lonely... awaiting the next arrival!
John Courte
Well Known Member
One-car garage. Enough to build one major component
at a time, yet store nothing. Wife is real happy with
the aircraft parts in the exposed rafters up in the bedroom.
at a time, yet store nothing. Wife is real happy with
the aircraft parts in the exposed rafters up in the bedroom.
keen9a
Well Known Member
What's with all the neat shops!
This was the state of the place when the empannage arrived. Complete mess!
It is a three car garage though more like a two car with this one car bay added on. I don't seem to have any good pictures of the two car side.
The wings fit great individually, but this short time when I was building one, and storing the other was a bit tight.
I'll have to get a picture of the whole garage, and with the fuse construction started.
This was the state of the place when the empannage arrived. Complete mess!
It is a three car garage though more like a two car with this one car bay added on. I don't seem to have any good pictures of the two car side.
The wings fit great individually, but this short time when I was building one, and storing the other was a bit tight.
I'll have to get a picture of the whole garage, and with the fuse construction started.
Glasair34me said:Man, I have to show these pix to my wife! You guys have your parts in the living room and bedrooms.
I can do better than just parts, I have both wings in the living room for almost a year now. And the best part is that I'm still married!
The rest of the story
RV7Factory
Chief Obfuscation Officer
LOL!
Scott, that is too funny! I can't wait to show my wife and explain to her that she has nothing to complain about when it comes to me taking over the garage. BTW, when you have guests over do you tell them that it is a very expensive piece of neo-constructivist-industrial sculpture by a very well know artist?
BTW... here is my shop. Lots of power and light.
Scott, that is too funny! I can't wait to show my wife and explain to her that she has nothing to complain about when it comes to me taking over the garage. BTW, when you have guests over do you tell them that it is a very expensive piece of neo-constructivist-industrial sculpture by a very well know artist?
BTW... here is my shop. Lots of power and light.
It is a conversation starter for sure. However, we don't have very many visitors that aren't also building RVs. What would there be to talk about even if we didRV7Factory said:BTW, when you have guests over do you tell them that it is a very expensive piece of neo-constructivist-industrial sculpture by a very well know artist?
? The remaining weirdos that we know that aren't builders just kind of nod as if we're the crazy ones for having wings in our living room. The nerve... <chuckle>Lorin Dueck
Member
briand
...ouch, all those inevitable aluminum shavings stuck in your carpet have got to be hard on your barefoot soles!!
Lorin D
...ouch, all those inevitable aluminum shavings stuck in your carpet have got to be hard on your barefoot soles!!
Lorin D
briand
Well Known Member
Lorin Dueck said:briand
...ouch, all those inevitable aluminum shavings stuck in your carpet have got to be hard on your barefoot soles!!
Lorin D
I spend a lot of time with the vacuum, it beats the hot garage any day. My garage is fully insulated so if I get air out there it will be great. I might just cut a hole and run a duct from the basement but that probably won't be enough. I don't know how some people in the south deal.
Robert M
Well Known Member
My RV-9 Shop
One half of a two car garage. Got just enough room to slide my scooter between the work tables. This area is just the starting point for the entire kit. All of this will move to a 10 foot by 18 foot building in the back yard for the wings (lower ceiling supports for the vertical posts). Then back to the garage for the fuselage (maybe?)
My wife will be parking her car in the driveway while I do the painting....Shhhhh - she doesn't know this yet.
One half of a two car garage. Got just enough room to slide my scooter between the work tables. This area is just the starting point for the entire kit. All of this will move to a 10 foot by 18 foot building in the back yard for the wings (lower ceiling supports for the vertical posts). Then back to the garage for the fuselage (maybe?)
My wife will be parking her car in the driveway while I do the painting....Shhhhh - she doesn't know this yet.
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Jeff Vaughan
Well Known Member
My Shop
I started in my basement and then realized I needed a bigger playroom!
I started in my basement and then realized I needed a bigger playroom!
Jeff Vaughan
Well Known Member
Spare Aluminium ?
Do not quite have the multiple photo posts down yet. This is how I have handled the storage of my extra aluminium.
Do not quite have the multiple photo posts down yet. This is how I have handled the storage of my extra aluminium.
Need more aluminum
Jeff,
Love the wall. Had one and donated it to whoever would tote it.
If you don't have the Billy Beer or JR beer cans we can talk and then
put them on the wall after a few rivets are bucked.
Bruce Pauley
Kitlog
Rowlett TX
Empannage started
177 WD res
Jeff,
Love the wall. Had one and donated it to whoever would tote it.
If you don't have the Billy Beer or JR beer cans we can talk and then
put them on the wall after a few rivets are bucked.
Bruce Pauley
Kitlog
Rowlett TX
Empannage started
177 WD res
David Paule
Well Known Member
Two car garage in a cheap tract home built in 1960.
Added three large south-facing windows.
Added six 4' light fixtures and one 8' one.
Added four 3kw electric heaters (way overkill here).
Spray-foam insulation under the roof (no ceiling) and one end wall section. Cotton batting wall insulation. Drywall all around.
Added lots of electric outlets, including 220, and on walls and in the rafters.
New insulated garage door.
Works great.
and
The garage door came first and that worked so well we did the rest. Then I found myself with a hangar that clearly had room for another plane and a decent shop. The RV-3B project came after the pieces were in place but I did the shop and the hangar without the RV-3B project in mind. You know, things use the excess capacity, right?
Dave
Added three large south-facing windows.
Added six 4' light fixtures and one 8' one.
Added four 3kw electric heaters (way overkill here).
Spray-foam insulation under the roof (no ceiling) and one end wall section. Cotton batting wall insulation. Drywall all around.
Added lots of electric outlets, including 220, and on walls and in the rafters.
New insulated garage door.
Works great.
and
The garage door came first and that worked so well we did the rest. Then I found myself with a hangar that clearly had room for another plane and a decent shop. The RV-3B project came after the pieces were in place but I did the shop and the hangar without the RV-3B project in mind. You know, things use the excess capacity, right?
Dave
I recently finished my shop and have just received my RV-8 kit. I can't wait to get started! I have several pictures so for the ease of uploading them, here is a link http://rv8project.com/shop-pictures/
