What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

New builder critique

Mort04

Member
Hey everyone, I?m a new builder just looking to have someone critique my work. Right now I am getting the shop ready for a RV-7 Empennage build this winter. I?ve started the practice tool box kit to get a feel for my tools and riveting for the first time. I just have a few questions.

Am I using the rivet gauge correctly?
How are my dimples?
Do the Flush head of my rivets look ok?


https://www.flickr.com/gp/158887686@N05/17tgF5
 
From the photos, I'm not seeing anything wrong.

Now drill out all those rivets and do it again! (only halfway kidding!)

Seriously, go ahead and order the kit. If you enjoyed the practice kit, building the real thing is even better.
 
From the photos, I'm not seeing anything wrong.

Now drill out all those rivets and do it again! (only halfway kidding!)

Seriously, go ahead and order the kit. If you enjoyed the practice kit, building the real thing is even better.


Thanks! I did forget to mention I drilled out 8 rivets and reset them. Those 8 won?t be the last I?m sure!

I wish I had taken better care in avoiding scratches though. I know this is just the toolbox, but I?m trying to actually treat this project like the plane.
 
I wish I had taken better care in avoiding scratches though.

You will have all matter of scratches, burnishes, and all kinds of marks on your plane, best to come to terms with that now. If you even glance at the aluminum wrong it will scratch, it's very soft. "Let the painter fix it" will be something you say to yourself frequently :p
 
Hey everyone, I?m a new builder just looking to have someone critique my work....

Your work looks very well done.

The one thing I noticed that needs attention is the sheet metal edges.
It looks like they still have the sharp edges and tooling marks from the manufacturing process.

Read about how to smooth these edges to remove all signs of these imperfection. When you run a finger over the edges, there should be no possibility of getting a cut.

edge.jpg
 
You'll find that when you take the blue vinyl film off and expose the fresh aluminum cladding it will be so soft that just about anything at all will mark it up. You can write on it with a sharpie, then take a rag with acetone and remove the writing, and you can still read what you wrote in the surface scratches from the sharpie felt-tip. There is no avoiding it while working on it.

The first thing the painter will do is scuff it all up with scotchbrite or sandpaper anyway.
 
Your work looks very well done.

The one thing I noticed that needs attention is the sheet metal edges.
It looks like they still have the sharp edges and tooling marks from the manufacturing process.

This is a very good point, seeing a close up of the edge shows I didn?t smooth/ debur the edge as well as I thought. I am ordering a Deburr wheel as we speak. At the time of assembly all I was using was some sandpaper. Thanks for pointing that out.
 
This is a very good point, seeing a close up of the edge shows I didn’t smooth/ debur the edge as well as I thought. I am ordering a Deburr wheel as we speak. At the time of assembly all I was using was some sandpaper. Thanks for pointing that out.

A quick hit with a smooth single cut file 90 deg. to the edge will take off the tooling marks (punch tabs,shear marks, etc... ) You can then finish off with an edging tool, like a V-deburrer, or hit the edge with a file at 45 deg. on both sides.
Not only does this save time and wheel wear, it will square the edge better than just the polishing wheel alone.
It doesn't take a lot to clean up these edges.
 
Tool box

Looks good. Like the man said, drill it apart and do it again.
Only one tiny issue. Don't be bashful with the dimples. Hit the C-frame hard enough to leave a doughnut shaped burnish mark.
 
Nice work, but you used the wrong primer.

(just a joke, if you're not familiar with Primer Wars...;-)

In the immortal words of Van's: "Build on!"
 
One technique to avoid scratches is to leave the vinyl on the skins for as long as possible. You can use a soldering iron to score the vinyl on either side of the rivet lines. Then, you can peel the vinyl away from the rivet lines and leave the rest covered. I recommend a Scotchbrite wheel for polishing edges, and you can use the Scotchbrite wheel to round over the tip of the soldering iron that you use to score the vinyl.
 
This is hilarious, I am well aware with the primer wars!!

I posted somewhere else recently: I read a piece in RVator about a serial builder with shockingly short build times, < 1yr. One trick he did was to prime everything with an epoxy primer right out of the box ... plastic off, primer on, all sides. The primer held up well and he only had to do touch ups when he cut, countersunk, etc. Saved lots of time.

I didn't think to do this, but if I was starting over, I'd consider it. A weekend to prime most everything seems like a good use of time with lots saved down the road.

$0.02 worth of wisdom.
 
I posted somewhere else recently: I read a piece in RVator about a serial builder with shockingly short build times, < 1yr. One trick he did was to prime everything with an epoxy primer right out of the box ... plastic off, primer on, all sides. The primer held up well and he only had to do touch ups when he cut, countersunk, etc. Saved lots of time.

I didn't think to do this, but if I was starting over, I'd consider it. A weekend to prime most everything seems like a good use of time with lots saved down the road.

$0.02 worth of wisdom.


Here?s a question I?ve been wondering. Do you prime before fluting and dimpling too? Would the primer prevent a full dimple from forming, or will it collect primer if spraying after dimpling?
 
Here’s a question I’ve been wondering. Do you prime before fluting and dimpling too? Would the primer prevent a full dimple from forming, or will it collect primer if spraying after dimpling?

Prime afterwards, primer shouldn't be so thick it affects the rivets. High build primer for example would be a bad choice for prepping parts.

.. be careful about asking questions about primer .. almost didn't reply for fear of 25 pages of arguments .. LOL
 
Run for cover

Prime afterwards, primer shouldn't be so thick it affects the rivets. High build primer for example would be a bad choice for prepping parts.

.. be careful about asking questions about primer .. almost didn't reply for fear of 25 pages of arguments .. LOL

Agreed but run for cover cux the flames are comin'!:D
Kidding. I think newbies should be encouraged to ask anything so ask away.
My processes are on my blog. Link in my sig.
 
Thanks for the advice. I too, am a little nervous about the primer question after reading up on it on this forum. It all most as bad as talking about politics haha.:)
 
Back
Top