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New guy just getting started.....

ddj232

I'm New Here
Hello all, new member here. Been doing a lot of reading, dreaming and perusing my preview plans set and have decided its time to pull the trigger in search of the RV Grin with an RV-8. Getting my shop set up, working on tooling up and work bench(s). Ready to order my empennage kit. As a new builder any recommendations on getting going with my empennage order? Looks like there are few options for the empennage with the exception of electric elevator trim which I will opt for. Would appreciate any advice, recommendations to get things started off on the right track.

Don Johnson
Fort Collins, CO
 
Google Group

Hello all, new member here. Been doing a lot of reading, dreaming and perusing my preview plans set and have decided its time to pull the trigger in search of the RV Grin with an RV-8. Getting my shop set up, working on tooling up and work bench(s). Ready to order my empennage kit. As a new builder any recommendations on getting going with my empennage order? Looks like there are few options for the empennage with the exception of electric elevator trim which I will opt for. Would appreciate any advice, recommendations to get things started off on the right track.

Don Johnson
Fort Collins, CO

Don. Welcome. I manage a Google Group of Colorado (plus a few outside) RV builders/owners. If you would like to join, shoot me an e-mail from a Google account. My address is in my signature below.
There's a few RV8 builders in the group.
 
Just one.

The electric trim is just find. Write the check and get in gear. The rest will come to you as you go. You'll have plenty of friends here to help distract you.
Hope this helps, Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888
 
As a fellow -8 builder, I'd recommend some of my favorite builders logs (besides my own; see links in my signature area). Matt Dralle's build log and YouTube videos were very inspirational; Scott Thompson's build log was helpful too (plus he's a warbird guy; see Aero Vintage Books); Bryan Raley is another, and there are many more. Check out the links section here. Lots of good RV-8 videos on YouTube now that have helped my motivation; also can't forget the From The Ground Up series produced by EAA for the now-defunct Wings channel. That series is available on DVD, and although dated now, it kept my dreams alive for over a decade before I could start building.
VAF is probably the best source for tribal knowledge; mostly good; some might be questionable... but Doug runs a tight ship here and that keeps the bad advice at bay. You are in the right place for networking and builder resources.
 
Tool question

Thanks all for the nice welcome. Looking forward to getting started on my RV-8, in fact, after joining the forum last week I have ordered my tail kit and it will be delivered this coming week. Oh boy, the fun is about to begin..... got to tool up now. Looking at possibly Cleveland or Isham RV tool kits. Any recommendations on a direction to go here. DRDT dimpler and/or phenumatic squeezer a good choice or save the money and spend elsewhere?
 
Thanks all for the nice welcome. Looking forward to getting started on my RV-8, in fact, after joining the forum last week I have ordered my tail kit and it will be delivered this coming week. Oh boy, the fun is about to begin..... got to tool up now. Looking at possibly Cleveland or Isham RV tool kits. Any recommendations on a direction to go here. DRDT dimpler and/or phenumatic squeezer a good choice or save the money and spend elsewhere?

If you are doing a slow build, get the phenumatic squeezer. You will soon find it indispensable.

Carl
 
Hi Don - I'm at the same point as you! I just sold my Cherokee, and likely going to order my kit tomorrow. The plan is to build the empanage first to see if I really like pounding rivets, then decide if I want quick build wings and fuselage or not. :)

Jason
 
Howdy neighbor. I?m the guy with the Midget Mustang one row of hangars east and slightly north of your hangar. We?ve talked briefly in the past. Happy to hear that you?re taking the plunge.

I?ve built 4 different RV empennage kits including 2 RV8 kits. I?d be happy to help in any way. I?ve also got at least one of most every tool known to man. You?re welcome to ?try it before you buy it? with pretty much any tool I own.

I?ll send my contact info via a PM.

Rod
 
I highly recommend some EAA workshops. I started with the sheet metal boot camp. Really help a lot for someone like me with zero building experience.
You?ll love the experience.
 
Ditto on the EAA workshops! I took the RV workshop in Frederick, MD. Indispensable! And congrats on taking the plunge!
 
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