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John, Good Looking Panel

Looks great, I like that you carried the interior color to the panel. I think I will do that also. I am dying to know how the GPS is installed. Can it be easily removed to do programing out of the cockpit?

Tony
 
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Not what it appears

The dash is a slightly different color. All interior is a rough, sand type finish. The GPS is designed to be easy to remove, but I have not made mine as such. I did not put in the release hole. I think you will find it not so easy to remove. If you have WX, you have lots of cables and you have to leave enough cable for each to unhook. Also takes a lot of over-sizing the hole to get it out. My opinion, not easy to get out, but you can make it do-able.

John Bender
 
Tony_T said:
Looks great, I like that you carried the interior color to the panel. I think I will do that also. I am dying to know how the GPS is installed. Can it be easily removed to do programing out of the cockpit?

Tony
Click to expand...

Tony,

I did drill the hole and filed and filed the right side of the "hole" trying to make it work where I could pop it out. Finally I figured the gap on the right side was going to end up being too wide for my taste so I stopped and decided to leave as is.
 
Pete & Tony

After looking at the GPS over-sizing of the hole, I decided I really did not need to remove the GPS. I can check it at annual time ( with the top off ), and that is ok for me. You can make it removable if you work at it.

I have a larger screen GPS for the car, and I like it better for that reason, so I don't have any other use to remove it.

John Bender
 
Nice Job, John

I like the lighter colored panel too...it looks like a Beechcraft panel that way and I'm tired of gray and black panels.

Jay
 
Can you replace the internal batteries with the GPS in place? I realize that the GPS runs off the plane's power, but it's nice to have a backup source of power.
 
GPS battery change

No. The GPS will have to be removed from the holder ( dock ). I figure I can check it at annual time. Unless you turn on the GPS without plane power, you will not know how good the battery is anyway I'd guess.

John Bender
 
John

I've had a 396 in another plane since they first came out...hotwired with the battery in place. It has never had to be replaced up to this time...so thats been 2005...4 years. The bigger problem will be doing any kind of downloads but since we don't plan to use it for "back-up" ILS you can easily download anything when you do your annual...as you said.

I did finally figure out if you want to make the "hole" bigger to allow removal you have to concentrate somewhat on the right side but also on the bottom area where the small rubber flap makes the bottom of the 496/396/296 uneven.

I did get a 496 this time around and noticed that it is a much faster processor.
 
Tail Cone Attachment

I got the tail cone in my home garage now loaded onto a trailer and will take it to the hangar tomorrow to start connecting it to the fuselage. I have to do this alone since there is noone to help, and I need to get the fuselage and the tail cone onto sawhorses to start the mating process. Its pretty awkward doing this alone, but since I have no choice I am just going to take it easy and if all I do tomorrow is to get things lined up to start clecoing it together I will be happy. Wings done and they are at the hangar too...pretty crowded with the RV6A also in a small hangar...been working on the RV-12 since January. Finish kit being shipped week of the 16th of August. Lots of fun !!

JohnF at Salida,CO (KANK)
 
GPS Mounting

I'm curious about the discussion on the GPS mounting. Why not just install an Air Gizmo mount so the GPS can come out whenever you want for updating, use in the car, etc.? It only costs like a hundred bucks - not much in the overall scheme of things.
 
Threetracker said:
I like the lighter colored panel too...it looks like a Beechcraft panel that way and I'm tired of gray and black panels.

Jay
Click to expand...

I have a color close to this in my 6A....... and when the sun hits on it, it reflects on the canopy..... I hate it!!:eek:

My next panel and interior will be non reflective flat dark gray. The next time you go for a ride in a RV, wear a white t-shirt so you can see how it reflects on the canopy.
 
BigJohn said:
I'm curious about the discussion on the GPS mounting. Why not just install an Air Gizmo mount so the GPS can come out whenever you want for updating, use in the car, etc.? It only costs like a hundred bucks - not much in the overall scheme of things.
Click to expand...

You can after its certified. Just like you can change the upper cowling to go on with nutplates instead of the hinge/wire routine.
 
Larry & Marty

The drop in ceiling is to help relieve pressure if anything I do in the garage explodes. ( yes, it is insulated also ). I seem to be painting the floor at the same time. It needs to be re-painted anyway, so what sticks good will help with the re-paint. Just sand and paint.

John Bender
 
Joe

Wing is hooked to the center aileron arm. I put a 3/16" bolt thru it and a chain link on the engine hoist. Seems very solid. Don't think it hurts anything. The other end I clamped onto a ladder to stabilize it. I can raise it to paint on the bottom, and let it back down so I can reach everything else. It is over a foot off the floor when level. I washed the floor before. Don't have perfect dirt control, but not too bad either. Excellent exhaust fan and filter panel.

John Bender
 
Status of my 12

Still beavering away on the fuselage...248 hours. Total project time now 576 hours.
620855420_wMbfn-M.jpg


Tony
 
Hey Brad

Looking good. I'm painting the cowls now, and waiting for the BO stuff. Let us all know how you are progressing.

John Bender
 
First fit of the wings

I know some are waiting to do the first fit of their wings (Section 30) until later but I had something inside me that kept saying that I should really check the fit before I do too much more on this kit! Hence, on August 29th, I went to the trouble of moving the fuselage out of the garage and did the trial fit of the wings. All went well!! Thanks to other posts, I knew that I needed to enlarge the main spar openings to prevent rivets from catching on the edges. In just one hour, we were able to move the fuselage to the driveway, install and remove the wings, and move the fuselage back into the garage. See pictures at this link:

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=jemmick&project=592&category=0&log=87966&row=2

Now I just need to get the interior painted so I can really get moving on the finish kit!
 
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Update on my 12

Milestone day -- fitted the tailcone to the fuselage. With finish kit wiring in place, needed to attach the tailcone to route the pitch trim cable and the static line. Attaching the tailcone was easy.
Project time now at 650 hours.
645594581_iFLqx-M.jpg


Tony
 
John

John,

Looks way-cool. I can't believe you painted as you went...you did great but I can't imagine. Do you have a finished fuel tank or waiting on the new plastic?
 
Hey Pete

Panel painting is not the best way, but since we had sometimes lots of time between kits, it made sense to me to paint as we got stuff. The color matches are a little off. Re-did a couple pieces. Will have to do. Adding some decals when it is done will help out the overall appearance ( I hope anyway ).

I will likely wait a bit for the fuel tank fix. If it is not coming for a while, I might just get it inspected as-is, and re-do it during the really cold weather this winter.

Thanks,

John Bender
 
Update RV-12 #202

With the wiring and controls in now, installed the aft window. Seats came today, so good time to make a photo. Great service and workmanship from this vendor.
665410757_bxAyh-M.jpg


Gear legs are on, so the fuselage is about ready to come down off the table and rest on the wheels. Should then be a lot easier to move it around.

Total project time now 700+ hours.

Tony
 
Wing Structure completed

Only a wing structure....
After three weeks of drilling, deburring and priming I was able to put the wing skeleton together during the last two days.
These two days were the most enjoyable days of the project so far!!!
What a pleasure to put the skeleton together.
Everything fits so nicely.
I messed up a W-1212 Hinge Assembly. The bearing was stuck between the side pieces. If anyone has some more tips ........

Besides that I was impressed by Rudi Greyling his building movies. I tried one myself. I have enough pictures now for my log :D

YouTube Wing Skeleton

FP02102009A0000S.jpg
 
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Fantastic video Gagarin. Even got the calendar on the wall. I thought you said that it took three weeks, not twelve months! Very artistic!. :D:p
 
The calendar (2007, who cares) on the wall is flight related; flight attendants in an aircraft :D (Everybody notices the calendar but not the wrong position of one of the nose ribs, strange :p).
 
Just a little encouragement for those building a -12.

RV-12_4.JPG


Besides being fun to build, they are really fun to fly too!

Keep pulling those rivets!

Now it's off to the paint shop.
 
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Great picture

Nice to see a second one in the air ! Great job ! I'l get my I.D. tag Wed., then DAR.

John Bender
 
 
Thanks guys

The Eagles are from E-Decals. Std. offering from them. Available in differrent sizes. I want to do more decals. I will sit and stare at it for a while and decide what might look OK. The front seems a little to bare. Don't want too much, but a couple little things can help if done right.

Scott - not sure what you mean - "belts ".

John Bender
 
JBPILOT said:
Scott - not sure what you mean - "belts ".

John Bender
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I think he means seat & shoulder belts. I believe they are standard colors.

How do the decals lay over the rivet heads? I know Vans uses vinyl decals, but I wonder how they get the vinyl so flat?

Nice job John! I really like the red! ;)
 
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Nice Work!

Those pictures are truly inspirational ... makes me want to go in my garage and work twice as hard & long today. :) Great paint job! :) Any paint or clear coat on the gas tank?
 
Thanks again guys

I have not painted the tank because of the mod ( which I have NOW ). I will put in this winter when the snow is flying, and not me.

Scott - the belts are std. color offering. Am very happy they offered that color. I had the interior painted before I knew what colors were going to be offered.

I'll take some OUTDOOR pictures this afternoon when I go back to the airport. Taxied this morning, and it went well. No leaks or surprises. Still breezy, but first chance now, I will take it up.

Decals are a little owrk to get aroudn rivets. You have to work them for a while with the squeegy to get them tight to the rivets.

Jerry - good to hear from you again.

John Bender
 
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