Team T-Shirt

T-Shirt above was a treat for me and two friends Jo and Tim from my folks and I shall wear it with pride when the right moment arrives..... The LAA Rally and maybe Aero Expo as well?

No building today as I'm waiting for my LAA Inspector Nigel to come over and look at my work, I have a slight concern over some solid rivets as I used a flat head in the squeezer instead of a concave one..... Depending on what Nigel says tomorrow I'll either be happy or drilling out around 40 rivets.

I think tomorrow I might do some basic metal prep on the next bit of the build the 'Anti-Servo Tab' although I won't be riveting anything until my initial work is up to standard.

VS & Rudder frames finished

Finished the VS frame today (apart from replacement rib) and also got the Rudder frame finished as well ready for my inspector to call and check my riveting and metal prep.

Fair amount of solid rivets to pull today and I find them quite hard to do if I'm honest. I also used the hand pop rivet tool as well for 2 tricky rivets.. All I'll say is I'm glad I have the air tool for most of the work.

Solid and Blind Rivets

Spent around 6 hours working today started by touching up some of the stuff I primed yesterday and then I couldn't put it off any longer time to rivet and safe to safe I love the pneumatic blind rivet tool works a treat and I imagine quite quickly on large surfaces. I started using the JC5A jointing compound today and it's messy stuff already have a yellow mark on my jumper...... Wonder if it'll wash out?

I also squeezed a number of solid rivets and managed to screw up my first one on a nut plate so had to drill that out and replace it. Scary when your drilling a finished piece of metal you really don't want to mess up the whole thing. I decided after that to take my time and think I've done a good job with them it'll be interesting to see what my inspector says?

I also made two rudder attachments brackets complete with bearing in them so a fruitful day and more lessons learnt the biggest being it's easier to squeeze solid rivets when the surface is dimpled like it is on the VS Skin. I manged to do 18 nutplates in half an hour......... Is that good? I think so.

Tomorrow I'll hopefully start and finish the rudder riveting as I've done as much as I can on the VS until the replacement rib arrives from Vans and my inspector has been to look at what I've done so far.

Prime Time

6th March - Had a very productive 4+ hours in the garage this afternoon and finished all the metal prep for the rudder. Scary when the plans ask you to cut the end off one of the ribs but I took my time and made a good job of it.

Decided it was time to prime some metal as I can't rivet anything until that's done and another first for me in the build as I've never used a spray gun before and it seemed to go OK although I have noticed a couple of runs on some of the parts but as these are going to be hidden internally I'm not to worried.

I will stop off at Halfords tomorrow and buy a can of acid etch primer to make good in a couple of areas I've not covered totally. I guess like all the RV skills my spraying will improve as I do more of it. Tomorrow I'll use the rivet gun for the first time and the squeezer as well.

New month and first build issue

2nd March - Spring has arrived and its warming up a little. I spent 5 enjoyable hours working in the garage today and achieved a lot building a drill press that now sits on top of the tumble drier I also had my first build issue but I'm not alone according to the Vans Air Force forum.

Basically my Vertical Stabilizer has a dodgy rib (VS1208 for those that have plans) its pre drill holes do not line up so I took some photos and emailed them to Vans who replied really quickly and are shipping a replacement to me so that means I can't prime the prepared metal until it arrives but at least when it does I'll be able to do the prep on it and see some serious progress quite quickly. I've posted more photos online

So far I've done around 13 and a half hours on the project and am getting more comfortable using the tools and working with the material. Whilst I await the new rib I will start work on the next step which is the rudder.

5th March - Spent a sneaky hour and a half in the garage working on metal prep for the rubber assembly and that's all done now so it's ready for drilling and preparing tomorrow. I really believe you can build the rudder in a weekend if you put your mind to it and that's my plan although I will probably hold off priming until the faulty rib is replaced..... Unless I decide to learn a new skill over the weekend?

It's arrived

Friday 5th February was the day I paid the shipping and import costs for my RV-12 kit... Well the first bit of it anyway!! A builders tool kit from Avery, an Empennage kit from Van's, a toolbox project kit to get me underway and 12,500 rivets.

I spent the weekend sorted a van out to collect my kit around lunchtime on Monday 8th February from Manchester International Airport and my kit has already been to Portland, San Francisco, LA, London Heathrow and Manchester so its well travelled already. After checking the crate contents (only one small washer missing) it was time for tea and then for me to go to work, I think doing the the 10pm-1am shift will work well when the build gets underway. Tuesday arrived and I did the paperwork for the LAA (Light Aircraft Associaition) and later that week a project number arrived so its officially registered I just need the paperwork and then I can get my inspector around to check my workshop over.

Thursday 11th - Went flying in my shared C127 G-AWVA first flight of the New Year and I was a little rusty in the circuit to be honest.

Friday 12th - I drove to Hook in Hampshire to have a build lesson with my friend Tim who's build a lovely RV-7 and has another project underway in his workshop. Whilst the boys talked planes and building Jo (Tim's better half) looked after the boys with food and beverages.

Saturday 13th - Sent most of the day building the toolbox and having other important lessons from Tim, sadly we didn't have time to do any spraying but its an excuse for them to come up here once I get underway properly.

Sunday 14th - I had a romantic Valentines day ordering additional tools like stop drills, a centre punch and a couple of other things Tim had and I consider useful for the build. I'm also thinking my air drill might be too big but I'll wait and see if that's the case before sourcing an alternative. Went to B&Q and got an extension lead so plenty of power sockets in the workshop now. I also sorted all the bags of rivets, washers, bearing etc into plastic cases so a productive afternoon.

Monday 15th - Checked over my compressor and sorted out how the regulator works and applied to the CAA for a registration mark...... More as and when it's approved

Tuesday 16th - Workshop heater arrived a stolen idea from Tim's and a sensible one as it gets rather cold in my garage at the moment. Sourced material from spray table

Friday 18th - Still waiting for the LAA paperwork to arrive but the CAA have approved my aircraft registration application and my RV-12 will be G-OXII or GO-12 once completed if you prefer

Wednesday 23rd - Decided to prep some metal whilst waiting for approval to start the build proper from the LAA so split some brackets and made them look nice. I also ordered a Scotch Brite wheel from Vans and a pillar drill from the internet as I can already see the benefits of having both to hand. It's fair to say I have plenty of tools now but the hardest thing to find so far are soft jaws for my vice but luckily Amazon had so that should save a few teeth marks along the way. I've also decided as well as priming the internal surfaces of the build I'll be using JC5A which is a jointing compound on all external rivets to help prevent corrosion in the longer term, this stuff comes in a toothpaste sized tube and costs £40 a go so will be keeping that under lock and key

Thursday 25th - Postie drops off dark blue folder from the LAA so I'm good to go although the projects serial number has changed from what they initially told me so been on to the CAA to get my registration certificate amended which isn't a big problem. I also called Nigel my local inspector and hopefully he'll come over tomorrow night to inspect me, my kit and my workshop

Friday 26th - I HAVE APPROVAL TO START BUILD!!! It's all systems go

Saturday 27th - Spent 6 hours in the workshop today drilling, deburring etc etc so the build is underway and already I have some pieces of metal to show for my efforts. I had one small issue with the countersinking tool and not being able use it in the drill in one location so I removed the head and screwed it into at a hand deburring tool and did it manually. I also starting fluting some of the VS ribs and suspect this is going to be a black art to get right

It'll be here soon..... I hope

I got back from my annual skiing holiday to Canada on the last day of Janaury 2010 knowing that my RV-12 kit shipped from Van's on January 27th. Whilst in Canada I seriously considered a trip to Oregon to have a look at the demo aircraft but it was all a little too last minute to make it happen..... Next year maybe?

Anyway on arriving back home I had loads of post some of it from Van's confirming what had been shipped and what hadn't. I seem to have 3 parts on back order a rudder weldment, upper stabilator horn and lower stabilator horn but nothing that will stop me from starting the building. Also included in the information sent over was a list from Avery detailing the items in the RV-12 tool kit and a couple of additions I made and some stuff for my friend Tim who has had his RV-7 flying for almost 3 years now and has been a great source of information and I have no doubt will remain to be so.

Yesterday I put a call into the shippers DB Schenker to find out where the kit is and it's in London having already been to Portland, LA & San Fran on it's air freight journey to the UK..... I wonder if I have to log these flying hours?? Hopefully it'll be in Manchester soon and I can get the thing registered with the LAA, get my workshop inspected and have some lessons from Tim about applying primer and working with aluminium. I also finished my tool purchase with an expensive afternoon in Machine Mart buying air tools, an inspection lamp, tool chest and a few other items.

I'm pretty much set to go and am looking forward to a massive challenge and hope you enjoy following my progress.