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How large a table for the Fuselage build?

JDBoston

Well Known Member
I am unhappy with my EAA1000 tables that I built years ago, they have served me well but now are not as rigid as I would like them to be (Back riveting is a challenge with these now). I am considering building new ones with a slightly different design and using the current ones for regular tables to deburr/work.

I am about to start the Fuselage and am wondering what the minimum sized table you think you could get away with is. Keep in mind my plan after the basic structure is complete is to get rid of the table and transfer the joined assembly to a rotisserie.

Would a 4x4 table work (I would build two 2x4 tables then clamp them together)?

I suppose I could just rebuild the tables I have, but wanted to see what table size people used for the basic structure.
 
Hopefully, I did this right (see pic). This is an RV7. This table is 3' X 3'5" and 22" tall with the wheels, and 3 inch thick piece of sturdy foam in between bottom of fuse and top of table. sturdy enough that I can get right inside. Ofcourse, I have to use a small step ladder to climb up.
 

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RV-14 dolly

I used the standard EAA tables for the construction and assembling the tail cone to the forward fuselage. That turned out to be the perfect solution rater than the saw horses shown in the plans.
Fuse%20halves-XL.jpg


This dolly I borrowed from a friend who just finished building an RV-14A. I have just installed fuel systems and rudder pedals so far but the height seem to be working out well.
Fuse%20halves2-XL.jpg


P1080612-XL.jpg
 
Thanks everyone. Just to clarify, I am asking about the table size to build the actual fuselage main assembly itself, not the join. The join I can do by combining a couple of existing tables.
 
I used a set of HF metal sawhorses for most of my fuse build. They sell some study metal ones with woodish tops. Other than they were a pain to assemble they have worked well. I had 2 under the spar area end to end and one aft near the tiedown point. I'll have to admit that I also used a jackstand on top of the rear saw horse with a pad and a tiedown strap. As convoluted as this sounds it was very stable. You could build an aft support if that makes you feel better. Mine was initially a temporary thing but it worked well so I left it that way.

I've recently gone to a cart that I built since I figured I'll need to be in the cabin area working more to finish up the internals.
 
I just mated my two fuse sections together and used two of the EAA tables like Ivan. Their height makes it easy to do the riveting along the bottom of the join line and the aft rivets of the bottom ribs. The dolly looks like a great idea. I was going to chop off a section of the legs of one of the tables so that I can lower it now. I'm tired of using a step stool and ladder to work inside. I may have to build a dolly instead.
 
To mate the forward and aft 14 fuselage I used two picnic tables. Lumber yard picnic tables are cheap and sturdy.
 
My solution

This has been great. A pair of adjustable horses from Home Depot. They are very solid. I made a 3ft x 8 ft top reinforced by 2x4s. See attached. They can be adjusted up and down depending on what you are working on. For the tailcone or and fuselage build it was down low. I used it to back rivet my entire tail cone.
 

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  • 90ABB168-BE5D-4A58-BCDA-C31EEFF86EC6.jpeg
    90ABB168-BE5D-4A58-BCDA-C31EEFF86EC6.jpeg
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