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Here we go -- starting my empenage

S

skipswift

Member
After inventorying my kit in September 2019 and sitting on it for nearly a year, I am ready to start the build process.

I do have a few questions I'm hoping the group can advise me on:

- I will be prepping interior surfaces with maroon scotchbrite pads and PreKote, and priming with AZKO. I am ordering materials this week, likely from Aircraft Spruce. I have a Planetools kit but is there anything else I will definitely need that I should throw in to this order? Specific bucking bars maybe? Specific additional dimple dies or drill bits? Anything else?

- What upgrades/modifications do I need to consider as I build my empenage?

- Any Salt Lake City area RV builders out there?

Thank you.
Steve
 
Congrats & you're a bit ahead of me. I keep almost pulling the trigger on buying the Emp kit & ordering the 10 QB kit. Will likely do it very soon. Also in the SLC area & can share some contacts with you I've found here who've built 10's. I just spent 5 hrs with one of them this evening up in Heber. I'll PM you. Hope to follow right on your heels. Haven't even done enough research to know the why's and such of your questions (nor do I know the pros & cons of priming the interior of the 10 but I hear there are avid arguments for both doing it and not doing it). Best of luck & I'm happy to come help if needed although at this point I'd mostly just be a second set of hands/eyes etc.
 
RV10 - about to start.

My empennage is ordered and the plane # is assigned! That's pretty serious, right?
Tools from Isham are soon to be shipped, as well.
We need to stay in touch. I am often in SLC due to a little place I have up in Kamas, above Heber/Park City. It would be great to stop by and say hi if ya'll are ok with that.
My place of residence is Fresno, Ca...but the freedom of Utah is always tugging at me. Too bad I have to work...dang.
So, what changes/ custom ideas for your empennage? There's not a whole lot to alter from what I see.
Are you guys priming the interior? I believe I will. Which primer...I'm not 100% settled on that.
The garage is clean and organized. Shelving is clear and ready. Benches are built. Compressor is in and hooked up. Paint equipment is ready. Band saw, drill press, grinder, sander....all ready!

Look forward to getting in touch with ya'll and keeping the builds going.

Andy
 
arr said:
My empennage is ordered and the plane # is assigned! That's pretty serious, right?
Tools from Isham are soon to be shipped, as well.
We need to stay in touch. I am often in SLC due to a little place I have up in Kamas, above Heber/Park City. It would be great to stop by and say hi if ya'll are ok with that.
My place of residence is Fresno, Ca...but the freedom of Utah is always tugging at me. Too bad I have to work...dang.
So, what changes/ custom ideas for your empennage? There's not a whole lot to alter from what I see.
Are you guys priming the interior? I believe I will. Which primer...I'm not 100% settled on that.
The garage is clean and organized. Shelving is clear and ready. Benches are built. Compressor is in and hooked up. Paint equipment is ready. Band saw, drill press, grinder, sander....all ready!

Look forward to getting in touch with ya'll and keeping the builds going.

Andy
Click to expand...

Not sure what modifications/upgrades may be relevant for the empennage build. I guess that's why I asked. Hoping some of the more experienced builders will chime in, but I think it might make sense to run some channels/mounting plates for electronics to be placed in the vertical stabilizer. Not sure what but I would imagine it's very difficult, if not impossible, to do later.

I will be prepping with PreKote and priming with AZKO. Lots of debate but I have read good things about AZKO and it seems to be relatively easy to apply.
 
skipswift said:
Not sure what modifications/upgrades may be relevant for the empennage build.
Click to expand...

Look into the machined mounts for the end of the trim flex cable. Mount them with flat head screws, and nut plates on the machined mount. You can thank me later;)
 
Tungsten

Most definitely. I have three. The 4" one with one angled face gets used most often. The thin one gets used a lot too. Bottom line. Buy one at least.
Primer is a personal thing. Never used Akzo but I do spray a lot of Kirker EnduroPrime. It's a 2K epoxy. Pretty tough. In fact, if I build another, it will have Enduroprime on mating surfaces only. It will also be the interior paint. One coat. Less weight. Gray, black or white.
That said, my Lucy is sprayed everywhere with P60G2.
 
skipswift said:
Cool! Like these?
https://iflyrv10.com/index.html
Click to expand...

Yep, like those.

skipswift said:
Great tip! Keep 'em coming if you got 'em. This is exactly the kind of suggestion I was hoping to receive.
Click to expand...

OK, when you get to the doors, use the PlaneAround center latch. Ditto for their wheel pants mount spacers. Also, use all metal nuts on the wheel pant mounts.

https://planearound.com/shop/ols/products/new-door-180-kit

https://planearound.com/shop/ols/products/two-wheel-fairing-bracket-spacers-for-rv-10-set-of-two
 
wirejock said:
Most definitely. I have three. The 4" one with one angled face gets used most often. The thin one gets used a lot too. Bottom line. Buy one at least.
Primer is a personal thing. Never used Akzo but I do spray a lot of Kirker EnduroPrime. It's a 2K epoxy. Pretty tough. In fact, if I build another, it will have Enduroprime on mating surfaces only. It will also be the interior paint. One coat. Less weight. Gray, black or white.
That said, my Lucy is sprayed everywhere with P60G2.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I hadn't considered EnduroPrime. Any idea what the advantages or disadvantages are relative to AZKO?

If it's just as tough, easy to apply, less expensive, and gray, I may have to go with EnduroPrime. AZKO is military green, so I'd probably have to paint non-upholstered surfaces if I go with AZKO.
 
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