What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Solo RV10 Build

C

carbinefreak

I'm New Here
I'm getting warmed up to the idea of building an RV10 in my heated 15'x30' garage but due to living in the sticks (11,000' msl) it looks like I may need to build it alone or with minimal help. I've got a large amount of mechanical experience and I'm an electrical engineer so I should be fine on the technical side. The goal is to slow build due to costs but if the QB makes it happen I'd like to hear why. I'm also not against buying additional tools if it makes it feasible or easier but what's the brain trust think?
 
carbinefreak said:
I'm getting warmed up to the idea of building an RV10 in my heated 15'x30' garage but due to living in the sticks (11,000' msl) it looks like I may need to build it alone or with minimal help. I've got a large amount of mechanical experience and I'm an electrical engineer so I should be fine on the technical side. The goal is to slow build due to costs but if the QB makes it happen I'd like to hear why. I'm also not against buying additional tools if it makes it feasible or easier but what's the brain trust think?
Click to expand...

You can do 98% of the work solo. But final riveting some of the fuselage and wing skins is a 2 person job. You'll also need a second (and third) set of hands when you mount wings, attach the tailcone, et.
 
carbinefreak said:
I've got a large amount of mechanical experience and I'm an electrical engineer ...
Click to expand...
I've got very little mechanical experience and I'm as far from an electrical engineer as you can get and I'm building my -14A 99% alone. No problem so far. The only help I got was some riveting of the skins on the rear fuselage. That amounted to about three hours of my 500+ hour build so far. As long as you can get somebody to help with the rare jobs that basically require another set of hands (once every couple months?), you should be fine. Your large amount of mechanical experience will allow you to do more things solo than the average person.
 
Last edited:
I’ll echo the other comments that you can do a lot solo. Not sure I’d put it in the high nineties percentage wise, but it’s a lot nevertheless. For example you can substitute back-riveting where most would use two people for that task, like riveting tailcone skins. You’ll just have to get creative at times.
 
Thanks guys, my fear was this was a 2 man job for a good part of it glad to hear it's not the case. With any luck I'll start next summer assuming this whole CH11 issue gets sorted and the kit lead times come down.
 
For what it’s worth, I put together a QB -10 with almost zero help. Just a personal thing. I got my wife to help with a half dozen firewall rivets. As already mentioned, careful positioning of a back-rivet plate/bar allowed me to do the tail cone-fuselage riveting solo (but slow!). I installed the wings solo, but did have sawhorses and a couple of block and tackles in the rafters to help. It can be done!
 
If you're handy with tools and don't mind buying specialty tools, I'll agree that you're in the high 90% range of solo work and can do the final few bits with half-a-dozen occasions of 1 or 2 friends for beer and pizza.
 
I’ve done my whole build so far solo. Wife helps dimpling and using pneumatic rivet puller. I make jigs and other unique tools to help. Lots of my work in the shop is late, late at night as well. Get good tools, great lighting and don’t be in a rush.
 
I'm just about to hang the engine on my slow build RV-10 and it's been solo all the way except for some riveting and occasional help lifting large assemblies. The total amount of support so far is about 40 hours - mostly riveting large assemblies. I bought some extra tools for riveting and built a cradle for the wings and another height adjustable one for the fuse. A hoist and a pallet truck helped with manoeuvring stuff around and fitting the wings. My workshop is about the same size and it's been tight at times but doable.
 
I’ll echo the comments above, 98% solo, slow build. For the last few skins closing up the wings and rear fuselage I needed help. Just the odd day here and there. Near the end of the build my teenage daughter helped and quickly became handy with the rivet gun.

regards Peter
 
I see that you’re in Fairplay. That’s not *that* far away from those of us stuck living in the metro area. There are enough RV folks around that I doubt you‘ll have much trouble finding an extra set of hands when necessary. Shoot, it’s less than 2 hours from my place and I live out by KDEN. I’d come up and lend a hand. Build on, McDuff! 😁
 
QB,? I think it’s easer to earn the extra $$ for a QB kit than it is to find an extra 1200 hours of free time,
As for tools? You Get to buy tools! You need the same tools to build a QB kit as a standard kit. No discount there.
Want to build as cheap as possible? Sew your own interior, paint it your self. Find a runout engine, and rebuild it your self. I don’t do this. For me, these are easer to get money and buy new.
 
RWoodard said:
I see that you’re in Fairplay. That’s not *that* far away from those of us stuck living in the metro area. There are enough RV folks around that I doubt you‘ll have much trouble finding an extra set of hands when necessary. Shoot, it’s less than 2 hours from my place and I live out by KDEN. I’d come up and lend a hand. Build on, McDuff! 😁
Click to expand...
I'll keep that in mind, I wasn't aware how many are in CO!
Jaypratt said:
QB,? I think it’s easer to earn the extra $$ for a QB kit than it is to find an extra 1200 hours of free time,
As for tools? You Get to buy tools! You need the same tools to build a QB kit as a standard kit. No discount there.
Want to build as cheap as possible? Sew your own interior, paint it your self. Find a runout engine, and rebuild it your self. I don’t do this. For me, these are easer to get money and buy new.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately in my case I've got more time than funds unless something changes here, but good point that it's a non trivial amount of time.

Thanks everyone for the feedback, I believe that settles it no reason to downsize just because I'm DIY'ing most of it.
 
Another vote for it not being a problem solo. I’m building solo. People say they want to help quite a bit but honestly it is kind of a solo endeavor. Disadvantage will be you will have to buy all the tools...some of which are one-time use. Find some good builders logs since you won’t have any in-person help. You will need them, especially when you first start. Seeing what the finished product is supposed to look like is better than any you-tube video. As others have said you’ll need a rivet partner for the wings and fuselage.…but only maybe a total of 3-5 hrs of work. Get a friend to help.

I‘m on year 5 but it’s a slow build and I have a job. Good luck, you have more mechanical and electrical experience than I do.
 
Like Rod, I’m not too far away either. I’m in Eagle which is less the 2 hours away without ski traffic. I built most of a -10 solo but there are times when it’s just much easier with a second set of hands. Most of the time you just need help moving large components. But other times it’s good to have experienced help. That goes for a second set of eyes to evaluate work. Just ask and I’m sure you’ll get folks willing to help.
 
You live at 11,000 feet MSL?! Wow...that's like at the tree line, I'm guessing. Bet you have a great view!

The only thing I'll add that hasn't already been said is that when you DO have someone help with those two-person tasks, have everything ready to go when they arrive. Have the tools, rivets, air lines, lights, instructions and whatever else might be needed already out and ready to get started. When one of the valley-dwellers comes up there, you want to make the best use of the available time. That will also help to ensure that they'll come back another time. There are people that would be happy to help and this forum is a great place to look for them. Don't rule out family members, even if it's not their "thing". How many kids can say they've helped build an airplane?
 
D-Dubya said:
You live at 11,000 feet MSL?! Wow...that's like at the tree line, I'm guessing. Bet you have a great view!

The only thing I'll add that hasn't already been said is that when you DO have someone help with those two-person tasks, have everything ready to go when they arrive. Have the tools, rivets, air lines, lights, instructions and whatever else might be needed already out and ready to get started. When one of the valley-dwellers comes up there, you want to make the best use of the available time. That will also help to ensure that they'll come back another time. There are people that would be happy to help and this forum is a great place to look for them. Don't rule out family members, even if it's not their "thing". How many kids can say they've helped build an airplane?
Click to expand...

I found that having most of the rivets taped in place before they get there is a huge advantage.
 
nohoflyer said:
Another vote for it not being a problem solo. I’m building solo. People say they want to help quite a bit but honestly it is kind of a solo endeavor. Disadvantage will be you will have to buy all the tools...some of which are one-time use. Find some good builders logs since you won’t have any in-person help. You will need them, especially when you first start. Seeing what the finished product is supposed to look like is better than any you-tube video. As others have said you’ll need a rivet partner for the wings and fuselage.…but only maybe a total of 3-5 hrs of work. Get a friend to help.

I‘m on year 5 but it’s a slow build and I have a job. Good luck, you have more mechanical and electrical experience than I do.
Click to expand...
Good point on the build logs, I've started building a list of them. One of the reasons of building a RV is the amount of people that have done so before me.

D-Dubya said:
You live at 11,000 feet MSL?! Wow...that's like at the tree line, I'm guessing. Bet you have a great view!

The only thing I'll add that hasn't already been said is that when you DO have someone help with those two-person tasks, have everything ready to go when they arrive. Have the tools, rivets, air lines, lights, instructions and whatever else might be needed already out and ready to get started. When one of the valley-dwellers comes up there, you want to make the best use of the available time. That will also help to ensure that they'll come back another time. There are people that would be happy to help and this forum is a great place to look for them. Don't rule out family members, even if it's not their "thing". How many kids can say they've helped build an airplane?
Click to expand...
I'm planning on spending a pretty penny on tools so I'm prepared for that. As for being ready for help my 2nd garage bay will be dedicated for building so it should be all prepped and waiting assuming I can't convince the Wife to help! The highest house in my neighborhood is around 12,300MSL, I'm actually halfway up the neighborhood.
nohoflyer said:
I found that having most of the rivets taped in place before they get there is a huge advantage.
Click to expand...
This is an interesting idea, would save the fumbling of trying to get them in the hole I'll try to remember this!
 
jimbom said:
Do you cleco every other hole and tape rivets in the open holes?
Click to expand...
I think it depends on the structure. Taping all the holes in a stiffener, no worries. Every hole over a curved surface probably not.

WRT to solo building, as others have said, most of the aluminum structure is doable with some forethought solo. A second pair of hands however would make some jobs far quicker.

I think the biggest challenge for a solo builder will be the repeated r&r of the cabin top as you trim it to shape. Mine went on and off countless times and I always needed a second body to do it. I’ve seen some clever hoist arrangements here that look like they designed for a solo builder. Maybe so some searching for that.
 
Richard Connell said:
I think the biggest challenge for a solo builder will be the repeated r&r of the cabin top as you trim it to shape. Mine went on and off countless times and I always needed a second body to do it. I’ve seen some clever hoist arrangements here that look like they designed for a solo builder. Maybe so some searching for that.
Click to expand...
I made a simple hoist for the cabin top from a sliding door rail that was bolted to the ceiling in the workshop. A simple block and tackle arrangement was suspended from the rail, so the cabin top could be lifted, slid across and lowered on to a workbench - all single handed. Well worth it, as the cabin top must have been on and off 50 times.
 
Richard Connell said:
I think it depends on the structure. Taping all the holes in a stiffener, no worries. Every hole over a curved surface probably not.
Click to expand...
Back riveting stiffeners are definitely NOT where I need another person's help. I appreciate the reply, but I was asking @nohoflyer because he suggested having the rivets taped in place before help arrived. I don't understand how that would work when most assemblies require clecos everywhere (and to your point, especially on curved bulkhead-to-skin assemblies, which is where I most need a second person....) I just don't get noho's point.
 
jimbom said:
Back riveting stiffeners are definitely NOT where I need another person's help. I appreciate the reply, but I was asking @nohoflyer because he suggested having the rivets taped in place before help arrived. I don't understand how that would work when most assemblies require clecos everywhere (and to your point, especially on curved bulkhead-to-skin assemblies, which is where I most need a second person....) I just don't get noho's point.
Click to expand...
I had clecos every fourth hole. So cleco, rivet, rivet, rivet, cleco. I found that this sped up work and held things well. If I felt that I needed more clecos I would but it was rare. This technique was used for attaching wing skins and larger areas on the fuselage I could not reach on my own.
 
nohoflyer said:
I had clecos every fourth hole. So cleco, rivet, rivet, rivet, cleco. I found that this sped up work and held things well. If I felt that I needed more clecos I would but it was rare. This technique was used for attaching wing skins and larger areas on the fuselage I could not reach on my own.
Click to expand...
Me too. I then set the middle rivet, then the ones to each side.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top