Welcome to JT's RV8 Aircraft Factory -N110JT

Aileron Boots

2012-01-17T21:20:00.000-05:00

View of the left boot

View of the right boot

Final Pitot Connections

2012-01-17T21:10:00.000-05:00

Vans pitot tube, left wing

View from outboard inspection bay, left wing

View from middle inspection bay, left wing

I used a brass compression fitting to mate the polyethylene to the aluminum tubing. *Thanks to Jeff Johnson for the tip.

Strobe and Position Lights

2012-01-10T20:14:00.003-05:00

One of the cool features of the Aeroleds is that the strobes can be synced by simply connecting three wires.

The AeroLed Suntail is a combo strobe/ nav light that can be operated independently.

I epoxied a pair of 4-40 nylon acorn nuts, available at any hardware store, to the inside of the rudder fairing. This made attaching the light assembly a snap.
(The metal nuts are being used to support the screws and acorn nuts while the epoxy drys.)

Wing Tip Lenses

2012-01-08T22:26:00.003-05:00

Pictured are my finished wing tip lenses. I cut and polished a piece of 025 aluminum to dress up the empty embedded space, then fitted them with their respective Aeroled NS90.

The lenses had to be cut and trimmed to fit. I accomplished this with a dremel tool and belt sander.

Fuel System Complete!

2012-01-04T19:17:00.008-05:00

Left Fuel Tank Vent

Left Fuselage to Tank Connections

Forming and fitting the fuel lines turned out to be a bigger challenge than expected! The old lines interfered with the spar nuts, so I pulled them out and fabricated new ones. This was a real pain with all of the other pieces,parts, and wires already in the plane. *Special Thanks to Jeff Johnson for lending me a hand.

Right Fuselage to Tank Connections

Pictured is my aerobatic tank. I chose to put a flop tube in this one, hence the leading edge fuel line.

Wing Walk Material Applied

2011-12-30T20:46:00.001-05:00

Product available from Vans aircraft.

Fuel Tank Bracket Secured

2011-12-30T20:15:00.004-05:00

The plans have you cut a 1/4" slot from the end of the fuel tank bracket to the bolt hole(zoom in pic to view slot). I did this, just prior to installing the wing, with an air saw. After wing installation, I secured the bracket with a drilled head AN4 bolt, 970-4 washer, and safety wire. *In the event of an accident, the slot allows the fuel tank to pry away from the fuselage.

Final Wing Installation!

2011-12-28T17:33:00.016-05:00

The Wing Install is Complete! Yes, It was a real pain, but doable with the right tools. It took us a total of 5 hrs to complete. *Special Thanks to Chris Fendley, Udo Reif, and Jeff Johnson.

It's finally an airplane at this point, Sweet!

Right Side, Aft Main Spar. Here, All 10 bolts, per side, have been installed. I needed 3 washers for each bolt. One under the head, and two under the nut. You may also notice the electrical conduit that I ran into the fuselage. The black wrap was used to help prevent chaffing of the aileron push tubes. It was removed just after this pic was taken.

I was able to torque the Right side from the nuts and the Left side from the heads.

*Note - NAS bolts have different torq settings than AN bolts.

NAS 1304 80-100 inch/lbs NAS 1307 520-630 inch/lbs AN4 Bolts 50-70 inch/lbs

Wing Bolt Notes

1- Prepare early by doing research on the VAF site, gather all the required tools, and look over plans pg. 80

2- Make sure all of the prep work is Done. (Aileron push tubes installed, fuel level sender wire hole drilled, 1/4 gap cut in front brackets(use an Air saw), rear air vent hose ready for install,etc

3-Freeze the Bolts, Make drift/alignment Pins from hardware store bolts

4- Take Your Time, Have at least 3 helpers

5- Lube the bolt shanks, drifting pins, and holes prior to install.

6-Acquire an Air Ratchet, Rivet Gun (with flush set), small Ball Peen Hammer, Box Wrenches/Sockets/Crows Feet(5/8,11/16,7/16 etc.), Various Extensions, Breaker bar, Mirror, Magnet, Grease, Rubber Gloves, Head Lamp, Drop Light,etc.

The Wing Tips

2011-12-14T18:12:00.012-05:00

The wing tips have been trimmed and fitted! ...Up next, Nav and Strobe light installation.
(Basically, I followed Darwin Barrie's instructions in the articles section of the VAF site. Everything worked out great. Thanks Darwin!)

I have also finished installing ALL 78 #6 nutplates and all 8 reinforcement strips.

The square wooden dowels were intially set with epoxy, then backfilled and covered with fiberglass resin.
I added some West System 410 filler to the resin to thicken it up.

Foam ribs were fabricated to support the tips while drilling. (The center one is not shown)

*Builder Tip-I've been told that it's easiest to trim and fit the tips while the wings are in the cradle.

The Birthing of our Vans RV8!

2011-12-13T15:09:00.001-05:00

The Cowling is Done!

2011-11-21T21:16:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the dark Iphone pics,but it's all I have for now. I'll update with brighter pics soon!

Custom Glove Box for the Fuselage

2011-11-21T21:05:00.000-05:00

Here is my version of the fuselage IPAD/Glove Box Mod. Yes, it took some time to get everything trimmed and fitted, but I think it's worth it! I'll paint the door and finish the inside soon.

The door is attached with a piano hinge on the bottom and held closed by a flush Hartwell latch. There is a doubler that surrounds the top and sides. Pretty Slick!

Applied Cowl Heat Protector

2011-11-21T20:48:00.001-05:00

I applied a self adhesive heat reflective material to the inside of the cowl. This should prevent any cowl burn from the exhaust pipes. It also makes wiping up oil spills a snap. Product available from Vans.

The Hidden Hinge Oil Door. Pt.2 (Finished)

2011-11-09T16:49:00.002-05:00

Door open.

Ava, age 7, is glad this part of the project is complete! Me too...

Inside view.

Door closed. Nice and Flush...

The "Screwless Spinner"

2011-11-09T12:29:00.003-05:00

Pictured is my "Screwless Spinner". This is a modification that gives the spinner a clean look and makes wiping off bugs a snap. The primer gray filler plates will be painted at a later date.

Finishing the Cowling...Pt.5

2011-10-28T22:30:00.006-04:00

While the paint on the fiberglass is only temporary, it will certainly get me through the testing phase of the airplane. I will decide on a final paint color and scheme at a later date... Thanks for spraying the pieces for me Ryan!

Custom Seats, Seat Belts, and Stick Boots!

2011-10-17T19:56:00.012-04:00

Here's a quick peek at the custom seats I just installed. The seats are a Blue and Lt. Gray leather two-tone.

I'm very pleased with the way they turned out. Thanks Rusty!

Rear Seat

Front Seat with Lumbar Support.

Front Stick Boot.

Rear Well Cover with 12vdc outlet and 2"air vent.

Padded Forward Seat Back Support Wrap.

Finishing the Cowling...Pt.4

2011-08-26T17:41:00.007-04:00

Final tie coat of epoxy primer. Next, sanding with 600 grit and prep for paint.

Finishing the Cowling...Pt.3

2011-08-19T19:16:00.005-04:00

After more sanding (220 grit over the epoxy primer) and more pin hole filling, the cowl was shot with Evercoat Feather Fill G2 high build primer/surfacer.

It looks really nice... Thanks again to Ryan for shooting the primer.

*Coming up next? You guessed it: more sanding...this time 320-400grit.

Finishing the Cowling...Pt.2

2011-08-08T17:19:00.005-04:00

Well, Here's how it looks after the first coat of two-part epoxy primer. Not too bad....

The 2 coats of epoxy resin, did a fair job of filling in the pin holes, but there are still a few that need to be addressed. This was to be expected, so overall I'm very pleased with how things are coming along. Next, will be more sanding, then a shot of High Build primer/surfacer.

*Special Thanks to Ryan for shooting the primer in the paint booth.

The spinner is looking exceptional....

Finishing the Cowling...Pt.1

2011-07-08T20:07:00.009-04:00

I think we are ready to seal the epoxy resin layers with some epoxy primer.

I'm sanding the epoxy resin coats with 100 grit sandpaper.

Outside, coming along nicely... lot's of work here, kids!

After the resin was dry, I started sanding, both inside and out. I'm not too concerned

with making the inside pretty.

Cowl cleaned,sanded, and coated with epoxy resin thinned with acetone. I used a squeegee to help fill in the pinholes. You don't want a thick layer, it will only lead to more sanding....

Tip-Use a small roller to level out the squeegee marks.

*This step was done twice.

The Hidden Hinge Oil Door Pt.1

2011-06-17T11:40:00.016-04:00

With the push of a button, the spring loaded door pops up and allows perfect access to the dip stick. Nice!

The .025 doubler is prosealed and riveted into place. The top of the doubler hangs out an 1/8", while the sides are 1/4". The inside portion is 1/2" all around. *Note- The open hole portion of the pic is showing a piece of carpet laying on the support table.

I added a .032 mild steel doubler, to the bottom, as a striker for the camlock.

Here is my 5"x5" oil door. The door itself was fabbed out of .050 alum. *Tip- Save the fiberglass cut-out door as a template to get the alum door bent correctly. Also, be careful with your trimming, as you want a nice fitting door that locks tight.

Get your hidden hinge at http://www.nonstopaviation.com/

MK3 Alternate Air System

2011-06-09T13:12:00.006-04:00

The induction kit mounted.

Push/Pull cable routed to the cockpit. *Note- The three gray metal brackets that needed to be fabricated, one for each clamp shown. The end clamp is a "B"nut that rotates as the cable is pushed or pulled. Available from ACS.

Alternate air door Closed.

Alternate air door OPEN. Pretty slick and ingenious if I may say so...

MK3 Injected Filtration RAM Air Induction System

2011-06-09T12:37:00.007-04:00

Here is the NEW James Aircraft induction system. This kit protects your investment by providing full-time filtered RAM air, while increasing manifold pressure. This means I should able to go even faster and higher with better fuel economy. Sounds like a winner right? It even has provisions for alternate air downstream of the filter. Sweet! Now, let's see how it all goes together.... *Note- The metal parts had to be fabricated.

The top two bolts are 1/4 x20 drilled socket head type from McMaster- Carr. The bottom two are the standard hex type and needed to be shaved slightly for the fit. *See why below.

*Note- The added metal plate underneath the bolt heads is for additional support and not called for in the instructions.

K&N High Performance Filter in place. *Note-You will need to shave the flange of the filter with a bandsaw, then clean it up with a belt sander.

RAM AIR Induction system in place. I painted it with some white high temp Rustoleum paint, good to 1200deg F.

Plenum Intake Tubes

2011-06-03T20:54:00.007-04:00

I went with 5" diameter CEET aircraft ducting for the plenum intake tubes.

ACS Part#05-30520

The Interior is being done!

2011-06-01T20:50:00.005-04:00

Sorry for the delay...

This weekend I delivered my Vans seat foam and spare leather to the upholstery shop.
I'm using Rusty Black out of Opelika, Al. He has a reputation for doing excellent work.
Check out his website: http://www.interiorsbyrusty.com/

Final Fitting of the Plenum

2011-05-17T20:00:00.007-04:00

Right side intake lined of with right plenum inlet. *A rubber tube will connect the two together soon.

Left side intake lined up with left plenum inlet. I also have good clearance between the plenum and the top cowling all around. I was sweating this for a while, as I had fit the plenum before the cowling. It turned out perfect... Tip-Do lots of research before trimming your plenum.

Side view. What little gap remains will be filled with high temp RTV.

Aft side. A good snug fit.

The front gap was filled with 1/2" square high temp rubber. *The little gap at the top will be filled with high temp RTV.

Fitting the Cowling Pt.8 Hinge Pins

2011-04-26T23:15:00.010-04:00

My custom fabricated Cowl Hinge Pins. 8 Ball style!

Right Side hinge pin installed.

Left Side hinge pin installled.

Fitting the Cowling Pt.7 Inlet Ring Work

2011-04-26T22:55:00.005-04:00

Right Ring. I added some West systems epoxy resin and 410 filler to the sides and sanded them smooth.

Left Ring

Small induction ring. Filter and airbox coming soon....

Fitting the Cowling Pt.6 Fiberglass!!!! Arrrrgh!

2011-04-20T20:05:00.012-04:00

For each side, I layed up 6 pieces of 8-9 oz. fiberglass cloth. This will allow me to make a flange for two nutplates on each side. I used packaging tape and car wax to keep the top half from sticking. Tip- Be sure to roughen up the area that the fiberglass will adhere to with some sandpaper. Afterward, wipe clean with acetone.

The nutplates are installed. Looks pretty good!

Next, The inlet rings were fitted and taped in place. I followed this by pouring a slurry of resin and flox around the rings. The larger rings are waxed so they can be removed, the smaller ring is not waxed, therefore; it's permanent. I used some small shims(waxed),alum tape, and rtv to make a divider between the two halves. Hopefully, the two big rings will not be stuck after the cure time. *Note- I did the large inlet rings one at a time. The right ring is done in this picture and the left one is in the curing process, hence the .025 shim dividers.

Here is the right side, bottom half cowl, after removing the ring. I will need to trim and fill a small portion, but overall it's good to go! You will notice the keyed groove in the hardened resin. This keeps the ring in place and will allow a nice flush finish at the lip of the cowl.

*UPDATE- You only need to pour enough resin to fill the key. I poured to much here and ended up having to shave down the resin in order to get the hose clamps to fit correctly. See later photos.

Fitting the Cowling Pt.5

2011-04-05T20:40:00.009-04:00

Horizontal Hinge gets prosealed and clecoed up. I let the proseal dry before I did any riveting. Tip-Tape off the eyelets while applying proseal to the hinges. Remove the tape prior to clecoing the hinge.

Each hinge was flush riveted with 426 3-4 rivets. After riveting, I placed the pins in to check the fit. It's pretty tight, but I was able to get it in all the way. Tip-I rounded off the heads with a grinder and reamed the forward and aft holes with a long #40 drill.

My 1/32 gap is looking good all around.

Don't let the proseal get into the eyelets.

I'm not worried about the dark spots from the proseal. The cowl will be primed and painted soon enough.

Fitting the Cowling Pt.4

2011-03-31T19:47:00.005-04:00

Skybolt receptacles riveted to the firewall plates.

I'm fitting the horizontal split hinge in between the firewall plates. They will butt up against the two rivets on the firewall, as shown. You may also notice that I'm using a piece of -4 (top)and -5(bottom) hinge mated together here. This allows me to push the hinge up high enough to eliminate the saw tooth gap, at the split line, as seen on most RVs. Sam James provided this tip.

Horizontal hinges getting drilled for 426 3-4 flush rivets. I will proseal the hinge before riveting.

Here you will notice where the hinge pin strikes the firewall. I will drill a hole here that will allow me to push the horizontal hinge pin in from the cockpit. Pretty Slick! Stay Tuned for more!

Fitting the Cowling Pt.3

2011-03-29T20:02:00.006-04:00

I'm shooting for a 1/32 gap all around.Horizontal split line.

Be careful when you are trimming not to round off the ends with your sanding block. This is what happened to my left aft side. Not terrible, but it could have been better.....

After a long day of trimming and sanding, I finally have a good fit on the vertical and horizontal sides. I think I've taken the bottom cowl off about a dozen times, by myself, mind you...Arrrgh!

Craftsmanship plays a HUGE role in the fitting of the cowl. Take your time!

Fitting the Cowling Pt.2

2011-03-29T19:43:00.007-04:00

I leveled the middle portion of the firewall(front to back, side to side), then drew my level horzontal split line. Be careful not to over trim, especially at the front inlet.

Side and bottom plates getting fitted. (Drilled, Deburred, and Countersunk)

Right Inlet Ring. After a lot of trimming, the right ring fits well. I over trimmed the inside portion of the left inlet, so I will need to do a small repair soon.(not shown)

Here you will notice the vertical trim line I drew on the aft bottom cowl. Use an Ultra fine sharpie marker for all marks on the cowl.

Firewall all clecoed up. Some fine tune sanding going on with the horizontal split line.

Fitting the Cowling Pt.1

2011-03-18T20:03:00.019-04:00

1) 2)

1)I'm fitting a Sam James cowl to my 8. I'll be using Skybolt fasteners around the firewall and hinges on the sides. This may be the biggest challenge of the project as nothing fits from the start. Oh Joy! Slow and Steady is the key here... *Tip Start by marking the center of the forward top skin and fwd and aft top cowl. After trimming up the front inlets a bit(not the final fit), I worked on trimming the top cowl vertical attachment(firewall). Tip- Mark each metal ring at the top center and halfway points. This will help you determine the front horizontal trim for the top and bottom cowl pieces. You want a 13" spinner ring too. I trimmed about 1/4" off the front(left inlet to right inlet).

2)I hot glued a pair of wooden dowels to the top of the cowl to get the height right. The thickness of the hot glue,(about 1/8"), will cause the spinner to sit slightly high. I'm thinking this will even out if and when the engine sags. If you don't want to compensate for engine sag, I'd recommend using some metal shims/tabs and clecos. I'm also using some 3/16" spacers to set the distance from the spinner. It will need some work, as it is not parallel now.

3)After several hours of sanding and fitting, I have a good fit on the top rear cowl. I'm trimming very carefully with 80 grit paper. I will leave a 1/32 gap to prevent paint chipping before I'm done.

4)Initial look at the bottom cowl. It's going to take a lot of work, but I'm up for it!

5)Some progress.... The skybolt top mounting plates(2) have been drilled,deburred,countersunk,notched,prosealed, and clecoed into place. I will rivet the two pieces, to the firewall, after the proseal has dried. I used a dremel tool with a cutting disc and a rotary file to cut the notches. I also made the right strip 2" longer(on the top side) than the left. This is done to add support to the fwd baggage door side(firewall).

Hartzell Constant Speed Propeller Bolted On!

2011-02-26T20:52:00.000-05:00

You will need a Hartzell Propeller Wrench from Avery Tools to torq the bolts. If you keep the torq wrench 90 degress from the bolt ,while torqing, there is no need do the torq extension formula. Make sure you use the proper safety wire for the bolts. Prop Wire I believe is .040

Fitting the Spinner

2011-02-25T18:12:00.006-05:00

Marking the middle of the spinner.

Spinner bulkheads prepped,riveted, primed and temporarily screwed on.

Marking the initial prop cutout. There was some additional trimming and fitting after the first cut.

Prop cutout done! I turned the prop with a pair of clamped 3ft 2x4s to check the clearance.

GPS Antennas and Mount

2011-02-19T20:17:00.004-05:00

I have a little more work to do to the tray and firewall mount. I will probably make a doubler on the aft side of the firewall and screw the bottom base to it for added security. Not sure yet...

Ran Spark Plug Wires to the Magnetos

2011-02-19T20:06:00.004-05:00

Left Side Bottom

Top View. Here you will notice the blue plastic pass throughs I purchased from ACS. You can also see how I ran the fuel line up to a 45 degree fitting for the connection to the fuel divider.

Right Side Bottom

Right Rear View. I wrapped the wires with high temp spiral wrap to help clean things up and prevent chaffing.

Oil Cooler Final Install

2011-02-19T19:57:00.004-05:00

I opted to use steel -8 elbow fittings after reading about an accident where an aluminum cooler fitting broke off. The steel ones are also much easier to remove and resist galling too. I beefed the cooler up in a number of ways to help prevent baffle cracking. I hope it works. I may add a brace inside the baffle as well...

The Prop Arrives!

2011-02-17T20:49:00.005-05:00

My son was in awe of the massive truck that stopped at our house today. Little did he know, we would just be getting one special box. The one missing link to completing the plane!

I've been suffering from the FLU all week, so no building going on. On a positive note, Here It Is! My Hartzell 2 Blade "Blended Airfoil" 72" metal prop . The form I sent in said, "Expect a 12-16 week lead time for delivery." The truck showed up in less than a week, from Ohio. I'm extremely excited, but I won't be able to touch it for another week.

I bought Model # HC-C2YR-1BFP/F7497-2 . After receiving the prop, one soon begins to brainstorm on how to go about cutting the spinner, to fit the CS prop. Well, I emailed Hartzell and they were kind enough to send me a download with a cut-out template to lay over my spinner. Sweet! If you need the download email me. -Spinner and Cowl Work Coming Up Soon!

Some Random Firewall Forward Progress

2011-02-11T22:51:00.009-05:00

Plenum Progress.

Blast Tubes(2 Mags, Alt, Fuel Pump), and Fuel Penetration. I'm waiting on a 45 degree fitting for the fuel divider.... Aerosport Power is sending me one, free of charge, Yes, They Rock. Thanks Sue!

Bottom Baffles secured. Tapping the steel rods to 6/32 was tedious, but doable. I put a bead of high temp RTV under the baffle curves to prevent chaffing.

Input Scat Tube connected to the heater muff.

Baffles Pt.3 Final Assembly

2011-02-07T18:48:00.005-05:00

After all the baffle pieces were trimmed, fitted, and modified, I sent them off to be powder coated. I went with Tex Black and it turned out Awesome! Thanks for the tip Matt Dralle!

Right Front, modified for my Sam James Plenum(not shown).

Right Side-

Right Rear- This is where the scat hose will connect that leads to the heat muff. You may also notice one of the holes where the spark plug wires will pass through.

The round holes at the top are where my cooling blast tubes will be connected.

My son, Ford. Age 3 1/2. He's ready to Fly!

Left Front. Modified for the James Plenum coming soon.

Left Side.

Left Rear- This is where my 9 tube oil cooler will be mounted. I beefed it up in several places to help avoid cracking.

Sniffle Valve and Drain Tube

2011-02-02T19:18:00.003-05:00

It's my understanding that you only need a sniffle valve if you have a fuel injected engine. It is designed to help prevent flooding. The fitting opens when cold and closes when hot. The rubber hose is attached to a piece of 3/8 soft alum tubing. It runs aft, passes through a high temp adel clamp, and exits near the exhaust.

Oil Breather Tube

2011-02-02T19:09:00.003-05:00

Fuel Pump Overflow Tube

2011-02-02T19:07:00.003-05:00

EGT and CHT Sensors Mounted

2011-01-30T21:30:00.001-05:00

The Dual Pipe Heat Muff

2011-01-21T19:49:00.003-05:00

Here is my dual pipe heat muff from Larry Vetterman. I have to wait on my baffles to get back from the powder coat shop before I can connect the Inlet hose... Stay Tuned!

Vetterman 4 into 4 Exhaust

2011-01-21T19:37:00.003-05:00

The 4 into 4 exhaust. The turn down end tips were standard...

I still need to clamp a few lines, but you get the picture of how the exhaust is braced.

The 4 into 4 pipe exhaust means more hp+ and room for a dual pipe heat muff. Nice!

Oil Cooler Attachment

2011-01-17T21:29:00.004-05:00

Because of the closeness of the cooler to the engine mount, I will need to face the input/output ports outboard. You can see where I have trimmed the cooler flanges,

I beefed up the top and bottom portion of the cooler bracket with some angle aluminum.

*Remember, I'm using a 9 tube cooler instead of the standard 7 tube one.

Baffles and Plenum Pt.2

2011-01-17T21:07:00.003-05:00

Pictured is the right side spark plug pass through hole and ram air heat muff port.

Plenum screws in Front, Left side of plenum.

Left side clecoed up. #8 Nutplates will be attached to the inside of the plenum.

Front, Right side of Plenum.

Baffles and Plenum Pt.1

2010-12-29T09:45:00.005-05:00

Intial fit of the side/rear baffles and Sam James plenum.

Baffles after the first trim.

I will need to do some fab and mod work to the front inlet baffles. Hummmm....

Exhaust

2010-12-20T13:22:00.002-05:00

I just ordered my custom stainless steel Vetterman's Exhaust.... ;)

I went with the 4 into 4 pipe exhaust kit. I was told by Larry that I could expect more heat for my heater and a little more horse power with this setup. Sounds like a winner to me. Stay Tuned! www.vettermanexhaust.com

Merry Christmas 2010!

Sorry for the delay..

2010-12-15T10:15:00.002-05:00

I just ordered my Sam James Plenum and Skybolt aerospace fasteners. I'm also hoping to order my Hartzell BA Prop and Vetterman exhaust in the very near future.... Stay Tuned!

Forward Baggage Door Strut Installed

2010-11-10T20:32:00.007-05:00

Door closed and locked!

Door open.

LP4-3 rivets. A little trimming was needed to keep the doubler from hitting the rivets. Not much though...

Here is the stainless steel spring strut that I ordered from McMaster-Carr. It is the perfect strut for the RV8 forward baggage door. It holds the door open and it holds it closed. Use two #8 screws and nutplates to mount the bottom portion 8" from the fuselage side. Use (3)LP-4-3 blind rivets to secure the top portion at 11/16" from the bottom of the door.

The part number is:11615A14 $34 usd

*Special Thanks to Matt Dralle for the great tip.

Fiberglassing the forward Windscreen Pt.2

2010-11-03T18:23:00.006-04:00

Nice! It came out better than I anticipated! I will etch and prime the top metal bezel soon.

Ahhh, all done! Well, until final paint...

Here you can see how the top metal bezel fits over the fiberglass fairing. It turned out very nice!

After sanding the final clear resin, I filled in any leftover pin holes and sprayed filler primer. After the primer dried, I sanded the fairing with 320 grit sandpaper and repeated the process once more. Finally, I pulled the last layer of electrical tape off with the help of a straight razor.

*(Not shown),I drilled several 1/8" holes, countersunk them, then installed CS-4-4 Blind Rivets at 4"spacing. This should help give the fiberglass fairing a mechanical bond with the top skin. The holes were then filled in with West Systems Resin and 410 filler. After everything dried, I sanded with a medium grit, then applied a squeegeed layer of clear resin.

Fiberglassing the forward Windscreen Pt.1

2010-10-27T20:41:00.006-04:00

The second coat of resin.

Now the real fun begins.... sanding with 60grit.

Next,I applied numerous layers of glass cloth (horizontally-not shown) and topped it off with strips of dacron(vertically-shown). The dacron soaks up any extra resin and leaves a nice finish when pulled away the next day. The initial gap was filled with epoxy resin,black powder paint, and lots of microballoons/filler.

Sealing the Inside of the Windscreen

2010-10-27T20:22:00.002-04:00

Sikaflex was used to add support to the Plexiglass and fill unsightly gaps.

The view after the sikaflex was applied and the edge tape removed. Looks Nice!

I used aluminum tape to seal off the outside. After the sikaflex dried, I peeled the tape off and started fiberglassing the front seam.

I taped off the inside and outside area before sanding and etching the metal.

Glare Shield Vinyl Install

2010-10-09T12:09:00.006-04:00

I've set the compass in place just for effect. You may also notice my custom mini defroster/avionics cooling vents. There are 3 on each side of center.

Get yours here- http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/

Metal Windscreen Fairing

2010-10-06T19:30:00.010-04:00

Here, the finished bezel/fairing is painted white with countersunk washers and #8 screws

Update-Here you can see the crease/pocket I made with a joggle tool. I placed a rectangular piece of anti-chafe tape on the inside to ease any friction between the canopy and the metal windscreen bezel. It fits like a glove! Sweet!

Here, the shrinker marks have been smoothed out with the scotchbrite wheel. I also tapped the rollbar for #8 screws.

I added rubber shims as necessary to match the fit of the canopy. I will fill the gaps soon with Sikaflex or silicone.

I used a shrinker/stretcher to get the fit right on the .025 alum fairing.

Poster board template. Lots of adjusting and trimming.

Well, I decided to try my hand at crafting a metal fairing.

Riveting the Top Forward Skin

2010-09-17T21:46:00.005-04:00

This is the second half, yet to be riveted...

Finally, After completing every task I could think of, we started riveting the top skin.
We started on the left longeron, center row, then worked out and over the top. Don't rivet the firewall,until after the hinges are fitted. Same deal with the fwd baggage door hinge.

Here are the elusive cherry rivets you will need to get to those impossible spots. I ordered 40. *Thanks to Matt Dralle for the tip.

Instrument Panel Rear Door

2010-09-17T21:44:00.003-04:00

Updated Firewall Pics

2010-09-17T21:27:00.004-04:00

Master and Starter solenoids.

The loose wires are for the EGT and CHT probes, yet to be installed.

Alternator all Wired Up!

2010-08-22T20:23:00.004-04:00

The Plane Power 60 alternator. 12volt- 60amp w/ internal voltage regulator and overvoltage protection.

Rear view. The small red wire is the Alternator Enable(field switch). The small white wire is the optional "Alternator Out" lamp wire that I will run to the panel. The larger 6mm stud is the output terminal. I will place a rubber nipple over the stud and torque it to 50 in. lbs. soon.

Control Cables Pulled and Connected

2010-08-17T18:08:00.004-04:00

I used control cable eyeballs here.

The throttle connection and linkage on my forward facing induction.

Mixture connection and linkage. Lots of tweaking to get the throws set correctly.

Electric Fuel Pump and Filter Installed

2010-08-14T21:29:00.000-04:00

Electric fuel pump.

Fuel filter.

Rear Seat Throttle Installed.

2010-07-30T23:18:00.007-04:00

I decided to modify the rear throttle kit a bit by placing the mounting plate on the outside of the bulkheads. You may also notice my custom black lever from Chris Welch out of Cali. The lever is a perfect match to the deluxe throttle quad up front. There is some fab and Mod work to do with the optional RST kit, so be prepared. *You will need a dremel tool with a small cutting disc and rotary file.

The Engine is Hung!

2010-07-28T18:50:00.002-04:00

The Engine is Hung! Another milestone complete! Wow, it feels like an airplane now....
*Special Thanks to AI/A&P/Super Tech Udo Reif.

Get all of the nuts,washers,bolts, and bushings lined up. Now Tighten and Torq..

Ease it up slowly...

The engine is hoisted off the crate.

Master Relay and Starter Solenoid Wired

2010-07-16T21:45:00.006-04:00

I left the top 2awg positive cable off the battery for now.

The Master Relay and Starter Solenoid are all wired up. I added a hot wire for the fwd aux plug, as I want to be able to reverse charge the battery from the pilots outlet. I also added a wire for a Starter Engage annunciator. The only other extras are the surge protection diodes, shown here covered in yellow and blue heat shrink.

MT Prop Governor Installed

2010-07-15T19:21:00.005-04:00

Here, the MT prop governor is installed and positioned correctly. I will safety wire the arm,where it connects to the governor, soon. It had to be temporarily removed in order to get the bolt and rod end bearing in position.

Well, I mounted the MT prop governor today only to find out the control arm is in the wrong position. After a little head scratching and web research I figured out that by loosening the six outer rim screws you can rotate it to the correct 2 o'clock position.

Fuel Pump Cooling Shroud Installed

2010-07-14T20:34:00.009-04:00

Pictured is the Show Planes cooling shroud installed over the engine driven fuel pump. This should help prevent vapor lock, as a blast tube will be connected to the top neck. There was a small amount of trimming to get the shroud fitted,so be ready. I will safety wire the hex bolts later. Yes, I'm glad I installed this before the engine was mounted... See the Vans FWF plans for the various fittings installed here.

BTW-I'm using a light coat of EZ Turn/Fuel Lube on all fuel line connector threads and TCM approved Loctite 565 thread sealant for all oil line fittings.

Manifold Pressure Transducer Installed

2010-07-14T20:26:00.006-04:00

Here is where I mounted the electronic GRT Manifold pressure box. It must be mounted aft of the firewall. The special restrictor fitting ,(in the lower left of the pic, taped up), is where the tube will connect and pass through the firewall.

This is where the manifold flex line connects to the #3 cylinder.

Throttle Quadrant Fitted

2010-07-14T20:18:00.006-04:00

I had to refit the left console to make the Throttle Quad lay flush. The problem here is that the Vans prepunched holes, are in the wrong place. Do yourself a favor and check this out before you attach the control cables... You will need to redrill the nutplates in the side plate of the console , the cable pass through holes in the gearbox, and the two nutplates in the F804C Channel. *Thanks to Jim for this heads up!

Transducer Manifold Mounted

2010-07-13T22:11:00.005-04:00

Here you can spot the Fuel Pressure transducer on the bottom and the Oil Pressure transducer in the middle. I not sure if the top port will be used yet, so I've just taped over the holes for now.

New Battery Box Installed

2010-07-13T21:59:00.006-04:00

I found a light weight aluminum battery box for my Odyssey PC680. No need to drill out lightening holes, like the guys with the steel boxes... Plus this one has a nice protective black powdercoating on it. There was a bit of F&M (Fab and Mod)to get the box fitted, but it all work out. Get yours at http://www.tnrbatteries.com/ item-HD680B.

ELT Antenna Installed

2010-07-10T18:40:00.010-04:00

I chose to mount the ELT Antenna in between the vertical and horizontal stabilizer.

***Here is an interesting excerpt from Randy Lervolds site***-The location of the ELT antenna on an RV-8 is a bit problematic. There are basically three options: one, inside the empennage fairing oriented horizontally, two, somewhere in the interior such as the right side of the passenger area, or three, a rubber ducky at the very forward edge of the turtledeck. All three are a compromise for various reasons. I chose option one which is the way Van's has done it on all of their demo ships. Frankly, the ELT technology we are using now is almost obsolete and will likely be replaced with a new satellite based system within 5 years.

*Tip- If you decide to go this route, try to mount the antenna to the rear bulkhead before the tail or aft top skin is attached. Getting the washer,nut, and BNC fitting connected afterward, proved to be a real challenge in the tight environment. The gap, shown here, will be covered by the fiberglass empennage fairing.

Easy Drink Holder Mod

2010-07-09T20:10:00.002-04:00

I bought a black anodized aluminum cup holder from Rex Marine (shopping.rexmar.com). I used a fly cutter and a little RTV to install it. I think it looks nice and should work out well for those cross country trips..

Cabin Heater Cable and Box Installled

2010-07-09T19:59:00.006-04:00

Yes, it was a serious pain running this cable through the gear box, but It worked out great!
Pull the knob to introduce heat into the cabin, Push the knob forward(as shown) to turn the heat off. I also ran a matching Alternate Air knob/cable, in the exact same place, but on the opposite gear box. *You may also notice my little flash light mod that I stole from Jay Pratt in Ft. Worth. Thx Jay!
This is how I ran the cable wire to the box. Works Great!

Here is the heat box on the forward side of the firewall. I prosealed it to help retain as much heat as possible.

I Started Mounting Things To The Firewall...

2010-07-09T19:43:00.006-04:00

Here you can spot the transducer manifold on top,followed by the heater box, hydraulic fluid reservoir(black), cable pass throughs(blue), and fuel port on the bottom. The FWF items have arrived and I've inventoried the kit. I decided to scrap the battery box I built for a Concord, due to the fact that I've bought a smaller and lighter Odyssey. I also bought some braided grounding straps from B&C and a few other nicknacks.. Lots of progress should be coming soon!

My Seat Belts Arrive...

2010-06-29T20:26:00.006-04:00

My son, Ford(3), test out the Crows in his play chair. He has the routine down!

My Crow Enterprises 2" belts have arrived! They look great and they're an affordable alternative to the Hookers. The only small snag is the bolt attach brackets. The hole size is too large for a 1/4 bolt, but with a little drilling and pneumatic pressing you can get two AN4 washers to fit inside the existing holes. No Biggie! http://www.crowenterprizes.com/ Ask for Fred Crow when you call. He will set you up!

Oil Cooler Arrives...

2010-06-29T19:53:00.004-04:00

Well, after an exhaustive amount of research, I decided to buy a 9 tube Niagara (Stewart Warner Style) oil cooler directly from Niagara Air Parts. Part#20003. Why?
1)Because I have a NEW IO-375 pumping out nearly 200hp, I live in a Hot summer climate zone, and I've been warned about a Positech.
2)Many builders have also reported overheating issues, in hot climates, with the 7 tube one Vans sells. I also looked into buying the 13 tube one offered, but it's mainly for IO-540s and won't fit on the baffle.
3)All of my research has lead me to belive that the Niagara oil cooler is nearly as good,if not as good, as a true Stewart Warner cooler at half the cost.

Back from Vacation...

2010-06-23T21:33:00.006-04:00

Firewall Forward Kit is on order from Vans! I also ordered my seat belts from Crow Enterprises and the short 2.5 prop extension from Saber Manufacturing. The extension is necessary for the RV8 James Cowl I'll be installing soon! As soon as the FWF Kit arrives, work will resume, hopefully with lots of progress! Stay Tuned!

The Engine Arrives!

2010-06-08T22:09:00.002-04:00

The Aero Sport Power IO-375 MIB *For details go to www.aerosportpower.com

Upgrade to the Canopy Latch Handle

2010-06-03T22:25:00.005-04:00

Still waiting on the engine............So, I decided to tweak the canopy handle. I started off by rounding the edges with a belt sander and scotchbrite wheel. Then, I followed up by polishing the piece with a small dremel buffer and a little Nuvite "S" cream. Finally, I upgraded the cs #8 screw with a #10 socket head cap screw.

Here is the "BEFORE" pic of the handle.

Update: I trimmed off the little tab, fwd of the handle, on the top canopy skirts.

And here is the "AFTER" pic. As you can probably tell, I'm very pleased with the end result.

While Waiting on the Engine to Arrive...

2010-05-27T21:04:00.007-04:00

I decided to put some finishing touches on the canopy. After a little more sanding and priming, it was time to take the top plastic off! It looks gorgeous! Here is the final product...*Note-I'm waiting on the final exterior paint.

Canopy Lock Installed

2010-05-26T20:06:00.012-04:00

While waiting on the engine to arrive, I decided to install a canopy lock. I also found this solid aluminum canopy lock stop block nearby at HD(aka square cabinet knob)... It's held in place by two #8 screws from underneath the side rails. *I dressed the backside up with a piece of 3/4" plastic conduit and a piece of heat shrink.

Upper Intersection Fairings Trimmed and Fitted

2010-05-25T17:05:00.003-04:00

Go to www.aerosu.com for details.

Installed Sliding Canopy Taxi Latch

2010-05-13T20:01:00.010-04:00

Latch in the Open Position. Turn the knob 90 degrees, slide it back to any predetermined hole, and it springs into the locked position. This will be especially useful when I want to taxi solo with the canopy half way opened. -No more reaching way back to find the canopy before takeoff... Latch in the Locked Position. This mechanism is available from Rod Bower Aviation.

Here is a demo of the latch after the installation.

Flap Motor Arm Cover

2010-05-09T21:22:00.006-04:00

Problem: The flap motor arm extends into the fuselage interior

The flap motor arm was safety wired as per Vans service bulletin.

Solution: Make a cover for it. It's held in place by 3 hidden #8 screws and nutplates.

Decision Made- Engine on Order!

2010-04-01T19:55:00.005-04:00

Well the decision is made!

I have ordered (insert a Big GULP here) a brand new AeroSport Power IO-375 engine.
It should be here in mid- May so, Stay Tuned!

The Vans Firewall Forward kit will be ordered soon as well. I hope to have it here before the engine...

UPDATE: Sue just called from Aerosport and said the engine is ready! Now, I just have to wait on it to get trucked across North America.

Polishing the Aircraft

2010-03-18T11:41:00.005-04:00

I polished the fuselage...

the wings...

and the empennage.

By the way, I'm using the Nuvite2 system.

Panel with Glareshield Installed

2010-03-10T21:12:00.001-05:00

The Panel

2010-03-09T21:36:00.017-05:00

My Day/Night VFR Glass Panel!

*Individual Backup Battery Power is provided for the EFIS and GPS.
*Backup Instruments are provided by the Garmin 396 GPS.
*Plenty of room for an auto-pilot upgrade in the future

Upgrade to the Fuel Selector

2010-03-09T21:19:00.003-05:00

Installed Roll Bar Handles

2010-02-11T17:11:00.003-05:00

I decided to order and install the aircraftextras.com roll bar handles. They are fairly easy to install and now is the time to do it, if you choose to do so. Make sure you are sitting in the cockpit with the canopy closed before marking the drill holes... My handles sit at about the 10:30 and 1:30 position. These handles are very handy for getting you in and out of the seat.

Canopy Latch

2010-01-28T19:22:00.015-05:00

I installed the canopy latch. After doing the initial trimming and fitting I painted the latch red and covered the sides in UHMW plastic tape. You may also notice the custom canopy unlock switch I created. I used a Honeywell micro switch with roller lever and a plastic cover. It was then wired to a warning light on the panel.

Flap Motor Installed!

2010-01-24T20:02:00.002-05:00

The flap motor. I wired everything up and tested the motor with the flap switch on the panel. The motor and the wiring will be covered up by the aft panel, not shown.

Canopy Complete!

2010-01-14T10:13:00.003-05:00

Complete, except for exterior paint. (The grey is filler primer) Update: I trimmed off the little tab on the front of the skirts.

I finished off the top skirt edge with a bead of proseal.

My Custom Relay Tray

2010-01-08T18:24:00.013-05:00

Here is the aluminum tray after the intial drilling,bending, and fitting. It's held in place with 3 #6 screws/mini-nutplates on the fwd main spar flange and 2 #8 screws doubled to the fwd L seat ramp support. I also drilled out holes to eliminate any interference with the existing main spar rivet heads. The black dotted line represents where I initiated a slight bend down to keep everything nice and flush. finally, I bent up the fwd and aft ends for added support.

After paint,everything was reinstalled. The relay boards(blue)were stacked as well as two of the 3 teriminal strips. The top relay is used to speed up or slow down the trim motor, while the bottom relay is used to control the electric elevator trim on both pilot stick and panel rocker. I had to buy 2 IN4001 diodes, as per the Ray Allen diagram, to make both switches work together. The molex connectors allow for easy removal in the event something fails in the future. The inspiration for the tray came from Mike Stewart's super8 page. Thx Mike. *click pic to zoom in.

Forward view looking aft. The tray is hidden under the forward seat ramp. Anti-chafe tape was applied to the small lip flanges.

All hidden with easy access.

Rear Baggage Floor Riveted

2010-01-08T18:21:00.001-05:00