Final assembly starts today

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Thu Sep 30, 2010 6:55 pm

Insurance binder starts tomorrow. Drop off some paperwork for review with the FSDO tomorrow. Pick up 2 cases of Aeroshell tomorrow. Yep the weekend looks good.

Bob surely we can find a better lunch place than Bismark

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:08 pm

Brian,

I thouht Bismarck would be halfway? It is about 2 hours and 10 minutes from here. Fargo would be another choice but would be father for you. Dickenson might be a good place about 3.5 hours from here.

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Thu Sep 30, 2010 9:02 pm

hehe, I was just yanking your chain. I mean really, who deep down wants to go to North Dakota

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:54 pm

Brian at least I didn't suggest we meet in Montana

lancef53 · Post by **lancef53** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 9:02 pm

We have a saying on what causes the wind in North Dakota--I can't remember if it is windy because Minnesota sucks and Montana blows, or the other way around

Who said you guys could come here anyways???

Just kidding!!

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 9:46 pm

good one Lance.

OK folks. 3 steps forward and 3 back. But slowing down may be a good thing.

1. FSDO wants ALL the paperwork for review...but I'm not ready as I haven't weighed it yet.

2. Went over to get the scales for W&B this weekend....he closed shop early and left town for a week!!!!!!!!!!!

3. oil cooler hoses did not arrive this week(as promised)....so can't start the engine.

Oh well, I've been in overdrive lately and was getting a little frazzled trying to get'r done by next week. Since I moved to the Hangar, I've felt a lot of pressure(self inflicted). Today I went to work 2 hrs early and then left before noon. Drove 60miles to pick up 2 cases of oil and have my 200+ page build log printed for the FSDO. On the drive home....to the hangar I was mentally planning my day, when I said "Time to ease off and enjoy the process". My hangar buddy Neil, was kicked back reading a book smoking a cigar and we had a good talk about my progress. He said he noticed that I was a little disorganized last night. Neil said most all builders get that way when everything seems to rush together at the end of a build. I haven't asked for much help during the 4 yrs of building, but today I asked him to keep me focused. I told him, I'll do the work, but you look ahead and keep me on the path.

Short RV day tomorrow, family is going to the Fall Fest for Brats, beer and good times. Thanks for listening.

Post by **Spike** » Sat Oct 02, 2010 7:03 am

I love hearing about the human side of building. Thanx for letting us into that aspect of your build.

Spike

Sent via DROID on Verizon Wireless

-----Original message-----

From: RB Lists - RV7 <support@rivetbangers.com>
To: rv7@rivetbangers.com
Sent: Sat, Oct 2, 2010 02:46:05 GMT+00:00
Subject: Final assembly starts today

good one Lance. OK folks. 3 steps forward and 3 back. But slowing down may be a good thing. 1. FSDO wants ALL the paperwork for review...but I'm not ready as I haven't weighed it yet. 2. Went over to get the scales for W&B this weekend....he closed shop early and left town for a week!!!!!!!!!!! 3. oil cooler hoses did not arrive this week(as promised)....so can't start the engine. Oh well, I've been in overdrive lately and was getting a little frazzled trying to get'r done by next week. Since I moved to the Hangar, I've felt a lot of pressure(self inflicted). Today I went to work 2 hrs early and then left before noon. Drove 60miles to pick up 2 cases of oil and have my 200+ page build log printed for the FSDO. On the drive home....to the hangar I was mentally planning my day, when I said "Time to ease off and enjoy the process". My hangar buddy Neil, was kicked back reading a book smoking a cigar and we had a good talk about my progress. He said he noticed that I was a little disorganized last night. Neil said most all builders get that way when everything seems to rush together at the end of a build. I haven't asked for much help during the 4 yrs of building, but today I asked him to keep me focused. I told him, I'll do the work, but you look ahead and keep me on the path. Short RV day tomorrow, family is going to the Fall Fest for Brats, beer and good times. Thanks for listening.Brian Townsend, MT rivetbangers.com - Discussion topic http://www.rivetbangers.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=35102#35102

Submitted via email

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Sat Oct 02, 2010 7:50 am

Neil said this is a pretty common state of anxiety for first time builders. Best to slow down and focus....."be the ball, Danny".....on one item before moving to the next. It'll be done when it's done.

That said, I'm offf to the hangar to trim to length and install plug wires...or put the spinner on, or is it wingtips....AAaaaa, serenity now!

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Sat Oct 02, 2010 6:14 pm

Slow down and enjoy these last days of building! I found several things I needed to do after the DAR visited. I made these changes and when I felt sure it would pass inspection I invited him back. He added some nylon ties and signed the pink slip! These were important issues he raised and I am thankfull he kept me on the straight and narrow.!

Brian as you said," It will be done when it is done and not before then." My 91 year old Brother who was a WWII P-47 pilot is the South Pacific was dying and I was pressing to get it done! He had helped me a lot and I would probably never have gotten done without his boot in my butt

Unfortunately, he died before it was signed off. We are both from North Dakota orginally and if it weren't for the fact that our three children, their spouses, and 8 grand kids all live in the Twin Cities, I would be moving back

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:11 pm

after I slowed down, things are moving smoothly and good quality progress is being made.

Wings all torqued up, ailerons rigged, brakes bled and leak checked, firewall forward is 99% ready for flight(couple of clamps to install). and the biggy.....the hoses got here today(finally), so oil cooler was installed, oil added and spun the engine by hand to pump some oil, then started installing the fuel lines. Heck I even got the wing walk material trimmed and installed.

Life is good.

BSwayze · Post by **BSwayze** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:32 pm

It's great to hear that you're pacing yourself and enjoying the last few items in the build, Brian. Gotta smell the roses along the way. You're a good example for those of us following you. Thanks for posting these updates.

Post by **Spike** » Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:35 am

And by the way, we need more pics!!

Spike

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Wed Oct 06, 2010 8:00 am

The recent pictures are not really worth posting. Not a lot of visual progress, I'll see what I get today....hoping to roll her outside and calibrate the fuel levels.

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Wed Oct 06, 2010 8:14 pm

Installed the Bonaco fuel lines today. Then worked on the wings, pulled the wiring into the fuse. Then wired up the landing light, nav light and strobe on the right side. Installed the right wing tip. worked on the left side but didn't get it done.

I made a reflector to hide the Creativair Nav lights and was going to polish them. but thought I would check into chrome paint from http://www.onemagictouch.com/ they turned out real nice, well worth the cost for less maintenance.

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Thu Oct 07, 2010 7:09 am

Nice! That chrome paint is sweet lookin' stuff!

Post by **Spike** » Thu Oct 07, 2010 7:47 am

Wow that is sweet!

Sent via DROID on Verizon Wireless

-----Original message-----

From: RB Lists - RV7 <support@rivetbangers.com>
To: rv7@rivetbangers.com
Sent: Thu, Oct 7, 2010 12:09:27 GMT+00:00
Subject: Final assembly starts today

Nice! That chrome paint is sweet lookin' stuff! Chad Jensen N755CB|RV-7|Flying RV-7 Build Log rivetbangers.com - Discussion topic http://www.rivetbangers.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=35166#35166

Submitted via email

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 6:53 pm

had a productive day today.
I met with the FSDO rep today. He wanted the paperwork to review, if it checks out ok, we'll schedule a date for inspect. (bad news is he can't do the inspect next week).

then off to the hangar where Neil and I calibrated the fuel tanks. My right tank went well, but the left only tracked up to 13 gallons then stopped. so full fuel shows 13 instead of 21. got some work to do on that. Also ran the boost pump to flush everything and check flow to the AFP unit.

N155BK is close enough to being an airplane, that we got moved to the front row....yep that's right, standing on the edge of the nest.

Guess what we're doing tomorrow?

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 10:08 am

First engine start!!! In fact, I'll bet you're doing it right now!!

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 10:35 am

cjensen wrote:First engine start!!! In fact, I'll bet you're doing it right now!!

I wish. I have to work sometime to pay for this adventure.

But I'll be there before lunch, then have an hour or two of prep before we attempt the start......fingers crossed.

hydroguy2 · Post by **hydroguy2** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:16 pm

Woohoo!!! she is alive! After a couple of snags we got her all fired up today.

Here's the crew. Neil, Kris & Karen.

My lovely wife, Kris got some video of the first and 2nd runs...but I don't know how to load them.

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