Finnally some time to work on my RV-7!

svanarts · Post by **svanarts** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 11:57 pm

Here are a few pictures of my son and I working on the horizontal stabilizer skin. Scott's removing the clecos prior to the old soldering iron treatment.

I got to play with my NEW compressor and my PNEUmatic squeezer and dimple the edge holes on the HS skin. I'll go back and catch the interior holes with the c-frame.

Click on the WWW button below to read more. Actually, I think I may have rewritten almost everything here!

Post by **Spike** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 10:14 am

Excellant!!

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 11:43 am

Good deal Scott! Glad you got the time to get a good start. It is amazing how much it helps to have someone to remove clecos, etc. Keep at it!

svanarts · Post by **svanarts** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:39 pm

And here is the latest progress. Got the vertical stabilizer done. My New Year's challenge is finally complete.

dons · Post by **dons** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:47 pm

Looks good, something I can relate to. I was to the point of priming mine when I decided I better work on the shop for a while. Did you prime over the powder coated steel brackets or strip them down first, or am I not seeing primer on that lower bracket ?

Looks like someone else is admiring the work (reflection), can't make out if it is your son or not.

Interesting choice of VS display stand

LooseNut · Post by **LooseNut** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:54 pm

Looking really good there. Very cool to get your son involved!

svanarts · Post by **svanarts** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:36 am

dons wrote:Looks good, something I can relate to. I was to the point of priming mine when I decided I better work on the shop for a while. Did you prime over the powder coated steel brackets or strip them down first, or am I not seeing primer on that lower bracket ?

Looks like someone else is admiring the work (reflection), can't make out if it is your son or not.

Interesting choice of VS display stand

I didn't prime the powder coated stuff. Don't know if that's a mistake or not. They just look so nice I'm leaving them that way. On the innards (ribs and spars) I'm alodyning and then shooting rattle can Rustoleum Gray primer over it. Then I run a fine sanding sponge over the areas of the interior skin where they will be in contact with the ribs and spars, and then prime the scuffed area with rattle can Rustoleum.

The reflection is mine. But I was admiring it while I took the picture.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:46 am

Scott,

Priming the powder coated stuff is a do it now or do it later event.

Should you choose to paint the plane, the "jambs" will need to be done. Soooo, six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Nice work!

CJ

Post by **Spike** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:36 pm

I did not primer the powder coated parts. Im not sure I buy the now or later remark though. Doesn't make sense the Vans would power coat them if you are going to have to take the top of it off.

- John

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:58 pm

Take the top of what off?

CJ

svanarts · Post by **svanarts** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:29 am

I think he means why powder coat them if the builder is just going to have to remove the coating later? Check back with me in a couple of years, I'll let you know how my powder coating is holding up.

jim_geo · Post by **jim_geo** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:27 am

Wait a minute! Prime your powder coat? Have I missed something I thought powder coating WAS the finish. If not, it's a lot of trouble for Van to go through for next to nothing.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:48 am

I never said anything about removing the powder coating. It is a nice, durable coating. No need to remove it.

CJ

Post by **Spike** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:01 pm

captain_john wrote:I never said anything about removing the powder coating. It is a nice, durable coating. No need to remove it.

No you didnt, but you did say

Priming the powder coated stuff is a do it now or do it later event.

How would you prime over a powder coated part without prepping it for adhesion? More importantly, why would you?

- John

svanarts · Post by **svanarts** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:35 pm

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:40 pm

How?

Easy, scuff, prime and paint it!

If If there is no risk of "detatchment" (the powder coating was applied according to standards and procedures and is STICKIN' REAL GOOD!) leave it and go over it with a "good system"!

Why?

Well, what is the reason we paint? For looks, of course!

If we have any ugly weldment in the crevice of our control surface attach point it detracts from the overall appearance of the ship! That is the case even if we take care to mask it off and "try" to make it look pretty!

Does that all make sense?

CJ

Post by **Spike** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 8:57 am

captain_john wrote:How?

Easy, scuff, prime and paint it!

Scuff, oh, you mean using sandpaper or something to make the surface more poruous for primer adhesion? Ah, so how do you do that without taking some of the top layer of powder coating off?

Why?

Well, what is the reason we paint? For looks, of course!

Got ya. I was under the impression you were saying that it had to be done period. I would disagree about it being ugly in its current form. I sometimes like to see the mechanical side of things.

- John

allbee · Post by **allbee** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:43 am

Ok, I'm in troooouuubbble now, I quit primn'. NO more prime. I think these planes will be fine the way they are. I did a little in the emp. The wings none, the fuse none. Bruce at Vans says his next plane will have none, the Vans planes have none. I'm putting the extra time and money where it counts. Go ahead shot me, throw me in the mud, hang me by my toes. I'm going to build and then fly my creation, NAKED!!!

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:03 am

I'm right there in the same boat Steve! I DO still prime all NON-ALCLAD parts, but that's it. Of course, my decision has to do with where I live. The east coasters pretty much HAVE to. Don't know about northern west coasters, but it seems like the SoCal crew primes everything.

I am going to PAINT (not prime) my interior parts that will be seen with a flat tan paint, but that's about it on the fuselage. The tail got a lot of primer, the wings got primer on the ribs, rear spar, and brackets.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 4:46 pm

Spike wrote:Scuff, oh, you mean using sandpaper or something to make the surface more poruous for primer adhesion? Ah, so how do you do that without taking some of the top layer of powder coating off?

Ummm, scuff means to "profile" the surface. NOT to REMOVE the surface. You establish a set of peaks and valleys to promote ADHESION of the subsequent layers, products and processes.

If you have removed a "layer" you have gone too far!

CJ