WORKBENCH OVERKILL, got you beat! Your's should be able to hold up aircraft parts just fine, and fine looking parts they are, you're giving me The Itch (to build again......

Before I poured my shop floor, I figured out where the permanent (as opposed to other smaller rolling work tables) bench would be, and while finishing the concrete stuck in some J bolts along the perimeter. The bench sides started as framed little walls, bolted to the J bolts, like you set a wall mud sill on a foundation wall. Then they were sheeted with 3/4" plywood, using construction adhesive and screws, after the top was shot in with a transit so it would be dead nuts flat and level. Then 2 x 6's were laid flat across the width (salvaged from an old grain mil I tore down, they'd been straight for the last 60 years, not going to warp now) and screwed/glued. I made sure to extend them a few inches past the bench sides, the overhang being a good place to use a clamp when needed. Then over the 2x6 I screwed 3/4" high density particle board, no glue though, and sealed it. this is my wearing surface, in a few more years I can lay a new layer down and start over.

I also dug a footing for my vice pole base before pouring, it goes down 20" below the floor level, 6" pipe. As it comes up through the bench it is tied into the bench structure, there is nothing I hate worse then a vice that wobbles or moves the entire bench, not mine! The entire bench is so solid, I use it as a deadman when something needs to be winched around in the shop. A full set of drawers underneath, and the shops radiant floor heat tubing NOT under it but around it. The bench is set away from the wall, not up against it, that way I can work overlarge objects on it, being able to walk 360 around it. The front and 2 sides where the drawers aren't have multiple tools etc. hanging on hooks, in view and handy so easy to find. On the wall 3' behind are shelves low down, with a pegboard up above for more visible storage. The shop's full bathroom, with washer/dryer and shower, is a few steps away. I got this done, my second time I have built up my own shop from scratch, (the first one really helped when I sold that property, as the husband was a "shop guy", turns out also retired Air Force, whose last posting was overall head guy in command of maintenance/service of our planes in Afghanistan), my new house isn't much (but paid for) but a really good shop is priceless. And it all starts with a good bench. As soon as mine was done, I started back in on my S-7S build, which was interrupted by my move a year earlier, and the satisfaction of working on that bench was great in maintaining the entire attitude of doing top notch work, the guys who build in garages on jury rigged tables or whatever but STILL turn out a quality product really have my respect. I need to cheat all I can, and have all my ducks in a row as much as possible. Crap, I want to build another airplane.....

This thread has me tuned back into this site again, keep the pics coming! I thought one Rans build was enough, perhaps another

Tonight we got one flap completed and one flap about half done. I am so amazed at how fast these pieces are coming together! The flaps go together in the same manner as the ailerons, with similar pieces.

So cool to do that with your boys. They will learn so much, and you will cherish the time spent with them.

Parts organization is key to success for a homebuilt. We were lucky. Ended up with a whole lot of parts bins from a hardware store that went under and a partner who is an OCD project manager/civil engineer. The S7 took about 3 weeks to organize, one guy working at it steady. The S20 was easier as many of the priority numbers were the same.

Very bloody nice... A few ideas in there to keep me occupied while I wait for my wings....

Well, we haven’t been doing nothing about nothing! Right wing is coming together and nicely and getting close to skin. We’ve hit a couple delays with missing rivets in the kit, but not a big deal.

Nice work.

What are your thoughts on corrosion protection? Any plans for chromate? I've always wondered if that or Alodine would be something to do on the internals of a metal wing if assembled from pieces.

gbflyer wrote:Nice work.

What are your thoughts on corrosion protection? Any plans for chromate? I've always wondered if that or Alodine would be something to do on the internals of a metal wing if assembled from pieces.

Great question. Sounds like it would be smart to do...

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A1Skinner wrote:

gbflyer wrote:Nice work.

What are your thoughts on corrosion protection? Any plans for chromate? I've always wondered if that or Alodine would be something to do on the internals of a metal wing if assembled from pieces.

Great question. Sounds like it would be smart to do...

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Definitely considered both these options, however, we are not doing either. 6061 is a ‘corrosion resistant’ alloy, unlike 2024 that is commonly used in certified airplanes. 2024 relies on the alcad surface to oxidize and prevent further corrosion. The metal properties, along with our destert climate made us decide to assemble per the manufacturer’s instructions. Time will tell!

Cool beans. I didn't realize that they used 6061 for the skins.

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Looks really nice..

Are you considering using flush rivets, either regular solid or blind “pop”, on the anterior leading edge?

There have been some discussions in other forums, and by Randy himself, about flush rivets in place of the regular, if only on select portions of the leading edge.

I agree, you don't need to spend the time and add the weight of corrosion protection. That statement infers you won't HAVE any, you'll have plenty, for the reasons you state.

You also don't need flush rivets, if I'm not mistaken that means dimpling, which means a certain skin thickness for best results. Just look at all the time you've saved on NOT doing those two things!

I'm looking forward to seeing how the skinning goes, building an airplane with no fabric work, wow, must be nice!

Acid etch and alodine don't add any weight. Does take time. One has to do it on the outside to get primer to stick unless you trust Variprime. I just always wondered if it might not be easier to do everything is all. Where I live I probably would. In the desert, maybe not.

December and January have been consumed with Christmas, my real job, and an Annual on my 172. We’re back on track now. Today we spent a lot of time squaring the wing and assuring there was no twist to it. Got the top skin clecoed on and started to dimple the first row of rivets holes. We discovered that all of my tools are 100* for solid and cherry max rivets. The flush rivets that come with kit are 120* dimple and countersink, so we’re on hold until tools arrive. We also received our Aveo LED Ultra Daylight strobe/nav combo. Wiring will be run soon for those. Kit is still going together extremely easily without many hang ups. Our hope is to have both wings done and ready for paint before the fuselage kit arrives.

courierguy wrote:WORKBENCH OVERKILL, got you beat! Your's should be able to hold up aircraft parts just fine, and fine looking parts they are, you're giving me The Itch (to build again......
..

I did the same thing with the TJIs etc. MDF top. I can't move it. I'm going to cut it in half length wise and take half to the hangar while dropping off the other half at a friends garage for a bench. I put drawers in the end cavities too.

All said and done though, it's sturdy and gets the build something bug going.

I'm a rivet dummy so dumb question: does it call for solid rivets or is it pop rivets like the Rans stuff I'm familiar with?

gbflyer wrote:I'm a rivet dummy so dumb question: does it call for solid rivets or is it pop rivets like the Rans stuff I'm familiar with?

Pop rivets

PULLEd rivets is the preferred term, less Ace Hardware, more Aircraft Spruce, sounding.

courierguy wrote:PULLEd rivets is the preferred term, less Ace Hardware, more Aircraft Spruce, sounding.

well said!

I'm sure most would assume, if they didn't already know, there is a massive difference between cheap, no name pop rivets and good rivets (cherry, cherry n, cherry q, cherry max etc.). I don't know which type the RANS plans specify for the 141 wing.... but I'm sure whatever they call for is up to the task. Big price difference too of course...