Supplemental Air Compressor

Here's a second air compressor I bought off craigslist. Love a bargain - $80! I plan on adding it to my air system to increase the cfm enough to use my new HVLP paint sprayer. I've tested it and it works great and the total air flow will be plenty. My new RV friend, Charles, helped me unload it. He worked with Norm and is just starting the RV journey. Yesterday, he came up and we talked tools and built the first part of the practice kit. He has an RV-9 tail kit that he's anxious to get started.

Austin and Spencer helped me by replacing the stock drain valve with the set-up below. The stock drain valve in every compressor I've seen is almost unusable. The manufacturer must be hoping they will rust out and have to be replaced sooner. All the parts are available in the aviation tool section (plumbing isle) of your local Home Depot. All 1/4" sized. From right to left is a street elbow, a 1.5" nipple and a ball valve. An optional 1.5" nipple on the other side of the ball valve makes it spray better when you're draining the tank on a daily basis. Hope that helps, Charles.

Fiberglass Elevator Tips

Here, I'm getting some good work done on the fiberglass tips. This fiberglass stuff is messy but it's not too hard; certainly not as hard as metal building RV folks have made it out to be. Kind of like proseal and fuel tanks.

Finished Third Trim Tab

No one can accuse me of not wanting to get it right. This is my third (and final) elevator trim tab. It took me a while to get it the way I wanted. Yes, maybe I'm a little retentive. Yes, my frind Norm who's a Technical Counsleor and a certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanic and a three time RV builder said the second one looked fine. I just didn't like it and I kept rebuilding them until I was satisfied! Nephew Spencer helped with this one and he has really good building instincts. He said it was the "Post" in him. I think there are carpenters in his Mom's family and he thinks he got it from them.

This picture shows the trim tab servo installation. I tested it with a 12 volt power source and it runs up and down just like it's supposed to.

Fuselage Ordered

Whoo Hoo! Christmas came early and I ordered the fuselage. Thanks, Dad! I think he wants to see it finished and go flying with me. Delivery is estimated at eight weeks so I've got some time to finish the little bits and pieces left on the wings and empennage.

Here's the fuselage contents list from Van's:

• All skins accurately sheared and formed. All the RV-7/7A, RV-8/8A and RV-9/9A, fuselage skins are pre-punched. 
• All fuselage bulkheads and ribs press-formed.  
• Extruded angle for longerons and stiffeners. Formed aluminum angle for skin stiffeners.  
• All the pre-cut and bent aluminum panels and channels used in the cockpit and baggage area.  
• Ready-to-install rudder cables with stainless steel fittings. 
• All steel parts such as longeron brackets, control sticks, rudder pedals, flap controls, tail wheel fork, are welded and in most cases, powder-coated as well. 
• Main gear legs on the RV-6A, RV-7A, RV-8, RV-8A, and RV-9A. 
• Brake master cylinders, lines, and fittings. 
• All nuts, platenuts, washer, bolts, screws, rivets, pop-rivets, tube fittings needed.