Mar 08, 2024     Hangar straightening and cleaning       Category: Workshop

(6.0 hours) Continued the laborious process of putting away tools, supplies, work tables, and paperwork from many years of building. This will be a long process, but I got a lot done today.

  Nov 23, 2022     Misc. - (2.8 hours)       Category: Workshop

With the holiday season upon us, I decided to take a night off from working on the airplane (mostly), and do some much-needed cleaning and organizing of the workshop.

I did manage to clean, prep and prime about a half-dozen locations on the engine cylinders where the paint had chipped off. In the next week or so, perhaps I will paint these spots with the PPG touch-up paint I had the paint shop mix up for me.

  Nov 30, 2021     Workshop organizing; Canopy removal - (3.1 hours) Category: Workshop

1. Jim helped me remove the canopy, in preparation for installing the engine control cables and throttle quadrant.

2. Spent several more hours working on getting the workshop organized.

[No photo.]

  Nov 29, 2021     Workshop organization - (3.5 hours) Category: Workshop

Spent the evening organizing the workshop. Cleaned-up and moved a metal bookshelf from the other side of the hangar to a more central location. Used it to store all my RV-related notebooks, manuals, and diagrams. Cleaned up a lot of small parts from past projects. Organized some more component Service Letters in my "AD notebook." Put tools away. Consolidated lots of printed information into notebooks.

Removed all the protective tape from the fuselage and canopy that was used for the 3D canopy-scanning process.

Researched alternative locations for the small G-5 GPS antenna, since it seems it would be too close to the avionics fan if I mount it on the glareshield.

[No photos]

  Apr 02, 2021     Shop organizing - (3.5 hours)       Category: Workshop

While I await a couple of shipments of specialized tools and Sikaflex, I decided that since the avionics phase of the airplane is mostly done, It's time to clean up and prepare for the next phase. So I spent a few hours putting tools away and organizing my shop better. I'm about 3/4 of the way organized now.

Any of my friends who have seen these tables on previous days knows that they used to be utterly covered with tools. :-)

  Oct 31, 2013     Back to work! Shop prep/cleanup; Toolbox assembly - (1.3 hours)       Category: Workshop

After nearly two and a half years of distractions, career aggravations, and general foot-dragging, I am finally getting back to my beloved RV-8 project. I spent some time organizing the shop, cleaning, and setting up a second Craftsman rolling toolbox to replace the 20-year old "Husky"-brand box that I've been using. The Husky's drawers have gotten very sticky and annoying. Even after I lubed the sliders, it was still tough to open some of them because of the years of accumulated gunk in the bearings. So, after an expensive visit to Sears, I'm almost back in business... So Old Red is being pulled out of service, and as time allows I will painstakingly clean the sliders in the old toolbox by soaking them in GooGone or some other product.

  May 17, 2009     Shop reorganization       Category: Workshop

(2.5 hours) In preparation for mounting the wings, I rearranged by workshop to allow about 12 feet on either side of the fuselage. In addition to moving the fuselage, I had to move the paint booth, several worktables, and a tool cabinet.

Before the wings go on, I'll attach the landing gear. This will required building work stands on each side of the cockpit, but it'll be worth it.

  May 29, 2008     New toolbox Category: Workshop

(4.0) Bought a new Craftsman rolling toolbox set. Spent over four hours straightening and organizing my workshop and moving some of my tools to the new toolboxes.

  Nov 28, 2007     Fumeless propane heater Category: Workshop

(3.0 hours) Installed a vent-free, fumeless propane heater on the wall of my hangar. It's getting mighty chilly in there these days!

I'm missing an adapter for the gas line, so I'll have finish up the installation tomorrow.

  Nov 26, 2007     Misc. shop stuff - (1.0 hour) Category: Workshop

I spent a couple of hours doing non-airplane related construction projects in the hangar, including building a new cabinet for paint, painting supplies and fiberglass tools and chemicals. I also moved some stuff around and changed a couple of lightbulbs in the ceiling.

  Apr 10, 2007     Shop improvements Category: Workshop

(1.5 hours) Organized all fiberglass materials and supplies. Assembled new rolling shop cart. Moved stuff in corner of shop in preparation for installation of 240V AC circuit.

  Oct 23, 2006     Paint booth and fresh-air-respirator Category: Workshop

(3.8 hours) Sealed paint booth and exhaust duct. Unpacked, installed and tested HobbyAir fresh-air respirator system in paint booth.

I suspect that last night's episode with the paint booth, in which I felt terrible all night due to apparently ingesting fumes spreading from the paint booth throughout the hangar, may have been caused by unavoidable leaks in the paint booth, and more importantly, the fact that the fan was pressurizing the booth and causing a lot of fumes to escape into the hangar. Now that I have a fresh air breathing system and a Tyvek suit, I plan to try painting in the booth with the fan turned OFF and the fan inlet taped over. I'm hoping the paint spray will stay in the booth better this way, so I can work in the hangar after priming/painting without ill effects.

  Oct 10, 2006     Paint booth       Category: Workshop

(3.1 hours) Completed and tested the paint booth. (Fan flow is good -- sides of booth bulge out -- but airflow out of the louver seems to be minimal.)

I attached about a dozen, foot-long pieces of safety wire to the ceiling crossbars, and fashioned hooks in the ends so I can hang small components from them. I also placed my painting table and a couple of other racks along the walls, and routed the fresh-air hose for my HobbyAir respirator through one wall of the booth. The compressor for the respirator is on the other side of the hangar. Finally, I attached two work lights to the ceiling crosspieces.

  Oct 05, 2006     Paint booth Category: Workshop

(4.4 hours) Completed ductwork and filter installation on paint booth. Installed clamp-lights. Began hanging plastic sheet.

  Oct 04, 2006     Paint booth       Category: Workshop

(6.0 hours) Completed framework. Designed and built exhaust duct box with built-in filter frame and a "flush mating" system through a louver in the small, walk-in door. Mounted intake fan and clip-on light fixtures. Ready for covering.

Second photo: The filter slides in and out on the left side.
Third photo: This box area will be covered in tin.

  Oct 03, 2006     Paint booth Category: Workshop

(5.5 hours) Began construction of paint booth. Completed basic framework, made mostly from lumber previously used for first paint booth.

  Oct 02, 2006     Finished rebuilding aux entry door - (1.0 hour) Category: Workshop

(1.0 hours) Complete rebuilding of aux entry door.

  Sep 30, 2006     Hangar door re-build; Sealed and insulated hangar Category: Workshop

(6.6 hours) Began re-building door panel and handle hardware for the smaller walk-in door. This door will eventually have a removable vent/filter for the paint booth.

(3.0 hours) Installed weatherstripping around large, folding hangar door. Stripped and painted around old walk-in door. Measured both walk-in doors for insulation. Installed secondary power junction box.

  Sep 27, 2006     Parts organization, general construction Category: Workshop

(3.4 hours) Labeled new rivet bins, mounted broom holder and workbench light, sealed main door, organized new tools, mounted electrical junction box.

  Sep 20, 2006     Parts inventory and bandsaw assembly - (.7 hour) Category: Workshop

Finished inventorying and storing hardware. Finished assembling new bandsaw.

  Sep 13, 2006     Shop construction Category: Workshop

(6.5 hours) Cleaned shop, moved wood, moved furniture, organized tools and shelves, mounted items on wall.

  Sep 12, 2006     Shop construction       Category: Workshop

(4.0 hours) Finished building wing cradle. Cleaned and organized shop.

  Sep 07, 2006     Wing cradle Category: Workshop

(3.0 hours) Finished building wing cradle.

  Sep 06, 2006     Wing cradle Category: Workshop

(7.5 hours) Bought parts for, and began building, a wing cradle.

  Jan 12, 2002     Paint booth and spray table       Category: Workshop

(9.5 hours) Today, I began building a paint booth in the only place it would fit -- around the support column in my hangar, behind the right wing of my Citabria. The booth is about 6 x 6', and 8 feet high. There's no way to hook up a vent fan right now, so I'll have to use a fresh-air respirator and limit my exposure. I also built a spray table out of 1x1s and mesh screen stapled to a pair of sawhorses.

  Jan 08, 2002     Parts inventory - (2.5 hours)       Category: Workshop

Inventoried all empennage parts and laid them out on storage shelves. I spent a lot of time identifying the parts and familiarizing myself with them. Marked the parts with a Sharpie.

  Jan 05, 2002     Workbench construction - (20.5 hours)       Category: Workshop

This entry covers the construction of two workbenches and general shop construction.