2013 AirVenture Confirmed!

     Today I purchased my tickets for this year's Airventure.  This will only be my second time there; the first was in 2010, aptly named Sloshkosh because of the flooded grounds that year.  I was hoping to attend via the Yankee Air Museum's C-47, as I had planned to in 2011 and 2012, but for the third time in a row, it isn't going to happen.  In 2011, we couldn't take off from Willow Run because of severe thunderstorms; in 2012 they hadn't sold enough seats for the Thursday I was scheduled, and I couldn't change my travel plans.  This year the C-47 is going through some certification changes and modifications, so I made the commitment to drive to Oshkosh and camp on the airfield.  In 2010 I stayed for the full week, but I can't really afford to do that this year, so I'm planning to arrive Tuesday afternoon, set up camp, and attend the fly-in Wednesday thru Friday, and drive home sometime Saturday.  I thank my family for allowing me to make this trip as a combination Fathers Day & birthday present.
     I'll be attending a couple seminars, including Budd Davisson's tailwheel seminar. I've been a long-time fan of his aviation writing and we've corresponded via email on numerous occasions.  I met him at his AirVenture seminars in 2010, and I'm hoping to get a chance to chat with him again this year.  Another old friend from California will also be attending this year, and his Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon will be featured in Thursday's Warbirds in Review.  Taigh Ramey is a Beech 18 and Warbird specialist that operates Vintage Aircraft in Stockton, Ca.  He was an instructor at Palo Alto Airport when I learned to fly there in the '80s; he gave me a BFR and was my pilot for an air-to-air photo mission I did for the owner of a Bellanca Viking.  I also crewed for Taigh when we attended the last Madera Gathering of Warbirds in his SNB-1; we were scheduled to fly it to Oshkosh that year, but he sold the plane before we got the chance.  I've seen him various times since then, and it will be cool to get a chance to meet up at AirVenture. 
     I also hope to connect with other RV-8 enthusiasts that I've followed online.  I'm planning to spend a LOT of time in the RV parking area, taking tons of pictures and closely examining some excellent airplanes.  This trip should definitely help to keep me inspired to achieve my goal!

Paint Booth Exhaust Fan Unit built

     Over the past few days, I built the exhaust fan unit that I'll use for ventilating the main shop when it's set up for painting.  As usual, I overbuilt the hell out of it... but it's a nice sturdy piece.  Unlike the workbench and shelving unit, I used woodworking glue, as well as screws and nails, for assembly.
     I started out by buying three 20" box fans and some lumber.  I had a sheet of 1/2" OSB on hand, so I ripped it lengthwise to get two 2x8 sheets.  I took the fan covers off, and used the inner perimeter of the fan frame to trace three opening outlines on an OSB sheet, which I cut out with a sabre saw.  I took the fan front screens and mounted them over the openings on the exterior side of the OSB, and mounted the fans themselves on the interior side.  I decided to augment the attachment of the front screens and fans with the use of some silicon sealant along the perimeter of each... but this proved to be a mistake.  As it turns out, the sealant tube, although never opened, was old enough to expire, and as a result it never set up after application... it remains gooey even now.  This issue was not critical enough to halt progress, however.  I wiped off as much excess as I could from the fixtures, and continued.

     I decided to use 2x6s for most of the unit's framework; although heavy, it provided the rigidity and substantial mounting surfaces I sought.  The top piece is 1x6.  The inital design was sketched, but actual construction details and dimensions were determined as the work progressed.  At first I had chosen 20"x20" filters for the design, but later changed those to 20"x25" for better air flow.  Once the frame was built onto the exterior OSB,  I cut out the six pieces of OSB that would comprise the interior surface, and assembled them as required.  Then I fabricated the filter framework out of 1x2 boards and attached them to the interior OSB.

     I attached grab handles to the interior side, to make this big, ungainly, heavy unit a bit easier to handle.  I ran the fan plug wires along the interior framework and out of a central exit slot.  I mounted a power strip to the interior trim, and tacked down the cord to keep it secure and out of the way.  I had removed the top handles from the fans, but left the four-position rotary switches intact in their stock location.  They are easily accessible thru the filter openings.  I experimented with different types of filters, and initially chose the pleated type.  These fit the openings best.  The second photo below shows the unit in place under the garage door, with a filler board inserted on the right side.

     And here is an exterior view of the installed unit; the first photo with the fans off, the second photo with the fans on.

     It occurs to me that the main source of incoming air in this configuration will be the gap along the top of the garage door opening that is created when the door is partially raised.  I'll have to insert some sort of screen or filter along that gap, so I won't be sucking in dust, pollen and bugs from the outside.  That should be easy to configure using the cheap green filters, or screens.  I also thought about a gap seal along the bottom of the fan unit... but an easier solution would be a long strip of carpet that would be laid down where the fan unit sits, compensating for the uneven apron surface.  Other sealing requirements around the edges may have to be addressed... and since it's so big and heavy, I'll have to put some thought into how I intend to store it when not in use.  But at least the unit is basically complete, and it moves a lot of air, so I'm happy with the result.  Another prep step complete!

RV-8 Paint Schemes

     Not long after getting my pre-plans set, I got the three-way drawings out of the back of the binder, scanned them, and then started designing paint schemes using Photoshop.  Of course, being a warbird fan like many other builders, I decided to go with a pseudo-military paint scheme similar to that of a late-war WWII fighter.  My first designs incorporated a military silver base coat, with stars & bars, invasion stripes, a stars & stripes tail design, a checkerboard cowling, flat black non-reflective paint along the top of the nose, and a spiral nose cone.  The interior would be dull dark green, with the instrument panel done in a flat black wrinkle finish.  It would look something like this on the field:

     Although I really like the way this looks, there are two downsides.  First, there are a LOT of RV-8s out there that have similar paint jobs.  Second, doing something like this properly would involve an incredible amount of work, and probably the skills of a professional.  If I wanted to do the job myself (and I do), I'd be much better off going with a much simpler mid-war scheme of olive drab, with a neutral grey belly.  Not only would this be easier, but it would be more realistic than a showy high-gloss paint job, and I wouldn't have to worry so much about flaws and imperfections.  After all, there's a war on; we gotta get these things flying, right?  Here is that version in an airborne illustration:

     Another difference you may have noticed in this second drawing is the elimination of the carb scoop on the bottom of the cowling, since my aircraft will probably be fuel injected and use a different air source, as I've seen done on others.  I might put a spiral on the nose cone, or maybe paint it red.  Pardon the ridiculous looking pilot... but I'm not that great of a graphic artist... especially using Photoshop.  You may have noticed my nose art... here's a close-up view:

     I'd have to hire out to get this done right... as well as some more cool details I've seen on RVs, such as exhaust stacks and gun ports.  I'm pretty sure I'll finish the paint before the first flight... that's something else I'll want to research.  Some builders finish the paint before they fly, so that the aircraft weight/balance and control surface balancing are dialed in.  Others fly now and paint later.  In any case, that part of the project is a LONG ways off at this point... I'll paint that bridge when I come to it.
(design graphics copyright Clownbreath Industries 2013)



Shop Shelves

     I built the shelf unit last weekend.  A straightforward and relatively easy build; no glue, just good wood screws, and short nails for the OSB shelves.  This should work well for storing some of the larger kit pieces.  Shelf size is 8x2; height varies from shelf to shelf.  I figured it would be best to store the largest pieces low... almost 34' clearance on that bottom shelf.  I added the crossbraces a few days later, using plywood material I had on hand, and it's a nice rigid piece now.  Even thinking of adding casters, but it's really not all that heavy, so it shouldn't be hard to move about when necessary.

Main Shop construction

     The Main Shop area of my detached garage was only a partially finished space when I purchased the property.  This is the way it looked before I started working on it.  These are pictures of each corner, taken in a clockwise order and starting with the northwest corner:

     The finishing work was begun in December of 2011, and completed the following January.  I began by putting up sheets of 1/2" OSB on the walls.  I chose OSB because it's easy to work with, it has superior sound dispersion properties, and I can mount small fixtures directly to the wall without using anchors, or having to find a stud.


     Before finishing the walls, I had to install two doors; one leading to the storage shed area, and one leading to the stairs to the loft.  Here is the installation of the door to the storage shed:


     The next job to do was to remove all the insulation and light fixtures hanging from the rafters.  When I bought the property, all of the roofing needed to be replaced.  I did the main house right away, but had to wait a few years to get the detached garage done.  The old insulation had gotten wet numerous times, and was in a sorry state, so I decided to replace it.  The old lighting arrangement was designed around rows of shelves that the previous owner had built and subsequently removed.  Fourteen separate incandescent fixtures, switched by individual pull strings, wasn't a very efficient lighting arrangement, so I removed all the fixtures and their attendant wiring, and rewired for six fluorescent lighting fixtures controlled by one wall switch.


     When it came time to install the new insulation and OSB ceiling, I elected to get professional help.  My contractor was the same man who had built the original detached garage, and made numerous additions to both the main house and garage, so it was familiar territory for him.


     I decided to paint the room with white single-coat stainblock primer, for several reasons.  I wanted to lighten up the room for better visibility, but I didn't want the walls so nicely finished that I'd worry about dings; after all, this is a work shop.  I also knew that, despite claims to the contrary, single-coat stainblock wouldn't completely hide the guidelines printed on the OSB... and that's just how I wanted it.  I want to be able to see right where my studs are, rather than having to use a stud finder or search for nail heads to determine a location for a strong anchor point.  I painted the ceiling first, so that I could install the fluorescent fixtures and get them working as soon as possible.


     Here are four photos of the finished room, again starting with the northwest corner and working clockwise.  I chose to keep the trim pieces bare wood; I like that look, and it matches the worbenches and shelves to come.  The horizontal studs on the walls in the fourth photo are the initial support pieces for the L-shaped attached workbench.




     I built the attached workbench in November of 2012.  I based the design around two 2x8 benches, nested into the corner, so I had a working surface of 2x10 along the west wall, and 2x8 along the north wall.  This workbench is now a very secure structural part of the building, and therefore very sturdy.  I also installed dedicated fluorescent fixtures for the workbench.  I suspect that the original owner envisioned something like this all along, because the required plugs and switch were already in place.  Eventually I will build a freestanding 3x8 bench, and a shelving unit for large items.  I can also bring in the two workbenches from the wood shop if I need them.


     So now I have an excellent working space for aircraft construction.  Further additions will include heaters for each side of the building, exhaust fan units that can be installed under the garage door in the main shop, portable paint booth framing, and a large centrally located air compressor, with air plumbing running out to each room.  I've already had to add some circuits to the breaker panel, and may have to add one or two more.  I'll have to be careful not to exceed the capacity of my existing wiring.  The RV-8 kit doesn't require welding, but if I decide to learn arc welding I'll probably just get a dedicated generator for it.  That would be cheaper than having to upgrade wiring and install a new panel, and also be much more versatile.

Floor Plan and Wood/Paint Shop

     My detached garage is where I will be building my RV-8.  This is the floor plan; although not indicated on this drawing, the right side is actually the south side; the top faces east, etc.

     This is my wood shop, pictured below. I originally set it up for production of my MAN-Purse (see Clownbreath Industries in my bio page on Google +).  During the RV-8 build I'll be using it as a fabrication and painting area for small parts.  It was mostly intact when I moved in, but I did a lot of improvements to the room.
    Facing north:                                              Facing south:


     The main improvements were finishing the ceiling, adding decent fluorescent lighting, and adding a ventilation fan in the south wall, which is covered with a plywood piece in the photo.  The between-stud cabinets along the east wall are a nice touch that was built-in by the previous owner, but they needed a lot of work to actually become usable.  I had to shave most of the doors, add knobs, and install shelves inside the spaces.  I used an attic ventilation fan because it would fit between the studs, and built a large screened exhaust box on the exterior wall. The inlet is filtered to catch wood and paint particles.  I also installed a door on the south entrance, and left the north entrance open to hopefully create a venturi effect.  It's not the best system, I must admit... the fan inlet is small, and it doesn't move air as effectively as I had hoped.  I usually use one of the box fans in the north entrance to help the process, and I will say the air filter catches a LOT of wood dust, so it must help.  The workbenches on either end were built from EAA plans; I built them in my California shop, and brought them with me back to Michigan.  They do fit nicely into the end spaces, and they are freestanding, so I can move them around, or even into the main shop if needed.
     As a curious side note, visible in the north side photo along the west wall are some shelves I put up to facilitate MAN-Purse production... and there are four unfinished units on the bottom shelf.  My initial production run was small, and sales were smaller... so I never got around to finishing them.  They've been sitting on that shelf for almost two years, and I wince when I see them.  They serve as ominous reminders that I can get lazy about projects, and really make me think about whether I'm ready to take on a project as massive as building an RV-8.  The spirit is willing, though... and in the absense of initial funding, I've tried to convert motivation into action by keeping the prep work going and expanding my research regarding metal aircraft construction and the experience of other builders.  That prep work MUST include finishing those four remaining MAN-Purses, as well as some other small woodworking projects slated for production before starting work on my RV-8.
(UPDATE: The remaining MAN-Purses were completed on May 31, 2013!  Yay!)

Where did it all start? Well, this starts here...

Well, here goes...
     Long, long ago in a land far away, I made a conscious decision to build my own aircraft. I obtained my pilot's license and tailwheel rating at the Palo Alto Airport in California; I flew whenever I could manage it, and did some serious planning/dreaming.  At first, I was intent on building an Avid Amphibian, as owning an amphibian aircraft seemed a very attractive option, in terms of both recreation and safety.  As the dream evolved over the years, with the decline of Avid Aircraft and the rapid growth of Van's Aircraft, I changed my aircraft of choice to the RV-8.  It is a well-proven and very popular design with tandem seating, reminiscent of the WWII fighter & trainer aircraft I've loved all my life.
     As is the case with many dreams and goals, it was (and is) compromised by the demands of everyday life as a husband and father, and for a long time it remained only a dream.  Then, in 2000, I was able to retire early and moved to a more rural setting in a wonderful location near Redding, California, where I would create the homestead of my dreams... including a huge guest house with shop and garage space that was designed specifically for the creation of my aircraft.  I purchased my Vans promo pack/pre-plans kit in 2001, and although very busy with other endeavors, I never really stopped trying to inch my way closer to my dream...
     Life is full of unexpected turns, and in 2008 I had to leave my beloved homestead and return to Michigan, where I was born and raised.  I was fortunate enough to remain both solvent and retired, and since then I've been preparing this newest home for the continuing pursuit of my dream.  I have a large detached garage/shop that I am gradually outfitting for the purpose of construction, and added an attached garage to the main house to make it easier for my wife and I to deal with winter weather, and to make it easier to make the detached shop a dedicated work space.  I've converted one small area to a wood shop/paint booth, and I've finished off another large room, adding built-in workbenches and flourescent lighting.  When I had the attached garage built, I put in heating, and ran an extension gas line to the shop so that I can eventually install gas heaters out there, allowing me to work year-round.
     Of course, normal life (or in my case, a somewhat unusal life) demands my attention as much as it always did, and financial considerations don't quite allow me to purchase any Vans RV-8 components just yet... but lately my enthusiasm and dedication to my dream has grown in leaps and bounds.  To that end, I've increased my research on the topic, and in the process I've come across several builder's blogs here... most notably Flyin' Bryan's RV-8 Adventure.  I've always known I wanted to document my build with a blog and notes, and thought this might be the ideal way to do that.  Although I don't expect to be able to start really building until 2016, there are plenty of things I can do now... and that includes starting this blog.  So here I am.
     My blogs here in the near future will cover some more of my aviation background, my past and current paint schemes for my own RV-8, the ongoing evolution of my working space, acquisition of tooling and other aviation-related topics.  So watch this space, as I share my efforts to turn my homebuilt dream into a flying reality!