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Empty weight

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steve wyman

Well Known Member
I just thought of another question that I'd like to ask of you guys that have finished your airplanes. What did the actual EMPTY weight of your airplane come in at? I'm curious to see how "real world" compares to the 730# figure that VANS has been using. Steve
 
Hey Steve

Just got home from helping Marty with his. ( pay-back for him helping me ).

Mine weighs 736.5# Painted.

John Bender
 
Mine came in at 727 with paint and that was on new digital EAA Chapter scales.



Brad Stiefvater
Salem SD
 
Thanks for the input guys- it just reconfirms that VANS seems to deal in real world numbers- no exagerations! This empty weight number was especially important to me. It was one of the prime reasons that I decided to build the RV-12, instead of the RANS S-19, which, at best, has an empty weight closer to 830#! That 1320 figure is non-negotiable, so what ever increases the empty weight, just subtracts from what you can carry. With my svelt frame, that's an issue, all right! Steve
 
Without paint (and the plan is to apply vinyl graphics over polished aluminum), empty weight on calibrated digital scales was 716, only 1 pound different from another unpainted -12.
 
Vinyl Graphics Question

I have tried to pursue this approach but with mixed results. Contacted one supplier and was told you cannot put the vinyl over the RV-12 low profile rivets. I have heard that there are vinyl suppliers that indicate that their vinyl will install over the low profile rivets. Would appreciate any web links to follow-up on this subject.

Thanks,
Bob Kibby
 
Hey Bob

I just put them on my RV-12. I had a local guy put the tail decals on. He showed me how to do rivets very well. He could not compete with the 'Eagle' decals I put on the wing tips, and told me to buy the ones I did. I used his method, and did fairly well. I purchased from E-DECALS.COM.

John Bender
 
Bob Kibby said:
I have tried to pursue this approach but with mixed results. Contacted one supplier and was told you cannot put the vinyl over the RV-12 low profile rivets. I have heard that there are vinyl suppliers that indicate that their vinyl will install over the low profile rivets. Would appreciate any web links to follow-up on this subject.

Thanks,
Bob Kibby
Click to expand...

I don't know the particulars Bobby, but I've seen several OEM planes with vinyl over rivets, including the factory RV-12s. When I asked a high $$$ shop how they do it they said there are special brushes shaped like the rivets. John uses a pin prick on each rivet and squeezes the air out. There has got to be a way to do it.
 
What the pro showed me

It was cool in my hanger the day he came to install the tail decals. He asked if I had a hair dryer. I had one there. He installed the decals over the rivets, then took the squeegy and pushed fairly hard and just went right around each rivet. He then took the hair dryer and heated each rivet for a minute, and went around then again. Then cooled them quickly by turning the heat off. That seemed to set them and they stayed just right. He told me they will stay for good.

John Bender
 
Bob Kibby said:
I have tried to pursue this approach but with mixed results. Contacted one supplier and was told you cannot put the vinyl over the RV-12 low profile rivets. I have heard that there are vinyl suppliers that indicate that their vinyl will install over the low profile rivets. Would appreciate any web links to follow-up on this subject.

Thanks,
Bob Kibby
Click to expand...

Here is a link to an article right here on VAF showing that it can be installed over rivets (scroll down to the end).

http://www.vansairforce.net/articles/striping101/STRIPING101.htm

I have done it myself a number of times.
 
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