I bought this rv6 kit a year ago with the empennage finished and the wings started. The f604 bulkhead was also completed and I foolishly thought it had been built correctly. Now that I am putting the fuselage together, I have found that the flange on this bulkhead is backwards. Should be positioned out and it is positioned the wrong direction. So advice help needed. I can drill out the rivets and turn the F604 A the correct way or buy a new piece of aluminum and start over. Easier that ordering from Vans at this point.
Van's Air Force
Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.
what to do rv6
- Thread starter rwarre
- Start date
blaplante
Well Known Member
If I read my plans correctly, the F604 is the bulkhead that the wing spars bolt through. That bulkhead is match drilled to the spars. Hopefully you have a kit where the spars and bulkhead and splice bars match. Way easy for these things to come from multiple sources and actually not be matched. The spars should have an engraved number on them. I think the bulkhead will be engraved with the same number. All should match
So the upshot is - putting in a new bulkhead means you need to match the spar holes. NOT EASY AT ALL. If the spars are not too old then Phogiston (sp?) match drilled them on a jig and can likely make up a new F604 for you. If older... the parts are not interchangable.
From my records, Phlogiston is at 503-985-3212
MAYBE the bulkhead can be reversed, but I doubt the rivet holes will line up. Proper fix is probably new fuselage skins in that area.
If that's not possible, then the wing spars and a blank bulkhead have to be jigged up out of the plane and match drilled. I guess if you have the correct splice bars it won't be impossible.
Good luck!
EDIT:
It is critical that the spar bolt holes be perfectly true and properly sized.
So the upshot is - putting in a new bulkhead means you need to match the spar holes. NOT EASY AT ALL. If the spars are not too old then Phogiston (sp?) match drilled them on a jig and can likely make up a new F604 for you. If older... the parts are not interchangable.
From my records, Phlogiston is at 503-985-3212
MAYBE the bulkhead can be reversed, but I doubt the rivet holes will line up. Proper fix is probably new fuselage skins in that area.
If that's not possible, then the wing spars and a blank bulkhead have to be jigged up out of the plane and match drilled. I guess if you have the correct splice bars it won't be impossible.
Good luck!
EDIT:
It is critical that the spar bolt holes be perfectly true and properly sized.
Last edited:
PaulvS
Well Known Member
That bulkhead required heavy jigging when it was drilled and it would require great expertise and knowledge in order to re-produce it.
It is not yet installed in the fuselage, right?
What exactly is wrong with it? Maybe posting a pihoto of the part or of the drawing with a markup of what is wrong will help. I don't understand how it could be assembled wrong because the pre-drilled holes would help to align and pre-assemble the components correctly before riveting.
It is not yet installed in the fuselage, right?
What exactly is wrong with it? Maybe posting a pihoto of the part or of the drawing with a markup of what is wrong will help. I don't understand how it could be assembled wrong because the pre-drilled holes would help to align and pre-assemble the components correctly before riveting.
Call the (Vans) factory and discuss with tech support.
It is possible to re-drill the bulkhead from the wing spars, the top of a drill stop is almost exactly the right size to act as a drill guide for the larger holes. I'm sure you, or a friend will be able to make a drill guide for the smaller holes. Then ream to final size in assembly with the spars.
But, do you really need to do that? Need to study the drawings in detail. That's where tech support should be able to help.
It is possible to re-drill the bulkhead from the wing spars, the top of a drill stop is almost exactly the right size to act as a drill guide for the larger holes. I'm sure you, or a friend will be able to make a drill guide for the smaller holes. Then ream to final size in assembly with the spars.
But, do you really need to do that? Need to study the drawings in detail. That's where tech support should be able to help.
