RV-10 Building GOTCHAS.....Read this before you start the project

Here we'll try to compile a list of things that you really should know BEFORE you start on various sections.  Contribute all you can, and we'll help make those next generation of -10 builders have an even easier time.

Vertical Stab
Horizontal Stab
Tailcone
Wings
Fuselage
Engine Installation
Elevator Trim Adjustment

Vertical Stab

Vertical Stabilizer:   DO NOT try to force the nose ribs into the skin.  Almost ALL builders have found that they dented outward their VS skins by doing this.  You will need to grind maybe 1/8" or so off the nose of the nose ribs (VS-1006, VS-1013, and VS-1005) before you put these ribs in.   Van's plans don't warn you about this during the VS, but funny how they do add a warning later for the HS.....well after you've already learned the lesson the hard way. (see page 8-7 and check out Figure 2 where it shows how to avoid the problem.)  Thanks to Deems Davis  #40406 for reminding me to post this!


Horizontal Stab

Horizontal Stab:   This tip is basically a "Pay Attention" tip.  Here is what he said (edited a little for brevity): 

"Well, it hit soon after finishing the rudder.  The drawing on page 8-5, Front Spar Assembly, is correct, but the mental gymnastics leave a lot of room for error.  The spar caps(HS-1013)
go trimmed side against the spar web, but that is only semi-obvious from the drawing, because it is drawn with those parts away from you, not facing you as they are when you clamp them in. The text is also correct, but late in the day, reading only twice, instead of six times, I screwed up."   Thanks to Kelly McMullen for this!



 Tailcone

Cutting Tailcone Longerson - See Below section in fuse

Tailcone Attach
Tailcone Attach (Drilling Longerons):   At the end of the fuselage longerons that stick into the tailcone just below the curved roof area, there will be 4 holes that get drilled into the tailcone longerons.  Thanks to Bob Condrey for the tip, he notes:  The initial holes are match drilled using the F1046-B template on page 29-3.  They are then match drilled to the tailcone sections and enlarged on page 32-3 step 4.     Here's a photo from Bob, and the specs:

Specific measurements just in case there’s a scaling issue with the picture:
- Four bolt hole centers are 7/16” from edge
- Aft bolt hole center is 3/8” from aft end of longeron
- Hole spacing is ¾” center to center

If you received a QB fuselage, you probably don't have any holes in the longerons, and you don't have the template either.  In my case, what I did was lay out a good 4 hole pattern, not knowing tha above info.  I don't see a problem with it, but now that we have the info above, I'd use that.  What I did was just leave a good end edge distance on the rear one, and a little working space behind the bulkhead on the front one, and then space the other 2 holes evenly.

Elevator Trim Cable Attach Brackets
Whatever you do, you should probably not leave your Elevator Trim attach brackets as-is.   These are p/n WD-415.
There have already been cases of breakage both during construction, and during flight.  The original ones from the factory were not consistently made with stainless material, and the welding is not thorough enough to ensure safety.  There are a few good ways to deal with this.
Check this link for more.
Tailcone SB-8-6-1 and Trim Tab Rigging
I'll list this as a "gotcha" just because you DO NOT want to pass up completing the tailcone SB 8-6-1 that Van's released.  On one of the factory demonstrator RV-10's, cracks were found in an aft bulkhead, and a doubler was sent out to be installed on all RV-10's both flying and under construction.  Additonally, there is a gotcha relating to Trim Tab Rigging that I explain HERE.
Wings

Don't Deburr That Hole!

When doing the rear spar on the wings, page 15-2 where you work with the aileron brackets:
Don't deburr the W-1013A  bracket where the bearing goes, because it may end up oversized and the bearing needs to be a pressed fit!
Thanks Jim, 40384!

WATCH OUT when doing those wing root fairing nutplates!
When you're countersinking and installing the wing root fairing holes on the inboard side of the wings, watch out that you put the PROPER nutplate type in the location on the hole in this picture.  A few people now have used the same nutplates as the others, which won't allow that nice countersunk hole to line up with the hole on the root fairing.  I myself did this.  My fix was to fill that hole with JB Weld, and re-drill and re-countersink the proper hole and use the proper nutplate, so it matched the fairing hole.  Not perfect, but it works.



J-Channel Stiffners - From Mark C.
"Sounds like I’m not the only one to make this mistake. But in the wing kit, section 13 where you drill the J-Channel stiffeners inside the main spar. Step 7 and Figure 3 refer to nesting the shorter channel inside the longer channel. This lead me and others to line up the two J-Channels with the inboard portion of the main spar flange. But if you look closely, you can see that the LONG J-Channel is flush with the OUTBOARD portion of the spar flange, and the SHORT J-Channel is flush with the inboard. Rather than “nesting” the term OVERLAP would be more appropriate as the SHORT channel with OVERLAP the long channel where they meet.  It’s clear if you look at the picture and know what to look for, but on first glance it’s deceiving.

Fuselage
Tough Rivets - Do Them Early - Thanks Chris Johnston
I'm merrily riveting along towards the end of step 29, and as I'm riveting F-1040 (upper fuse channel), I notice that there are nutplate holes on the upper flange that have no nutplates. furthermore, after you rivet it to the bulkhead, you won't be able to get at one of the noles needed for one of the nutplates. I noticed many steps later that there's an access cover that screws into these nonexistant nutplates.  I found a little reference to this in the archives and I'll be drilling out a couple rivets to install these nutplates now. NOTE - IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT AFTER THE FORWARD FUSE SIDE SKIN IS RIVETED ON. this is yet another shortcoming in the (now becoming infamous around here) step 29.
113" Fuse Longeron Angle - Mark it "don't cut" - Thanks Jay Brinkmeyer
Several of the fuse longeron diagrams have two dimensions shown along the same face within a single figure. That is, one diagram is used to show two different pieces each with different dimensions. I doubt if my engineering graphics professor would have given this scheme a passing mark.

Measure twice, think longer and cut once? Nah.

I cut the smaller pieces first without looking around the shop long enough. If you do like me you might wind up needing a 113" longeron that is now in two pieces (dooh!). Shipping a $15 part with dimensions over 8' from Oregon is several hundred dollars as it has to go by freight.

Luckily I found a local source that supplies the equivalent part. If there's anyone in the Colorado area in the same boat let me know as I now have extra AA6-125 3/4 x 3/4.

This is the plans page being referred to:
Section 10 Page 5
http://www.myrv10.com/Plans/RV10_Plans_sec10-pg05.html

----- More from Brian Douglas ------
Yeah, I'm in a similar boat with a tailcone J-Channel. Like a doofus (sp?) I cut one of the 93"ers too short and had to order a new one from Vans. <snip> Anyway, let that be a lesson to the guys/girls just starting. Cut the long pieces first!! (Tim - Cut the long ones, mark them, and set them aside)
Don't forget the Rudder Cable Support Bracket - Thanks Ron McGann
 
1.    Page 38-9.  Don't forget to install the F-1016H cable support brackets (see here).
2.    Page 38-6.  Install the brass fittings to one end of each of the 43" brake lines AFTER routing through the bushings in the F-1039D bracket.  BTW, I found the best way to insert the brass inserts into the plastic brake line.  Put a nail of slightly smaller diameter to the pin into a block of wood.  Place the insert over the nail, insert the tube in some boiling water for a few minutes, then press the tube down over the pin and nail.  The nail will pass harmlessy into the tube, and voila - one completed assembly.
3.     When bending the forward brake lines, be aware that they will pass through a slot in the forward tunnel cover.  If you bend the lines too far below the F-100K recess, you will need to trim the tunnel cover (ask how I know).
4.    attach the F-1089 Elevator pushrod to the F-1063 Elevator Idler Arm assembly BEFORE installing the idler arm assembly to the brackets (MUCH easier to get those AN960-10L in!).  Don't re-install the battery/bellcrank mount per page 39-5 until the pushrods are installed.
Engine Installation
Filtered Air Box - See THIS Link for info regarding a doubler that you will want to install in your filtered air box that is not in the plans.

Elevator Trim Adjustment
If you haven't found this section yet, make sure you read up on elevator (and aileron trimming) adjustments.  There are some issues you should be aware of.