How much space is required?

[SkyPilot]

I find myself becoming obsessed with building a kit plane despite not having a heck of a lot of room to do it in.

I was wondering how much real estate your project might be using.

I suppose if I needed to I could get one of those temporary covered carport enclosures or something.

Do you find it cramped where you are working on your plane?

Do any of you rent a hangar solely for your project?

I'm just trying to get a better idea of what I might be getting myself into.

Do any of you have links to your projects that show the work space?

 

[Ken Ibold]

Nick, I have heard of people building the bulk of an airplane in their LIVING ROOMS. I recall one comment from a spouse that she was oh-so-glad when the engine was no longer on the coffee table and the wings were no longer stashed behind the couch.

Lots of tales of one-car garages and public storage kinds of places -- until it came time to mate the wings and then move to a hangar. I would shy away from the temporary covered carport thing because the chance of theft or mischief would just be too high.

 

[vontresc]

The advice I have always heard from people regaerding homebuilts is to have your workshop as close to your home as possible. If all you have to do to work on your plane is to go to the garage you will be much more likely to put in a couple of hours in at night.

Everyone says worst thing to do is to get a hangar at an airport 30 minutes away for the initial stages of the build.

Pete

 

[N621j]

Attached is a picture of my workspace. I completed the whole airplane in this space, including painting. When finished with the wings, I hung 1 from the ceiling and leaned the other against the wall where the fuse sits in this picture, got rid of the work table and finished up the fuse, FWF panel etc. To fit the wings and rig it I rolled everything out to the driveway, then removed wings and brought it back inside. As the previous poster said, you're better off with a cramped workspace at home than a huge workshop 30 min from home if you want to make steady progress on the plane.

Steve

 

[jwriteclub]

The other thing about a carport:

Have you ever worked with metal in an unheated space in the winter?

I have. Never again!

~ Christopher

 

[stingray]

try and find out if there is an EAA chapter in your area and join. Depending on the plane you build a lot can be built in your house. (All the ribs for the wings) When you get most everything cut, cleaned, punched, and drilled you may be able to BUILD it in one of the members hanger or maybe the chapter has a hanger. Our chapter has a hanger and we are going to build a shop on the back end for members that want/need a place to work on portions of projects. We are also purchasing tools that are specialty type of tools so they can be shared by members.

You should also decide what plane you are building and see if there is a Yahoo group for that plane. Every little bit helps.

Dan

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Virtually any pole & fabric, single carport can be sheeted off from the inside with screw fasteners into the predrilled verticals passing through uncut, prepainted, overlapping 4X8 sheets of various materials like OSB for the walls and transparent corrogated roofing for the inside of the ceiling.

After full size doors with locks are framed in at each end, wireless infrared sensors facing down in such a way so as to not sense the movement of the building in the wind and programed into both ones phone line/Brinks plus loud alarm sirens on site, will quickly finish off the 'hardening' of the hangar.

A finishing white wash of the walls with another 1-3 coats of Kilz (10-15 gal) and placement of 1 or 2 infrared propane heaters rated for indoor use will provide a daylight well lit/lightable hangar that is totally comfortable and can be dismantalled and reassembeled quickly if desired.

 

[John Recine]

I am working in a small basement, I have a 16' bench that is about 5' short of touching the walls at each end. I supp actual square footage if pressed to do so. Other piet buildes have built in the living room. Not that I woulld recommed it, hes not married so I suppose he had room to spare.

I would imagine it has lots to do with what you want to build and how badly you want ot build it.

You can take a look on my kitplane.com to see actual projects in progress photos and builders log information.

what are you looking to build?


John