searching
 

Your knee cap will find the rivet you dropped yesterday while crawling around looking for the nut you dropped today.

long reach
 

Any object rolling off the work bench will immediately roll to the far wall under the work bench.
Exception: Xacto knives will land on the blade prior to rolling to the far wall.

lost and found
 

A lost cell phone can be found just after mixing epoxy or pro-seal

Kinda hate to spoil the fun with a serious tip. But I needed to share it with someone anyway;
Use the right tool for the job.

I had an air hammer. Looks just like any 2x or 3x in various vendors sites. Attempted the tool box kit with my gun and the correct rivet sets. After watching the sets bounce across my shiny aluminum I decided something is wrong here. Bought the gun that A/S sells with the RV tool kit. I'm sure most everyone reading knows what I discovered.

Setting rivetes with that gun made me buy the -8 Emp kit.

Blain

I won't even show anyone my toolbox kit. It is total ****. The hinge doesn't work, hammer marks all over it. I am just glad I got the toolbox first!

Hey - I grew up in Cameron Park and taught at Rolling Hills for 7 years. We moved to Colorado about 6 years ago. Mike S is up on the airpark and would be a good person to contact for help. Just a few minutes with someone that knows what is going on makes a huge difference.

Have fun with your build.

Sounds like everyone has had the same learning curve. I have made contact with Mike.

Blain

When moving fast while installing rivets and using your thighs to hold the rivet gun while you insert the next rivet into the hole be, sure you dont squeez the trigger!

When you plan the budget for your airplane, remember double it. In order to move on to the next major expenditure, you're going to have to do a remodel project or some similarly expensive thing to preserve domestic tranquility. I can't afford an engine for a while now, but we have a REALLY NICE new master bath.

REALLY nice.

You know, like "I could have bought a new Lycoming and a G3X panel for this much" nice.

:eek::eek::eek:

Now I know why the chief of surgery carries around a rivet fan!

fuel lube or assembly fluid
 

Tight spots with hardware can be dealt with nicely by putting some fuel lube or assembly fluid on your finger. This sticky stuff keeps washers/nuts etc on your fingertips until they are on properly :)

it's probably been said here somewhere but ...

when I was dissembling some control surfaces as a precursor to paint, there were a couple places with stacked washers. The builder had been smart enough to superglue them together for easy installation. I thanked him 5 weeks later when I was putting the airplane back together !

Stick to it
 

"...[his] first attempt at flight ended in a ground loop, which required $100 to repair. After repairs ... he attempted flight 13 more times, each time ending in some sort of failure. Finally on his 13th attempt, he got a glimpse of hope as his aircraft bounced up into the air for a short time before crashing into the trees as he attempted to turn it. After his crash, he exclaimed in frustration, 'I'm going to fly this thing, then I'm going to set it afire and never have another thing to do with aeroplanes!' "

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clyde_Vernon_Cessna

pneumatic squeezers
 

You will discover how big your belly roll really is, when you lay your pneumatic squeezers in your lap, and then bend over and reach for something that you need.
I went on an instant diet.
Bob

Gorilla Tape
 

Gorilla Tape. If you haven't tried it, buy a roll. You will throw your 1/2 used rolls of duct tape away. This is the stuff Vans using in packing kits (at least the Emp kit I purchased early this year).

I could tell an embarrassing story about how I used it to retrive my tungston bar from the leading edge bay while doing bottom wing skins but I'll save that for another thread:eek:

Deck of cards
 

I grabbed a deck of cards from my poker group and have used at least half so far.

.. Mix small batches of epoxy or bondo and toss

.. Checking clearances like the door gap on a -10

.. Glue/epoxy spreader, use your credit card for its intended purpose, buying parts!

The latest good advice I recently received from an experienced builder was to move the wing to a horizontal surface for riveting the bottom wing skins. In addition to MUCH improved access, I guess it also keeps you from dropping the bucking bar into the leading edge...:eek:

RTFM!!!! at least twice!!!
 

Read the freaking manual at least twice before you start doing the next step!!!!

Read Twice, execute work once!!!!

not the other way around!

how do i know?????

let us call it experience...........!!

If you think something isn't quite right, it never is.

Welcome to VAF!
 

Taylor, welcome to VAF:D

Don't mix Gorilla Grip tape and latex gloves ... once they come into contact, they are welded together forever! Amazing adhesion, GG tape is the only thing I have around the shop; fantastic product!

Engine/Prop Salvage
 

Any ideas on what production aircraft makes/models make good candidates for salvage. I'm looking for an engine/prop that I can use and maybe salvage the instruments/guages/ckt breakers and such. I would prefer a constant speed prop. A standard PA28 cherokee with a hollow crank would probably work. A PA-28 Arrow with a CS prop MIGHT work, but the prop hub is not compact. Has anyone been successful salvaging an old airplane into their RV project? Thanks for your ideas in advance.

I would be interested in this as well, I am thinking of an old Tri Pacer or Pa 28, to putz around in until ready to move the Lyc 360, instruments, radio, etc.. We cannot be the first to think of this.?

Thoughts
 

These are funny but... you will re-enact some of them and think of this tread and an internal laugh will erupt in your head.

Pants
 

ok... the top button on my pants broke... no big deal... now the second one down broke... (there is not zipper just buttons) Im too far from the house to change so, use the tools in hand... WARNING! Dont use steel rivets like I did!

When match-drilling #40 skin holes, try not to hit any #30 clecos hiding behind said skin holes

New Builder
 

This is my first post. I thought I'd take the opportunity to endorse the EAA Sport Aviation Workshop. In a single weekend I was able to personally experience all the tips below: :o

Regards,
Bruce Kaplan
Burke, VA
RV-14, Pre-build Stage

#14 Hint for builder: Make sure that cleco side clamps are totally closed before grabbing them from the cleco pliers. Unless of course you need good examples of blood blisters.
#67 When back riveting, don't get so wrapped up in all the process of loading rivets, taping them in place, getting out the back rivet set, setting up the gun, etc that you forget to place the SECOND piece to be riveted onto the taped-in-place-rivets before setting the rivets. I've done this more than once.
#70 When you do forget to place the second piece - your rivets will be the best ever.
{Posters Note: I was so proud of my first rivets I called over the instructor: ?That?s fine work Bruce?where?s the stiffener? Now you?re going to learn how to drill out some rivets.?}
#69 An RV is not made of metal as is popularly thought, it is actually made of blood, sweat, and curses.
# 140 Don't mix Gorilla Grip tape and latex gloves ... once they come into contact, they are welded together forever! {The latex gloves were necessary b/c of the blood mentioned in #69.}

if it seems easy then your definitely doing it wrong

If you've hung something from the garage door opener track to paint it, don't open the garage door to air the place out.

Even if the paint has dried to the touch.

Sigh.....

Dave

Or trust your wife not to hit the button in her car...

Best just to uplug the darn thing.

These were amazing.. informative in so many ways!! :D:D:D:D:D

Deburring the inside of flanges with the speed deburring tool
 

So, I was struggling to figure out how to use the speed deburring tool from Aircraft Spruce on the inside flanges of ribs and spar channels. It is difficult to keep a perpendicular angle in tight spaces. Without the perpendicular angle you risk getting an oblong hole instead of a circular one. Came up with the idea of installing the bit into the end of the 90 degree angle attachment (which comes in the Aircraft Spruce RV Tool Kit as well) and hand turning the shafts that would otherwise be inserted into the air drill. This works out really well. Dunno if someone else already posted this idea or not, but it seemed too "Eureka!" not to share.

Deburring
 

Similar, but my tip ran in Kitplanes.
Run a 1/4-28 die over the shaft of the 90 degree adapter. Screw the adapter into the speed debur handle. Now you have a 90 degree debur speed tool.

Builder's Checklist
 

We all know how important checklists are before, during and after flights but consider using one for building as well. Start it early. I use one and it's really handy.
All those little (or big) things you have to postpone for whatever reason should be added to the list. Keep it handy in the shop and scratch items off as they get done. You'll sleep better.
Mine is a spreadsheet. I print the latest and write notes on it like date of completion or new items. When I update my builder log, it gets updated too and a new one printed.
Anything works from a chalkboard to a big poster board or spreadsheet. The point is don't assume you can remember all those little things. There's so many of them.

Wing skin countersinking
 

When countersinking the gazillion wing spar rivet holes, dont wear socks with no shoes. And if you do, don't wash the socks with your wife's bra.

Adendum to #1: don't worry about blowing on the glowing end to cool it off - if your not paying close attention - you might smack yourself in the lip.
it leaves a nasty burn.

#154....
 

May the funniest thing I?ve ever read on this site.

If your glove is between the part and the bucking bar, your finger probably is too!:eek:

Same for the jeans and tee shirt you were wearing while grinding fiberglass...

Why is it so hard.
 

Deep thought #1
26 inches on a tape measure looks a lot like 29 inches when looking at the tape upside down. Way different results though!

Sides of the rule
 

-> One side of the rule is divided into 1/8ths. -> The other side is divided into 1/10ths.

Note which side you're on.