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  #11  
Old 10-14-2005, 07:38 AM
RatF16 RatF16 is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Tools made it here. A few items on back order.

Will have time this weekend to inventory.

Cheers,
RH
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  #12  
Old 10-14-2005, 08:48 AM
jcoloccia jcoloccia is offline
 
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I'd also get a right angle and straight die grinder (don't buy the harbor freight one...they are **** with a capital S).

Loose those stupid drill stops that Avery throws into the kit. Instead, invest 30 minutes with some scrap aluminum learning how to drill.

I added a #30 and #40 single flute countersink (it fits in the microstop cage). Single flute countersink leaves a MUCH nicer hole (it doesn't chatter like the 3 flute does). I also added a couple of single flute deburring bits. I just really like how single flute cuts. The 3 flute is faster, though (3 times as fast in fact and I use that quite often too depended on what I'm doing.

You're going to need a Vixen file and a decent handle for it (you COULD use a crappey wooden handle but why would you when you can get a nice rubber handle). While you're at it, pick up a set of punches (you'll need them for drilling out rivets and stuff), a set of files in addition to the Vixen file (you'll need this for fine work and smoothing out the marks left by the Vixen file), and a set of micro files. All this stuff can be had fairly cheaply at Sears/Lowes. I don't use Harbor Freight for stuff like this because many of their tools are suspect in quality. Why buy stuff twice, right? I did buy the micro files there, though. I think some of this stuff comes in Avery's kit, but I dumped it and went to Sears instead because they were WAY cheaper on some things.

You' gonna need a bench grinder. Now that I DID buy at Harbor Freight...get the one with ball bearings...it's only a couple of bucks more. You put the scotchbrite wheel in there. In fact, I ordered the coarse wheel also and put that on the other side. If you're priming you're gonig to need some sort of paint gun. Once again, you can't go wrong with Harbor Freight here.

Think ahead and setup your compressor. I have a T in mine and two seperate outputs. First it goes to a filter/moisture trap. Then one side of the T just goes to a regulator, and that's what I use to paint. The other side goes to a regulator, then an inline oiler. I use this for everything else. The extra regulator and plumbing was only, like, $20 or something. Incidentally it's a big Kobolt (Lowe's brand) 60 gallon 220V jobby. Is that overkill? Yeah, probably. But you know what, between the compressor and the plumbing my whole air system is %100 headache free and always ready to build when I am. ****, we're building $60,000+ aiplanes (many are more like $80,000+ these days). An extra one or two thousand spent along the way for little luxuries that make building easier (especially if you're ridiculously busy like me) are well worth it, IMHO.

This stuff isn't nescessary, but it sho' is nice to have:
1) Belt/Disc sander. I have the Ryobi. I LOVE that thing. I use it ALL the time.

2) Bandsaw. I use this occasionally. Do NOT buy the craftsman bandsaws (at least not their consumer grade ones). In general, craftsman make reasonable tools. Their band saws SUCK. I wish I'd bought a Ryobi.

3) Drill press: Used occasionally, but when you need it you need it. There's NO other way to use the fly cutter without killing yourself. Also, you're going to want it to drill through tubes, and things. Craftsman's drill presses are decent for the money.

4) I just picked up a Skill jig saw. You wouldn't believe how convenient that is. Oh, I need a small piece of 2X4 to use as a shim. BuuuuzUZUZUUuzZUZZZZZZ. 30 seconds later, DONE. I use this more than you might think.

5) Get a engraving pen for marking parts (Left, Right...etc) or stock up on BLUE sharpies. For some reason, blue sharpies seem to show through primer really well. I use the engraving pen on the few parts I actually need to mark since Metalprep takes the sharpie right off. I'm lazy and don't want to remark them after I just spent and hour cleaning them.

7) If it's not in the kit, add in a rivet removal tool. Not strictly nescessary (and often I just drill them by hand), but it is convenient, though.

8) You cannot possibly have enough clamps, and you cannot possibly have enough different sizes of clamps. Quick clamps, C-Clamps, vice grip style clamps, etc etc etc. Trust me, no matter how hany you have there will come a point when you wish you had just one more. Harbor Freight is an AWESOME sorce for C-clamps. DIRT DIRT cheap.

9) I have the Harbor Freight metal vice (quick release button, rubber jaws, etc). This works really well and can also serve as a drill press vice I believe. I bought my other vice from Lowes, though. A little bit pricier, but not much though. WAY higher quality.

10) I built a couple of the EAA workbenches. I don't like them that much. They're just too small. I do use them, though. I mounted all the bench tools (except the drill press...I like being able to move that around) to one of them, and I use the other one as a general put-****-here table. Instead, I went Lowes and bought a fire door. They're wood (on the outside, anyhow), and typically very straight (bring a straight edge and measure or borrow one from the "tool crib"). Let the door overhang the frame about 1" or 2" all around...maybe 6" or 8" on one end. This is useful for clamping things down.

I dunno...this is what I find works for me.

-John
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  #13  
Old 10-14-2005, 11:45 AM
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N941WR N941WR is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jcoloccia
5) Get a engraving pen for marking parts (Left, Right...etc) or stock up on BLUE sharpies. For some reason, blue sharpies seem to show through primer really well. I use the engraving pen on the few parts I actually need to mark since Metalprep takes the sharpie right off. I'm lazy and don't want to remark them after I just spent and hour cleaning them.
Let me think...

After spending lots of time deburring parts in an effort to remove all the stress risers, you are going to add stress risers back in with an engraving tool? I?ve never built a plane before nor am I an A&P, IA, CPA, MD, DVM, or anything else but I?m thinking that might not be such a good idea.

Mark your parts with the blue sharpie and track where you put them throughout the Alumniprep, alodine, painting, etc. phase and then re-mark them with the sharpie after the paint dries.

Good luck and enjoy your new tools!
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  #14  
Old 10-14-2005, 12:41 PM
jcoloccia jcoloccia is offline
 
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Vans says that the engraving tool is perfectly OK. Scribing, however, is NOT. That being said, I engrave very lightly.

-John
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  #15  
Old 10-16-2005, 01:44 PM
clam clam is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Lakeland, TN
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Default isham' tool kits

Anybody out there using the tool kit from Isham's (planetools.com)? They offer a full/deluxe kit that appears to rival Avery and Cleveland, but for $300 or so less. Anyone have any experience with Isham's one way or another?
I'm about to buy a complete set from one of those 3 outfits. That extra $300 would be just about enough for the band saw and drill press.
Jeff
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  #16  
Old 10-16-2005, 02:12 PM
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L.Adamson L.Adamson is offline
 
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A bench mounted power tool that I consider important, is a 1" belt sander. I have two Delta brand sanders & use a fine & medium grit belt. Perfect for putting radius curves on angle, or just grinding away parts to a marked line.

Another favorite, is 2" scotchbrite pads in a 90 degree air die grinder for putting the smooth edge on long surfaces. The 2" pads are not available around here anymore, so I'll buy 3" at Sears & cut them down. This type just screws on to a plastic disc mounted in the die grinder, for quick changes.
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  #17  
Old 10-16-2005, 04:54 PM
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Captain_John Captain_John is offline
 
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Here they are for under a buck apiece!

Roloc pads

Shop now and SAVE!

CJ
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  #18  
Old 10-17-2005, 07:28 AM
Derrell Derrell is offline
 
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I scanned back thru the posts and didn't see where anyone mentioned a Dremel Tool. IMO ? Indispensible! Check Doug's web site on tools. I posted an idea for a handle on the vixen file to make a plane out of it. It makes it much more controllable for me.

Derrell
7A Finish
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  #19  
Old 10-17-2005, 08:15 PM
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Captain_John Captain_John is offline
 
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D,

I second the Dremel tool!

Carbide side cutting bit, an abrasive wheel and drum sander are MANDATORY!

CJ
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  #20  
Old 11-12-2005, 12:27 AM
jany77 jany77 is offline
 
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Location: monterey ,ca
Posts: 105
Default tool kit

if you have money to spend go with cleveland tool kit ,if not browntool.com has sioux rivet on sale for 220 $ buy main squeeze from cleveland it is more expensive then avery and other brand byt works i tryied many squeezers and this one is the best this way you dont have to spend money for pneumatic rivet squeezer because this one do all EASY i did buy my tools piece by piece i spend about 1600$ but my tool is the best from the best
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