New Builder Hints

[jsherblon]

#10 - Mount two 1/2" Scotch Brite wheels side by side in your grinder. You can then deburr edges in the groove between the wheels. You may also get to see some parts of your aircraft actually fly long before final assembly.

Her - "What's that mark on the garage door."
Me - "Hmmm - must be corrosion. I'll just prime it."

[N520TX]

When using a C Frame dimpler with mallet, ensure that your builder-helper (spouse) has good accuracy prior to accepting the offer of assistance.

[Jekyll]

Originally Posted by keen9a

RV Beginner Builder Hint #4:
You're going to drill a whole in yourself at some point. Try to use a small bit, so it won't hurt as much. (I didn't!)

Get it out of the way early. Put your hand on your bench and drill right into your thumb now so you won't throw what started as a good part, against the wall when you do it unexpectedly. You know, kind of like the new car thing: the first scratch in the paint takes away all that stress worring about scratching your paint. This gives you the choice of when, where, which part of your hand, drill size and most importantly - how deep.

Jekyll
No, I learned the hard way, not in my "recommended" controlled manner.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by keen9a

RV Beginner Builder Hint #4:
You're going to drill a whole in yourself at some point. Try to use a small bit, so it won't hurt as much. (I didn't!)

Offer this hint to your helper:

After watching you drill a hole in your finger the helper should never say "I thought it looked like you were going to do that."

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.

[abuura]

Dominant hand's index finger skin squeezed between the jaws of a pneumatic squeezer (yeah, just skin, thank goodness) takes at least 2 weeks to heal. Twirling the hex deburring tool, operating the pop rivet tool, and nearly every other use of the dominant hand guarantees a blood trail. NEVER put your finger between the jaws without disconnecting the air hose!!

[rmcgann]

The rivet you are most likely to bugger up is the last one you set, and the one that is most difficult to remove.

[truflite]

If you do remove a cleco side clamp with your fingers, make sure you know where your cleco pliers are at. Ask me how I know.

If you dimple the elevator skin, make sure you dimple all the rib holes as well.
Dimpled skin does not sit on a flat rib surface. Ask me how I know again. Still have no fix for this yet.

When back riveting the stiffeners to the rudder skin, make sure you don't run out of back plate. Rivets don't set well against carpet.

I feel like I am at confession.

Dave

[pat]

Never start to cry when your QB finally shows up. The guys (fellow pilots) helping unload it take it as a sign of weakness

[jrdalton]

This also goes for multiple tools, bits, parts, etc.

[jrdalton]

A bucking bar CAN be taped to a long stick and inserted through a lightning hole..... how do I know this?

After nicely closing up the skins I notice a missing rivet on a stiffener 4 rivets in ... drill out all the rivets to get to it? No. Tape a bucking bar to a long dowel, use an inspection mirror, and pull the trigger