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  #1  
Old 09-24-2011, 10:54 AM
Echo Tango Echo Tango is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SFO Approach
Posts: 204
Default Another Builder, another round of questions!

Received my empennage kit yesterday. Spent about an hour and a half doing inventory and figuring out which tools I was missing. I have to say it was a little like Christmas opening up all of those neatly packed parts! Unfortunately, I'll have to wait a week or so for some key tools to arrive (scotchbrite wheel, air drill, etc...).

I'm on the pay-as-I-go plan, so getting started might take a while. Will have to decide between the DRDT-2 and a pneumatic squeezer in the coming weeks. I do have a hand dimpler (rivet-gun style), but I have heard they are fairly inconsistent. Which is more important at this point?

Also, I was planning on priming my internals with a higher-end self-etching Zinc Chromate, as I live in Michigan and don't really have any use for a heavy epoxy. Do I need to prime everything or should I just stick to the spars?
I would also like to avoid constructing a paint booth if at all possible.
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  #2  
Old 09-24-2011, 11:04 AM
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Mike S Mike S is offline
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Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
Default

For my money, the DRDT2 will be a better investment.

You can make do with a hand squeezer, and a rivet gun.

You can also make do with a "C" frame that you hit with a mallet, so there is not really a single correct answer.

There are a lot of places where the pneumatic squeezer will not fit, once you start getting things together.
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VAF 909

Rv-10, N210LM.

Flying as of 12/4/2010

Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011

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  #3  
Old 09-24-2011, 12:09 PM
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pierre smith pierre smith is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Louisville, Ga
Posts: 7,840
Default Hi Frank

Welcome to VAF and the neatest RV site there is! Congratulations on your start.

Since you don't live near a salt water environment, reconsider all that priming/cost/weight it will cause. I'm 100 miles from Savannah and nothing was primed on my -6A but the insides of the pushrods, because they're not Alclad like the rest of the airplane, and also the insides of the steel steps were primed. My -10's not internally primed either.

There are piles of Cessnas and Pipers at coastal airports, near salt water and they're not internally primed either. Many FBO's and private individuals offer Corrosion X treatment, where they mist a Mil-spec oily film into your fuselage, wings and tail to handle any corrosion issues.

Do a search on primers, get a beer or three, and read to your hearts content

Best,
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RV-10, 510 TT
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Air Tractor AT 502B PT 6-15 Sold
Air Tractor 402 PT-6-20 Sold
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Louisville, Ga

It's never skill or craftsmanship that completes airplanes, it's the will to do so,
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  #4  
Old 09-24-2011, 01:15 PM
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MauiLvrs MauiLvrs is offline
 
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Location: KTCY
Posts: 643
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike S View Post
There are a lot of places where the pneumatic squeezer will not fit, once you start getting things together.
And they are expensive
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RV-9A Flying - 330 Hrs. Painted Finishing the interior.
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  #5  
Old 09-24-2011, 05:01 PM
PIN 37 PIN 37 is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Adelaide Australia
Posts: 218
Default

When I started our rv project, I was looking to not spend any more than necessary and so was not planning on getting a pneumatic squeezer. My building partner (my son) insisted we get one. I have to say that he was 100% correct. The pneumatic squeezer is a very usefull tool and will make dimples,in particular, much better than a hand squeezer. See if you can get one second hand, I can assure you in the longer term of your building you will not regret spending the money.
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  #6  
Old 09-24-2011, 05:30 PM
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Lemmingman Lemmingman is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: McKinney, TX
Posts: 689
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Welcome to the world of building! Once you get started it goes pretty quick if you can work on something all the time.

I have both a pneumatic squeezer and a DRDT2. Like Mike said get the DRDT-2 now. Hands down the best buy if you only can buy one right now. Later as you get some extra money, get the pneumatic squeezer. You'll be glad you have both.
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McKinney, TX EAA-1246
RV7 - Working on fuse, fuel, brakes etc...
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  #7  
Old 09-24-2011, 05:40 PM
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N941WR N941WR is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
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Build within your budget. There will be a LOT more tool choices you will have to make while on this LONG journey.

I used a C-frame dimpler and the Avery’s hand squeezer and my RV has over 300 hours on it. If you elect to go with a C-frame, build a set of the dimpling tables I describe on this page of my web site.

Truth is, you will want a hand squeezer, even if you get the pneumatic squeezer. So start with the hand squeezer and then if you need, get the pneumatic one. Same goes with the DRDT2, buy the C-frame and then if you don’t get good results or don’t like it, buy the DRDT2.

As for the primer thing, time to get familiar with the search button, that is one of the “never ending debates”.

Where in Michigan are you? I'm sure there are a few RV's under construction close by. Contact your local EAA chapter and see if you can't hook up with someone will demo their tools and let you try them.

Good luck with your -7!
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RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
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Last edited by N941WR : 09-24-2011 at 05:43 PM.
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  #8  
Old 09-24-2011, 09:55 PM
Trevor778 Trevor778 is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Airdrie AB Canada
Posts: 172
Default

Im in the same boat as you. My project is a pay as I go, But I did pony up for the isham tool kit that comes with the drdt-2 and the squeezer. The pneumatic squeezer is worth it's weight in gold!

I also am priming but as I progress through my wing kit Im doing less and less. Now Im just priming the surfaces where metal meets metal.

Enjoy your project and dont be afraid to ask any questions. The people on this site are amazing.

Trevor
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wings done
fuse done
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  #9  
Old 09-24-2011, 11:18 PM
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jlott jlott is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 32
Default

Welcome to VAF Frank

I too am in Michigan. I just started my RV-7(A?) empennage a few weeks ago.

As to your primer question see my blog post here for my personal decisions on this. I also mentioned my first impressions of the primer I chose here.

As to the DRDT-2 vs squeezer question, I got both as part of my kit from Isham. At this point in the build process I consider the squeezer to be far more valuable than the dimpler. You can dimple with the squeezer of course but it also sets some VERY nice, clean rivets.

Happy building!
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RV-7A
Empennage (In Progress)
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  #10  
Old 09-25-2011, 01:27 AM
MauiLvrs's Avatar
MauiLvrs MauiLvrs is offline
 
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Location: KTCY
Posts: 643
Default Primers

You could check out this for primers:
http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...splay.php?f=54

BTW we only primed the over lapping joints that we assembled...
The previous builders didn't prime anything.
So, after paint ... These will be ACF50....
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RV-9A Flying - 330 Hrs. Painted Finishing the interior.
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