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09-24-2011, 10:54 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SFO Approach
Posts: 204
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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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09-24-2011, 11:04 AM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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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.
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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09-24-2011, 12:09 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Louisville, Ga
Posts: 7,840
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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,
__________________
Pierre Smith
RV-10, 510 TT
RV6A (Sojourner) 180 HP, Catto 3 Bl (502Hrs), gone...and already missed
Air Tractor AT 502B PT 6-15 Sold
Air Tractor 402 PT-6-20 Sold
EAA Flight Advisor/CFI/Tech Counselor
Louisville, Ga
It's never skill or craftsmanship that completes airplanes, it's the will to do so,
Patrick Kenny, EAA 275132
Dues gladly paid!
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09-24-2011, 01:15 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: KTCY
Posts: 643
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike S
There are a lot of places where the pneumatic squeezer will not fit, once you start getting things together.
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And they are expensive 
__________________
Dave & Trina
RV-9A Flying  - 330 Hrs. Painted  Finishing the interior.
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09-24-2011, 05:01 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Adelaide Australia
Posts: 218
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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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09-24-2011, 05:30 PM
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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.
__________________
Gil Brice
McKinney, TX EAA-1246
RV7 - Working on fuse, fuel, brakes etc...
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09-24-2011, 05:40 PM
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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!
__________________
Bill R.
RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
O-360 w/ dual P-mags
Build the plane you want, not the plane others want you to build!
SC86 - Easley, SC
www.repucci.com/bill/baf.html
Last edited by N941WR : 09-24-2011 at 05:43 PM.
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09-24-2011, 09:55 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Airdrie AB Canada
Posts: 172
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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
__________________
7 empennage done
wings done
fuse done
0-360A4M Fixed pitch sensenich
Finish kit
C-GVRT Reserved
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09-24-2011, 11:18 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 32
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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!
__________________
N251RV (Reserved)
RV-7A
Empennage (In Progress)
www.n251rv.com
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09-25-2011, 01:27 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: KTCY
Posts: 643
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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....
__________________
Dave & Trina
RV-9A Flying  - 330 Hrs. Painted  Finishing the interior.
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