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Humorous exchange with Vans order desk

David-aviator

Well Known Member
This past week I was preparing the right elevator frame for assembly and could not locate one of two K1000-6 platenuts used to hold the attach eye bolts. I checked the bag they came in, all over the work area, and could not locate it. There should have a been 7 but only 6 were accounted for. Also earlier, one of the smaller platenuts for the trim frame bracket was missing which was replaced out of a local stock.

So, I got on the internet and ordered 2 platenuts with a note these were missing parts from the empennage kit and went about other matters with the build.

About 2 hours later a dimple die was dropped and rolled under a work bench. I got down on hands an knees to retrieve it and low and behold there next to the dimple die were the 2 missing platenuts! I couldn't believe it. Now was that providential or what? A dimple die drops to the floor and ends up next to the missing platenuts which were lying about an inch apart.

I promptly called Vans to cancel the platenut order. The lady at the oder desk cracked up when I told her the story of the found missing platenuts. She said thank you very much, I will take of canceling the order which was worth $2.73.

Vans is still batting a thousand on parts with this RV-8 empennage kit. I have not counted individual rivets but would bet they are all there. :)
 
? A dimple die drops to the floor and ends up next to the missing platenuts which were lying about an inch apart.
So.. next time you can't find a part or tool ... check that spot :D

Had a die disappear into thin air from the carpet under the nose.... looked for an hour.
Borrowed one, finished the job. Weeks later... found the die stuck to a piece of tape that was stuck to the vacuum when we went to empty the vacuum cleaner...
 
To find missing parts.....

So, the next time you can't find a missing part, just drop a similar size bolt or nut or something and watch where it goes! I've actually done this on occasion to find a stray ball bearing from a bicycle hub when one gets away, and most often, it works. Once in a while, I end up short two ball bearings though :eek:
 
I have so many lost and misplaced parts and tools and I don't know how I can't be tripping all over them now. I guess Scotty keeps beaming them up.
 
What bothers me...

is not finding lost things (although that is a very good feeling) but finding bits in the bottom of the bag that seem to be left over! I was looking at an unopened bag that had some parts in it. This made me quietly concerned. It was 2 seat belt attach points, which I have already fitted so Van's must have put two of them in the kit. Somehow It did not click, that I had 2 of them when I did the check of the parts.

Jim:eek:
 
So.. next time you can't find a part or tool ... check that spot :D

Had a die disappear into thin air from the carpet under the nose.... looked for an hour.
Borrowed one, finished the job. Weeks later... found the die stuck to a piece of tape that was stuck to the vacuum when we went to empty the vacuum cleaner...

I dropped one and found it five years later. It rolled out of the garage and into the grass about 15 feet away. Found it edging one day.
 
I lost the charger to my sp400 radio. I took it with me to the races in Tulsa this past January as I went to the several airports during the day to pass the time until we went to the races at nite. I looked hard for the last 3 wks, called the hotel,checked everywhere 3 times. Yesterday went to radioshack to get another charger. This is the luck and truth. My phone rang as I was walking out of the store it was one of the chaps that stayed with me at the hotel. He had picked up my charger as we were bugging out of the room.
 
You ordered TWO PLATE NUTS?

Shipping and handling is going to be the better part of your project.
 
I was thinking "You cancelled an order for extra platenuts?". By the time you're working on the panel and FWF, you'll be going through #6 and #8 platenuts like candy. There will be plenty more orders for extras (and the various length pan-head and countersunk screws that they'll be needed for).

A good strategy for this is to hit the parts vendors at SnF or Oshkosh and buy about a hundred of each.
 
Not an airplane part ..but

I came into the kitchen and noticed a palm sized clump of bread in the sink.
Since I would just as soon feed animals rather than the city dump, I opened the back door and gave the bread a mighty hurl into the back yard.

Some time later, my wife asked if I had seen the agitator for the bread machine... it was in the sink after the cooking of a new loaf.

GULP. :eek:

Fortunately, I had watched where it fell and it was fairly easy to find. :)
 
I was thinking "You cancelled an order for extra platenuts?". By the time you're working on the panel and FWF, you'll be going through #6 and #8 platenuts like candy. There will be plenty more orders for extras (and the various length pan-head and countersunk screws that they'll be needed for).

A good strategy for this is to hit the parts vendors at SnF or Oshkosh and buy about a hundred of each.

If you order hardware from Spruce, get at least 100. You get a discount.

Like Chip said, pan head, counter sunk, nuts, bolts (although 100 is a little much for these), plate nuts #10, #8, a few #6, washers #6,8,10 thin and regular (they are cheap).
 
Installed my right Aileron and Rod end bearings. Looked all over for the left Aileron rod end bearings. Ordered new ones only to find they were already mounted on the left Aileron up on the shelf. Same day the new one came in the mail from Vans.DAH!
 
You ordered TWO PLATE NUTS?

Shipping and handling is going to be the better part of your project.

Well, there were only TWO missing from the kit.

Vans would have paid for shipping, handling and the parts. I have tons of extra 06 and 08 platenuts, but none of the fat -6's that attach to the VS and HS spars. That's what precipitated the entire matter, the missing single fat -6 was needed. If I had had one it would have been used instead.

(freezing fog around here this morning, not much a good day to go out patrolling - looks like the very mild winter in this part of country is coming to an end by Wednesday)
 
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