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ID This Tool

E

EFG

Member
I purchased a set of tools from a guy and for the life of me I can not ID the purpose of the following plate of aluminum. Drill bit and/or rivet gauge of some type?

Ed

sy06k2.jpg
 
In the old days, when drafting was done with a pencil and paper, you could draw a line with a straightedge, then cover it with this line of holes, rub an eraser over it, and presto, you had a neat dashed line!

You can donate my $10 prize to your favorite aviation charity.
 
It's a bolt gage and came with the empennage kit (I think). You put the head of the bolt on the top edge (I believe your picture shows it upside down) and whatever hole the end lines up with tells you the length. You should mark it with a felt pen, being sure to use the proper convention. I don't remember what the first hole is (-3 maybe?), but remember that bolt lengths are in eigth inches so the number sequence goes like this: 3,4,5,6,7,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,20,21,etc. The other holes are to measure diameter.
 
It's a bolt length gauge that Van's provides as a freebie with the empennage kit. The distance from the long edge to each of the holes in the slanted line represents a specific length AN bolt (-3, -4, etc.) There should be a sheet of paper with the tool that shows what each hole is for. Or you can test it against bolts of known lengths.
 
Scott, Jim, and Jon are exactly right. One came with my RV-10 empennage kit. I suspect you can get the directions from Van's if you ask; otherwise I'd be happy to make a photocopy of mine (when next I go to the hangar) and mail it to you. The set of four holes in descending order are AN4, AN3, #8, and #6 bolts/screws.
 
The four holes on the left are #6, #8, AN3, AN4

I marked all of mine with a sharpie and use it often.
 
I didn't get one with my empennage kit! But then, I'm not sure they had AN bolts back then.
We measured bolts with a yardstick from the local lumberyard.
 
Mel said:
I didn't get one with my empennage kit! But then, I'm not sure they had AN bolts back then.
We measured bolts with a yardstick from the local lumberyard.
Click to expand...

After you forged them from ore you dug from the ground? :D
 
This is a bolt length guage that came with my wing kit. I hard stamped the lengths and bolt diameters into it with steel stamps so no longer need the paper instruction sheet. If you'd like the instruction sheet, send me an email and I'll mail it to you. It's a useful little tool!
 
What Do You Know!

I got one of these in the " extra" parts box with the project I purchased from an individual. Never found anywhere to install it, Never found anything to do with it. However did buy a bolt guage from AS. I'll pull it out and see if it still works! Thanks, amazing what you can find out if you ask!
 
Thanks guys, I NEVER would have guessed that what it was since it was completely unmarked.

I emailed one of you to get the paperwork that comes with it.

Thanks... Ed
 
Ed if you want to see the tool in action, hop to my shop :) you are minutes away I believe.
 
Mel, I thought you built your RV with square nails! 😜

Mel said:
I didn't get one with my empennage kit! But then, I'm not sure they had AN bolts back then.
We measured bolts with a yardstick from the local lumberyard.
Click to expand...
 
pvans said:
In the old days, when drafting was done with a pencil and paper...
Click to expand...
Remember those plastic "lettering guides" with a line of holes in a rotable circle, used for making parallel lines? I still have one in my drawer here. Dang, I'm old...

il_340x270.1396778155_iasy.jpg
 
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