Van's subkit organization

[Senator737]

Why are the kits that come to us divided into a subkits that do not follow the chapters in the book? In order to start the Fuselage I must know to open 5 or 6 different subkits for 1 or 2 parts from each instead of just putting them together in one subkit.

Is it something I can change to make it easier for me that I'm missing?

Building on,
Robert

[BobTurner]

Many builders find it is faster, in the long run, to open everything when it arrives, and store the parts in some sort of logical manner, e.g., a plastic box with lots of bins for different size rivets, another box for flush rivets, another for nuts bolts washers, etc. You should be inventorying the kit parts, so you need to open everything up anyway.

[David Paule]

The water bottles hold the rivets. If I drop one, they don't leak rivets all over the floor. Hardware goes in the bins. Everything's labeled - you'll need a labeler. White letters on clear tape worked best for me. I could see the hardware and read what it is.

Dave

[LISRAREF]

I think the subkits are strictly for their inventory and packing process. They can prepack subkits quickly and then another packing person can grab each subkit to make a kit. I havent found any logical organization as you suggest.

[wcalvert]

I agree with Bob and Mike. Vans does this for their packing and tracking.

Looking for an AN3-12 in bag #2464 is a waste of time for the builder. Unpack everything and combine all the fasteners in some "findable" manner, sorted by size etc. in your containers of choice.

Do this all up front and never look back. You'll find it very efficient during the build and later when you're doing mods and repairs.

Cheers

[wirejock]

Yep. Open, inventory, organize and document.
I have four Harbor Fright 40 drawer bins. Bolts, nuts, washers, misc. I unpacked and inventoried everything and put it all where it would fit. Storage bins for parts. Skins went between cardboard behind shelving. Long stuff went on the top shelf. Every item in the Excel inventory had a location. A storage bin under the bench was used to compile all items needed for a component. Rivets are in water bottles same as Dave. Some subkits were rewrapped minus the bags to make it easier to find associated parts.
I'm down to one bin of stuff left to install, one bin of misc stuff for future use and one bin of usable metals and tubing. The good part using mini drawer bins is finding a fastener is easy and they can go to the hangar someday.

[bkc3921]

Originally Posted by wcalvert

Looking for an AN3-12 in bag #2464 is a waste of time for the builder. Unpack everything and combine all the fasteners in some "findable" manner, sorted by size etc. in your containers of choice.

Well, yes...but be VERY careful... Rivets, common hardware, yes...but carefully check the inventory sheet part numbers. For example, yesterday I was mounting the Dynon ADAHRS in the back of my 12 from the Avionics kit. The 6-32 stop nuts used to hold it on the bracket had a different part number than the usual 6-32 nuts. They were made of non-metallic material as not to create a magnetic field and affect the calibration of the ADAHRS... they LOOKED and FELT like regular stop nuts...but were NOT. If they were haphazardly thrown into a bit with other 6-32's, you would have never found them...and maybe never knew the difference.

[wcalvert]

Now that's a trick of the AN world, never heard of a non metallic AN stop nut but would like to know more

IIRC I used brass in that spot as the -7 didn't include that hardware

Cheers

[bkc3921]

Originally Posted by wcalvert

Now that's a trick of the AN world, never heard of a non metallic AN stop nut but would like to know more

IIRC I used brass in that spot as the -7 didn't include that hardware

Cheers

Either you misunderstood my post or I didn't do a very good job explaining.

I never said they were AN nuts...I said they were 6-32 (nylock) stop nuts. (Which they were)..I don't have the rather long part number handy, but I'm sure they were brass or a brass compound.

My point was that an unsuspecting builder, at a glance, could easily mistake these for their metallic AN cousins, and they would be "lost" in the mix." (By the way, my -7 didn't have this hardware either..but my -12 does.)

I'm sure we can agree that when it comes to the vast number of Van's fasteners, nothing can be taken for granted...How Van's even keeps it straight is a mystery to me..

Take Care!