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New member/new builder advice?

Hello I will be embarking on the great achievement of building an rv14 tail wheel within the next 30 days. I have logged hours in a 14 already but have a few questions that relate to the build. Also any advice for new builders that I am unaware of would be greatly appreciated.

Can someone post a link to a spray can primer I can purchase?
I'm deciding on tools as well currently. Any concerns to this tool set by browntools?

https://www.browntool.com/Listview/tabid/344/CategoryID/426/Level/a/ProductID/2586/Default.aspx

For the most part I have the power tools needed- Drill press, drills, air comp, bench grinder, ban saw, and jig saw. Am I missing anything else?

I am also curious to logging your build time? Kind of like clocking in for a job, just write down when you started and when you finish that day. Is it necessary to write a detail journal of what was accomplished in those hours? For when the plane is finished and final submission to faa for certification.

Any other hindsight things you saw would have helped you in your build please feel free to share.
 
I’ll chime in on the logging of bldg time. I think there is a great variance on what builders have logged and the detail or lack of detail that they record. I started out with a detailed description. As the build went on it became too time consuming so I abbreviated the work performed. In the end the log was still a good 1 inch loose leaf notebook full. I did record the date on the builders manual when steps were worked on and completed.

I think it’s a good idea to record any deviation to plans you made as well as issues that came up that you may want to recall in the future. Also take lots of pictures with a date stamp.

The DAR asked to see my builders log but didn’t review it in any detail.

Also, I took the builders log in when I applied for my repairmans certicate but they didn’t ask to see it (I showed it to them anyway).

The primer I used was a self etching primer by the SEM company. 9 years ago it sold for about $14 for a good size can but was often on sale for about $11/can.

Do a search on primers and you’ll get a ton load of posts. If you want to get the build time down, don’t spend all your time on this website or you’ll get nothing done.
 
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Welcome aboard Kyle. The Search function is the best way to get started when seeking info. Top of the page in the blue menu bar.

Don't know if you'll find any opinions on priming in this forum. :D

Here is a current thread. http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=179759

Mike


I have been reading a lot of primer discussion but a lot of it is "to prime vs not to". I'm deadset on priming. I got the prime I want picked out now. As far as surface preparation goes- Scotch bright with acetone? Or rag with acetone? That's pretty much my only question as I have very small experience with paint prep vs actual building.
 
Here's what I've learned for prep as well. This is for finished paint job prep though so not sure if it relates 100%.
Alumiprep 33 for 2-5 minutes brushed on new aluminum
Rinse
Alodine brushes on for 2-5 minutes.
Rinse
Ready for prime

Just getting everything planned out 30 days ahead of start of build.
 
I'm about 90 days in on my 14. I'm just using self etching Rustoleum for primer. My most used tools are probably the pneumatic squeezer, hand squeezer, #30 and #40 drill bits / countersink bits and DRDT2. I've used the drill press once or twice... but it became apparent very quickly that the electric hand drill is the easiest to use.

It's a good idea to buy a countersink microstop for each bit you need, and just leave it set up. Right now I have a #30 and #40.

If you want to get an idea of what you're up against for the first few weeks I have my build posted on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVZ6dv27KUJsicTmoMuLhlg/

Also I've been using webuildplanes.com as my build log.
 
I'm about 90 days in on my 14. I'm just using self etching Rustoleum for primer. My most used tools are probably the pneumatic squeezer, hand squeezer, #30 and #40 drill bits / countersink bits and DRDT2. I've used the drill press once or twice... but it became apparent very quickly that the electric hand drill is the easiest to use.

It's a good idea to buy a countersink microstop for each bit you need, and just leave it set up. Right now I have a #30 and #40.

If you want to get an idea of what you're up against for the first few weeks I have my build posted on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVZ6dv27KUJsicTmoMuLhlg/

Also I've been using webuildplanes.com as my build log.



Thanks you sir
 
For priming prep, I'd recommend you read and follow the links in

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=134368

Most of the well known names provide good toolkits. But, like my grandfather said, "You might have had too much, but you've never had enough." (Was that about tools?)

I'm intimidated by just about everything related to this build. So much so that I might break a record for completion time. But...

Most things are not as difficult as they are popularly made out to be.

I don't often offer advice here, so these thoughts are not even worth 0.02 USD.

Jump in and have a blast!

Mike
 
In hindsight, I would have purchased my tail kit and shipped it / taken it to a "build your tail kit" class. After a week of building the kit you'll have a better idea of what tools you do, and likely do not, need.

I'm glad they include the tungsten bar by default - I see Cleveland does also. That's good, you'd be buying that later anyway.

You might want a 3x gun vs. a 2x gun. Or you might want both - I have both, and I'm glad I do. On the -9 tail kit there area a few larger rivets that would be difficult to set with a 2x gun.

If you're like me, once you use a pneumatic squeezer and DRDT-2, you're ruined. Others will have differing opinions about these two tools - and that's fine.

Learn to use your tools on something besides your kit. Especially when figuring rivet gun pressure and tools that spin things at high RPMs.

While you can use the search function at the top of the forum, Google indexes way better - entering
Code:
"tool kit" site:vansairforce.com
in the Google search bar yields a number of likely useful results. Replace "tool kit" with "Primer", ditto. You get the gist.
 
For priming prep, I'd recommend you read and follow the links in

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=134368

Most of the well known names provide good toolkits. But, like my grandfather said, "You might have had too much, but you've never had enough." (Was that about tools?)

I'm intimidated by just about everything related to this build. So much so that I might break a record for completion time. But...

Most things are not as difficult as they are popularly made out to be.

I don't often offer advice here, so these thoughts are not even worth 0.02 USD.

Jump in and have a blast!

Mike


Very helpful link I haven't read yet!
Took a few screenshots of their process and will tweak to my liking.
 
Copy Threads, Too

One other thought.... I read here that some people copy these threads and put them in Word documents. I find this useful. Sometimes, particularly in older threads, the pictures go away. Or, it's simply hard to find them again. I save them by VAF post number and then overall subject.

FWIW,
Mike
 
One other thought.... I read here that some people copy these threads and put them in Word documents. I find this useful. Sometimes, particularly in older threads, the pictures go away. Or, it's simply hard to find them again. I save them by VAF post number and then overall subject.

FWIW,
Mike

Appreciate it very much.
 
Pdf files

One other thought.... I read here that some people copy these threads and put them in Word documents. I find this useful. Sometimes, particularly in older threads, the pictures go away. Or, it's simply hard to find them again. I save them by VAF post number and then overall subject.

FWIW,
Mike

I save them by printing to pdf file. Just another method.
 
While I did keep a spiral bound notebook, mostly I noted anything of importance directly on the plans (this works well on the newer (-10, -14) plans). But the main function for the examiner is to have evidence you built it. So what they really like to see are photos - including ones with you in the picture. On the day of my airworthiness inspection, I brought a computer/monitor to the hangar, loaded with photos. The DAR paged thru them for a few minutes. After that, he wasn?t interested in written notes!
 
well, for what it is worth:

I photocopy all of the plans single sided on 11 by 17. I use a binder clip for each section to keep them together when not in use. These are the plans in the shop. It is nice to be able to view multiple pages at the same time. I sign and date each step. When I am done with a page I clip off the top right correct and sign that the page is complete and put it to the back of the section. This allows me to easily find any page in each section that might need to be completed at a later date. Although this is a record of me building, it is more for me to ensure I don't forget something. I also write down that I torqued the nuts and other random things along the way. At times, I will find myself working on 3-4 sections at a time, so having them not in a binder is nice.

The originals are in the house to look/read anytime. All of the templates (in the back of the section) come from the original, since they are the correct size. I also print out any section I can find from the revisions in color and replace them in the "original plans" in the house. Sometimes having them in color is very useful.

As far as a builders log. I have a lot of pictures, but over the past year, I have been using Facebook to post pictures and video clips of the build. I figure FB is not going to start charging.

cheers
 
well, for what it is worth:

I photocopy all of the plans single sided on 11 by 17. I use a binder clip for each section to keep them together when not in use. These are the plans in the shop. It is nice to be able to view multiple pages at the same time. I sign and date each step. When I am done with a page I clip off the top right correct and sign that the page is complete and put it to the back of the section. This allows me to easily find any page in each section that might need to be completed at a later date. Although this is a record of me building, it is more for me to ensure I don't forget something. I also write down that I torqued the nuts and other random things along the way. At times, I will find myself working on 3-4 sections at a time, so having them not in a binder is nice.

The originals are in the house to look/read anytime. All of the templates (in the back of the section) come from the original, since they are the correct size. I also print out any section I can find from the revisions in color and replace them in the "original plans" in the house. Sometimes having them in color is very useful.

As far as a builders log. I have a lot of pictures, but over the past year, I have been using Facebook to post pictures and video clips of the build. I figure FB is not going to start charging.

cheers

I'm gonna go with this plan. Thanks for your intel
 
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