What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Tools for Practice kits

dbren

Member
I am trying to decide if I will build an RV14A. I was wondering what would be the minimum tools that I could buy in order to do the practice kit(s). My thinking is why spend $3,000 or so if I may find from the practice kit that I'm not going forward? Any help is appreciated.
Richard
 
Take a fundamentals class

Your best bet would be to take one of the classes given by EAA or one of the build assist centers like Synergy Air. You will have the opportunity to try many of the tools needed and build the practice kit under the supervision of a trained technician. If you go to Synergy Air/Synergy Air South, there is a good chance you?ll get to see several RV?s in various phases of construction.

I took both EAA and Synergy classes and found the Synergy class much more valuable - better tooling and equipment plus a much lower student/instructor ratio.
 
Mentor

Your best bet would be to take one of the classes given by EAA or one of the build assist centers like Synergy Air. You will have the opportunity to try many of the tools needed and build the practice kit under the supervision of a trained technician. If you go to Synergy Air/Synergy Air South, there is a good chance you?ll get to see several RV?s in various phases of construction.

I took both EAA and Synergy classes and found the Synergy class much more valuable - better tooling and equipment plus a much lower student/instructor ratio.

Yes. Or join a local EAA Chapter and locate a Mentor. Build with the mentor.
 
I took the EAA class and my kit showed up the next week. I thought the class content was good, but I think there were too many people for me to take my time and figure out what I was doing.

You could get the same experience by just finding a buddy that is building and doing the practice kit in their shop. Any builder that's smashed a few rivets can help you put that kit together in a couple hours.
 
Or if you can get out there from where you are located then try going to one of Troy's classes. We took his class in 2012. It was great. The only people there were my family-wife and two daughters.

http://grov-air.com/Classes.aspx

Getting practice kit without know what and how to do things will be quite frustrating. how to dimple correctly, deburring, cutting and cleaning up parts. Rib straighteners. The list goes on and on. All the tools you will need. I got all the basic skills in one weekend.

cheers
ken
 
Its been a while since I did the control surface kit, but off the top of my head:

Drill
drill bits #40 and maybe a #30
100 degree countersink
Pop rivet gun
back rivet set
back rivet plate to suitable chuck of flat steel
3/32" dimple dies
#2 rivet gun
flat rivet set
Bucking bar
C frame dimpler machine
hand squeezer
squeeser yolk
3/32 squeezer die
flat die
couple of various hand deburring tools: rotary countersink, edge or burr knife and some scotchbrite pads.
Some 3/32 clecos
cleco pliers

You could probably get by without the squeezer and yolk but its in important skill to learn besides bucking with the gun and bar.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top