Soliciting Advice

[wchumley]

I am ordering my -8 empennage kit this Monday (December 1st). Van's is kind enough to help minimize shipping costs by including additional bits and pieces in the kit order so I am trying to come up with anything I might need that is not part of the kit. This is what I have come up with so far:

1. NAS1097 rivets (variety)
2. empennage trim bundle
3. pitch trim option
4. Digital plans CD

I would appreciate any recommendations for items to add to the list. Anything I can save on shipping I can put into the build and I am finding out that shipping between Aurora, Oregon and Charleston, SC is far from insignificant.

[jcaplins]

Look at the plans and identify the very first piece to rivet together. Add a new one of those.

[wchumley]

Hah!! I should have thought of that

[wirejock]

If you haven't built anything. I would suggest the two practice kits and an additional trim bundle. That should eliminate the need to build two horizontal stabs. Practice on the winglet and tool box kits then use the trim bundle to learn how all your tools work. The kits come with plenty of rivets.

[DaAV8R]

Based upon the difficulty many encounter with the trim tab, you might order an extra. If you end up not needing it you can sell it to another builder on your coast.

That said, based upon the quantity of orders you will be placing with Van's, you will have many, many opportunities to save on freight

[krw5927]

If they're not charging anything extra for shipping, have them include the wing kit, fuselage kit, finish kit, engine, and prop while they're at it.

[N941WR]

One suggestion, start on the Vertical Stabilizer, not the HS. The VS is easier to build and has better access for riveting, which is important to a new builder.

Remember, rivets don't pound themselves, keep chipping away at it. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

[wchumley]

Thanks for the serious, and the not so serious recommendations!

Looks like I will go with my list plus an extra trim tab.

WireJock, I have already done the practice kits. I ordered the partial flight control kit for myself and a month later ordered the toolbox kit for my non-pilot bucking buddy... that is when i woke up to the whole shipping cost thing. I do have a background in airframe and engine maintenance (mostly jets) but fabrication and assembly of an entire airplane, even with pre-punching is a whole lot more involved than routine maintenance. I do agree that the practice kits are great preparation especially if you are unfamiliar with the tools or if it has been a few years since banging rivets. I built mine, took it apart, and built it again. It now looks like it has been built twice but my riveting and rivet removal skills are at least up to starting work on actual airplane parts.

This forum is a great resource. I started reading posts here a couple of months ago and, although leery of donating to most things, this site is well worth the cost! Dues happily paid

[wirejock]

Originally Posted by wchumley

Thanks for the serious, and the not so serious recommendations!

Looks like I will go with my list plus an extra trim tab.

WireJock, I have already done the practice kits. I ordered the partial flight control kit for myself and a month later ordered the toolbox kit for my non-pilot bucking buddy... that is when i woke up to the whole shipping cost thing. I do have a background in airframe and engine maintenance (mostly jets) but fabrication and assembly of an entire airplane, even with pre-punching is a whole lot more involved than routine maintenance. I do agree that the practice kits are great preparation especially if you are unfamiliar with the tools or if it has been a few years since banging rivets. I built mine, took it apart, and built it again. It now looks like it has been built twice but my riveting and rivet removal skills are at least up to starting work on actual airplane parts.

This forum is a great resource. I started reading posts here a couple of months ago and, although leery of donating to most things, this site is well worth the cost! Dues happily paid

Sounds to me like you have the skills and you're good to go with little need for extra parts. Personally there were much harder parts than the trim tab. Z-brackets will test your patience if you use Vans method. Don't! There are better ways.
On the trim tab, fabricate the blocks to make the bend. Use double sided tape to hold them in place. Clamp and block the assembly to the bench so nothing can slide in any direction, then bend the tabs. No sweat.
When you place the wing kit order, add a fuse longeron. They are cheap but very expensive to ship.