Oshkosh or Tools a hard decision.....

[cyberpilot10]

I have to make a hard decision this year Oshkosh or more Tools..... I would love to go to oshkosh but i would love to buy more tools to enable myself to go further in the build...... The Airventure experience is at least $1000.00 to go and return..... I don't care how I look at it....$1000.00 would get me the remainder of the tools in need to build my RV8......WHAT TO DO??????? Trying to keep peace in the house,,,, Keeping my wife happy through this process is a must...... so I guess I will have to stay home and build this summer...... I hope you all post your pics of Oshkosh on here and thanks Vlad for the offer to share your dorm room.....see you at Sun-n-Fun 2010.....

Thanks
Rich Denton

[panhandler1956]

I'm in the same boat. I have gone the last 2 yrs but this year we are tightening our belt to pay off some bills so I can take out the loan to finish my -8.
I'm bumming but going to the show knowing I'm giving up precious resources for my build would take away from the OSH experience. My hope is next time I show up, it will be with my shiny new RV-8!

I'll be bucking rivets thank you very much...

[John Courte]

Buy the tools. Oshkosh won't make airplane parts in your shop. IMHO, it's better for the project if you're building and thinking about Oshkosh instead of being at Oshkosh and thinking about building.

[L.Adamson]

When we went to Oshkosh, we bought some used tools, such as a pneumatic
riveter, at good prices. This can be your excuse too!

L.Adamson --- RV6A (flying)

[Rick6a]

Originally Posted by cyberpilot10

I have to make a hard decision this year Oshkosh or more Tools..... I would love to go to oshkosh but i would love to buy more tools to enable myself to go further in the build...

Life is choices and much as we want, can't have it all. Short term gratification is a temporary sugar rush. Satisfying that all too human urge will defer your ultimate dream that much longer. I say forget Oshkosh, buy the tools, focus on the build and above all, make staying out of debt a permanent lifestyle pursuit. Be patient. If you have any doubts about the wisdom of living within your means, just take a look at all the desperate folks around you who chose to give into short term gratification.

[LettersFromFlyoverCountry]

Oshkosh is a great place to buy tools. You can pay for the week by saving on the shipping and handling charges and checking show specials. Sleep in a tent. Only buy your lunch at the cheap church stand.

What's great about Oshkosh isn't the bells and whistles -- it's also the motivation you get to return home and work harder.

[miyu1975]

What tools to you still need? Maybe you could find some local exRV builders and borrow some tools. I know a guy here who borrowed just about all his building tools from other builders. Saved 1000s of dollars. I find this to be a very good community for such things. Last weekend I needed a flaring tool and sent an email out to some locals RVers and had 3 or 4 offers from other RV builder/pilots, people I hardly and really don't even know...one gentleman offered to fly up from Alabama in Indianapolis to bring me a flaring tool...I was in awe.

Very good and generious community...thx again all...

[Ironflight]

I have a good friend who goes to Oshkosh for ten days every year, and has been "working" on a Mustang II" for more years than he can remember. And he complains that he never has time to work on it. I remind him each year that if he took those ten days of work and stayed in the shop for sixteen hours a day.....he MIGHT eventually have an airplane, and not a project.

Oshkosh is great, but if what you want now is an airplane, work on the airplane. If what you want now is the social experience of the aviation world, go to Oshkosh. (And yes, while you can find cheap tools at Oshkosh, you'd have to buy enough to build a 747 to chalk up enough savings to equal the cost of admission, travel, etc.....no matter how much we all try to justify it! )

See folks at OSH (I hope...)

[kbmannon]

Saw a tweet from EAA yesterday that UW-Oshkosh just made an additional 150 dorm rooms available. If you're not into camping, these might help keep the costs down.

When I couldn't attend Oshkosh last year, I tried to have a virtual Oshkosh experience. I listened to arrivals on liveatc.net, I watched videos and kept up with events on airventure.org, avweb.com, and aero-news.net, I called and emailed friends who were attending, and I even got a show discount from a vendor on a rather expensive item who understood my disappointment at being unable to attend (once again, proof of a great community!)

I guess I really don't fell like I missed the show last year.

[negearth]

Boy, if I had to choose, and it was literally one or the other, it would be the tools!