Ordered my tail today......

Chappyd · #1 03-14-2006, 06:05 PM

And now I'm going buggy-eyed looking at the various tool kits and different tool vendors. Are the tool kits the way to go? I thought about just ordering what I needed, but decided to ask those who have gone this way before for some advice.

Chappyd
RV-7 tail kit OTW

Hawkeye7A · #2 03-14-2006, 07:48 PM

Congrats on the start! I spent 12 years as a machinist some years before I started my -7A and always thought that I had a pretty well equipped garage (aka airplane factory). I looked over the kit that Avery offered and eliminated the stuff I already had. They still cut me a nice package deal (10-15% off IIRC) but in the first year I still managed to spend close to $2K on tools. But they'll last as long as the airplane if you take care of 'em. (They'll probably still be good after I retire and start on a second one!)

osxuser · #3 03-14-2006, 10:45 PM

I like what Isham is offering right now with the free pnematic squeezer.

dan · #4 03-14-2006, 11:34 PM

Do yourself a favor and call Fred Kunkel at www.clearairtools.com. He just put together a pretty amazing deal on an RV builder's tool kit. To the best of my knowledge the kit deal is not on his web site. NOTE: I'm not financially affiliated.

RV7 · #5 03-15-2006, 08:59 AM

When I purchased my tools last month I spent a lot of time searching and comparing prices. Although it was time consuming, it was worth it. I was able to save a fair amount of money using four different vendors instead of purchasing a tool kit from a single source.

Good Luck,

N941WR · #6 03-15-2006, 09:54 AM

When I first started I was spending around $200 a month on tools and that was after buying a starter tool kit. That continued through the wing stage and I still have the "urge" to buy more. Sears just dropped of a $65 box yesterday.

Now I am buying more electrical type tools and I thought I already had all of those.

What I'm saying is, get a starter kit and be prepared to add to it.

When you get the urge to say, "I don't have the right tool but I can make something else work." Stop, open your wallet, order the correct tool, and work on something else until the new tool arrives. Otherwise you will loose more time while waiting for the replacement part from Van's and the new tool to arrive. Trust me, this will save you $$$ too.

avaviat · #7 03-15-2006, 12:58 PM

Products like Boelube, 3M wheels, burr-aways, drill bits, reamers, aviation snips, sharpies, tape holders, etc are not "aviation only"... you can buy them cheaper from places like MSC and Staples.

You want both the cut&polish and fine deburring 3M grinder wheels. You may not know you want both, but you do.

You can make a nice back rivet plate for about $10, which beats paying $25 for a much smaller plate.

Everything you've heard about pneumatic squeezers is true.

You can make just as good a plane with a few basic hand tools as a $4000 (or $14000) tool collection. Some of us (And I'm definitely one) *like* tools. It is another hobby. I don't even count most of the tools as part of the plane building budget. That doesn't mean you need to do the same thing.

Jekyll · #8 03-15-2006, 01:12 PM

Look in this thread for a good discussion on tool kit pros and cons.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...highlight=tool

Jekyll

osxuser · #9 03-15-2006, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan

Do yourself a favor and call Fred Kunkel at www.clearairtools.com. He just put together a pretty amazing deal on an RV builder's tool kit. To the best of my knowledge the kit deal is not on his web site. NOTE: I'm not financially affiliated.

That is a nice looking set, If I eliminate the 3x Gun (I already have a 2x) that would put me at ~1400. Saaawwweeett. Then I can buy my Squeezer off e-bay or something later (already have a tatco). I didn't see a C-frame in that list though.

N674P · #10 03-15-2006, 10:01 PM

Check around with people that have used it, and you'll find the DRDT-2 is the way to go. It's something like 3 times the price of a C-frame, and worth every penny. For the thousands of rivets you will dimple, it will save time, effort and hearing. And you'll be able to dimple while people are trying to sleep - which would be rude to do with the C-frame.
The days of needing a C-frame to set the wing spar rivets are over for most RV builders...