How much have you spent fixing screw-ups?

[diamond]

So it's common to have to reorder parts that get damaged during the build, right? At least that's the impression I get from years of reading posts on VAF. I'm curious how much extra money is spent, on average, during the course of an entire RV build fixing screw-ups. Here's the criteria for the poll.

1) Interested in money spent for new parts and shipping for your first build only.
2) I'm guessing fewer screw-ups with pre-punched kits, so let's make this poll for pre-punched kits only.
2) Not interested in money spent replacing tools.
3) Interested in slow build wings and fuselage folks who built the entire plane, not purchased partially built.
4) Screw-ups caused by you or anyone helping you in the process of building. Not damaged items caused by moving, dropping, fire, etc.

[WingsOnWheels]

I'm not building a prepunched model so I didn't vote, but I have probably spent a few hundred in replacement parts I screwed up. I'm not done, but the vast majority of the metal work is.

From memory I replaced (when I couldn't repair):

1 Lower longeron
1 Vertical former in the baggage area
1 Tank baffle
1 Aft upper tailcone skin (the small one)
1 The formed lower part of the rear spar carrythrough bulkhead
1 Wing Rib
1 Aileron Skin (was damaged in storage)

That's all I can remember, but there were probably others that I had the material on-hand to remake myself.

[bill@fusion4.net]

It's not the $, but the question is the time. How many HOURS did your screwups cost?

I think I am only in for about $30 in parts, and another $45 in shipping

Hours, that is a hole nother story As My task tonight is to drill out about 50 rivets so I can move one piece from in front of another to behind.

Bill

[BSwayze]

Anyone who has cracked a canopy gets elevated immediately to the big spending category. So one little screw-up can cost you a bundle. If not for that, my replacement parts would be a little over $200, but definitely less than $500.

[Vlad]

200 maximum. Good poll.

[Don Jones]

My parts cost has been under $200.00 However the freight to get parts for one screw up was over $200

[noelf]

*Tip-up canopy just over $1000 including shipping.
*Three elevator trim skins to get one that I was proud of. Shipping cost more than the parts.
* Horizontal stab fiberglass tips because at the time I did not know how to fix fiberglass. Now I do.

[Lemmingman]

Where's the option for I dont know...dont want to know...dont let my wife know.

I've messed up several rudder skins...a rib here and there...spar for the hs...a skin for an aileron.

As Bill said...its the time that you miss waiting for the part that hurts more than the cost of the part. The cost of the shipping is just a reminder to be more careful next time.

[AltonD]

Originally Posted by BSwayze

Anyone who has cracked a canopy gets elevated immediately to the big spending category. So one little screw-up can cost you a bundle. If not for that, my replacement parts would be a little over $200, but definitely less than $500.

I am guilty.

[ptrotter]

I'm convinced that Van's make more money from replacement parts than they make on the kits themselves. I think I replaced one $100 part at least twice. The worst is when you spend $25 to ship a $4 part because it is holding up the building process.