Newbie - tools

prkaye · #1 06-16-2006, 10:23 AM

Hello all,

After a lot of research and deliberation, I've decided that an RV-9a is perfect for me. I'm going to start building very soon. I'm now trying to figure out the best way to acquire tools. I'll probably get a 20 or 25 gal Air Compressor from Home Depot. But the rest of the tools I guess should be aircraft quality.

At Avery tools they have these "RV Tool Kits". Convenient because everything is in one package, but it looks like a whop of cash you have to put up-front for it. Is this the way to go? What are the alternatives?

I live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Thanks! Be prepared for lots of questions from me in the months and years ahead!

Phil

McFly · #2 06-16-2006, 10:57 AM

Answer: All of it. You may as well get used to it.

Most of the tool venders give a substantial discount on your starter tool kit purchase. They also allow you to add and subtract tools from the stock kit while keeping the discount. Go crazy and order all of the tools now when you can get the discount (use the search funtion on this forum for what is needed or just helpful. It has all been hashed out before). Yes it's going to hurt but the bulk order will save you a few hundred dollars.

A good rule of thumb, do not order tools, supplies piecemeal if at all possible. The shipping adds up quick and you loose the discounts. Good luck

thallock · #3 06-16-2006, 11:09 AM

Actually, buying piecemeal can work out ok. This is because many of the tool vendors do not charge shipping if you order over some minimum limit (like $100). You can buy the minumum to get started, and then add more tools a little at a time. Of course, it took several orders from a few different places before I had the minimum. In the end, you will still spend more than the $2000 that Van lists, so buying a few things at a time is just an illusion that you are not spending that much on tools.

Also, you might want to check out Ebay for some of your larger purchases, like a pnematic squeezer, although, I have seen people pay $50 for a $25 tool on Ebay, so beware.

Tracy.

prkaye · #4 06-16-2006, 11:24 AM

Thanks guys... so bottom line... is Avery Tools "Bare bones RV kit with 3x rivet gun" a good way to start (adding stuff later if/when needed)?

http://www.averytools.com/pc-691-68-...it-3x-gun.aspx

They're asking $1671 for it. Is this a reasonable deal?

RV_7A · #5 06-16-2006, 12:15 PM

Phil- Thats a good place to start. I actually got a smaller kit from them long ago. You will need additional things like a Pneumatic squeezer and a longeron yoke and other things depending on your building style. But for the most part thats a good kit. You can't beat the quality of the tools from Avery. IMO Like Tracy said watch Ebay for things "you wish you had" and you can get good deals if you're careful.

-Jeff

RVbySDI · #6 06-16-2006, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prkaye

Thanks guys... so bottom line... is Avery Tools "Bare bones RV kit with 3x rivet gun" a good way to start (adding stuff later if/when needed)?

http://www.averytools.com/pc-691-68-...it-3x-gun.aspx

They're asking $1671 for it. Is this a reasonable deal?

Avery has good tools and reasonable prices. However, they are not the only tool company out there that can provide your needs. Just doing a search on GOOGLE for "aircraft tools" I came up with at least a dozen quality companies. My plug is for
Brown Tools. I have no affiliation with them but I have bought all of my tools from them. Of course one very good reason why I have done so is the fact that they are about 2 miles away from where I work so I do not have to bother with shipping issues. That aside however, they are very reasonably priced and have everything you would ever need. One caveat I find interesting is the fact that they supply some of the tools that Avery sells. I also noticed that they have an advertisement here on the vansairforce.net website. In fact, I am looking at their add just to the left of this post as I type.

keen9a · #7 06-16-2006, 02:41 PM

Clear Air Tools
Cleaveland Tools

I went with the Cleaveland kit when I purchased mine, but there have been a surprising number of changes in the available kits since then. I've also bought stuff from Avery since, and they are both good. I compared kits part by part so I could compare prices fairly since they all sell a different set of tools.

skidmk · #8 06-16-2006, 03:26 PM

Hi Phil... just got my RV8 tail last week. I'm in Orleans, the tools kit I purchased was from Planetools.com... and it was awesome, nice price, great stuff.

Whereever you buy, let me know, you can have it shipped to the Ogdensburg and go pick it up... alot easier than shipping to Ottawa.

Mike

Paul Eastham · #9 06-16-2006, 04:26 PM

Hi Phil,
Congrats on the decision. I too am building a 9A and am just starting to see completion on the horizon.

I wrote a few thoughts on tools at : http://eastham-lee.com/rv/newbie.html

I'm a pretty big Avery fan, and would recommend like a few of the others to do a thorough job on the first order. They will apply a not-insignificant discount to everything you order along with the starter kit (I forget how much), and shipping is free too.

Good luck!
Paul

RScott · #10 06-16-2006, 10:26 PM

I have bought from Avery, Brown, Cleaveland and ClearAir as well as Ebay. On Ebay, you need to check out the seller & watch the tool descriptions, know what your are buying. Toolsez seems to have a good reputation & they sell "kits", so a drill may come with a couple dozen bits.

I have had good experience with the regular suppliers listed above. Go to Cleaveland for their "Main Squeeze" if you don't buy a pneumatic. Buy the adjustable set holder if you do go pneumatic.

Chicago Pneumatic and Ingersoll Rand make good rivet guns. My very experienced IA who does museum quality work (he now works at a museum, actually), says they are the best and that CP is the better of the two. Go for a 3X. I got my IR gun off Ebay for $35, but they seem to go for a lot more, now.

The little 3,600 rpm Sioux drill is very well thought of, but there are other good drills out there. On Ebay you will find small Dotco and Rockwell drills. Small size and rpm's greater than 2,500 are good criteria. The little Chicago Pneumatic has bushings, not bearings. May last till your plane is built, but if it doesn't, it is cheap enough you can buy another and still be money ahead over the Sioux. Brown has the best prices for the Sioux. I think IR also makes a small drill now.

Also, Brown has sales. Watch them. I bought a lot of clecoes from them for less than $.30 each when I started. BTW, so far, I have needed a lot more 3/32" clecoes than 1/8".

Clear Air has the best prices on squeezer yokes and pneumatic squeezers, although Brown met their price on a sale. Fred at Clear Air persuaded me to go with reamers rather than using drill bits for match drilling and I am glad I did. The holes come out exactly round every time. Also, I have match drilled everything up through the wings, not including the flaps and ailerons, and my first 3/32" reamer probably needs replacement. I can feel it enlarging the hole when I run the reamer farther in than I normally do, suggesting the first half inch has worn somewhat. Unless I break one, I probably won't use more than 2 or 3 reamers for the whole plane, so the cost is minimal.

Also look at "The Yard", (yardstore.com) for bucking bars--best selection and used to have the best prices. Avery's selection has improved. I have never found a use for their #620 however, even though it looks like it ought to be very versatile. The heavier, the better when it comes to bucking bars.

I was surprised to find Aircraft Spruce had the best price on the Rolo-flair flaring tool. $78 including shipping, $89 at Avery and around $95 at some places.

Lastly, as I peruse the package deals that each of them offer, I find that none of them offer the best of everything. For example, the best hand squeezer is the Cleaveland Main Squeeze, but some of Avery's other tools are better.