Bare Bone Starter Tool Kits of Full Kits for Empennage?

[campi]

Looking at starting an empennage project soon, and of course need to buy tools. I don't have any tools, so it makes sense to me to start with one of the kits put together by the usual vendors; Avery, Cleaveland, Planetools, etc.

Since I'm just beginning, and don't have any tools, my plan is just to buy what I need first, and then add other tools as the project goes along. However, I don't want to fall in the trap of not having the right tools for the job, getting frustrated, wasting time, etc.

Does it make sense to just buy the bare bone kits from Avery or Cleaveland, or I'm I cheating myself and setting myself up for aggravation if I don't buy the full tool kit for the empennage?

If going with the full kits, any particular suggestions -- and why? With regard to the full tool kits, I'm attracted to the one from Planetools because it comes with the pneumatic squeezer and the DRD2 dimpler. Any suggestions? Comments?

Anything I should add to these tool kits (or to the starter bare bone kits) to make sure the empennage project goes ok?

Finally, I'm curious about some posts that I have read on this site about folks using regular cordless drills for drilling instead of using an air drill? Any problems with that?

Thanks,

Fernando
Washington, DC

 

[robertahegy]

You will need most of the tools in the larger, more complete kits just to do the empenage. My recommendation is to get the best kit you can afford and buy quality tools. Nothing makes a job harder and more frustrating than having poor quality tools and not having the right ones. I purchased Avery's RV set and added an air squeezer and yokes right off the bat. Get a good gun and drill. I like the Souix brand. And make a nice, level work bench (4 X 8 ft) with MFD board on the top for drilling and clecoeing parts to it. Get plenty of 3/32 and 1/8" clecoes. And those right angle clecoes are very handy. I started out buying about 2K of tools and added another 1k as I progressed. I already had all the basic hand tools and a paint sprayer and compressor.

Roberta

 

[BruceP]

Get a kit

I bought the kit from Avery. The only thing I woud delete is the c-arm dimpler. Get the DRDT-2, it is so superior to any other method it has saved me countless hours. I wish I had sprung for a pneumatic squeezer, but I wouldn't consider that bare bones. I actually broke three ribs hand squeezing the HS spar (I leaned on the squeezer with my body, it's surprising how much force it takes to do the larger rivets). I like my Sioux air drills and wouldn't trade them for cordless. Different strokes for different folks. Oh yeah, get a good air compressor. I bought a Sears oil-less and it's so dang noisy it drives me crazy. When your using your air drills and especially a die grinder it will run a lot. Do yourself a favor and get the good compressor.

 

[java]

I bought the kit from Avery. The only thing I woud delete is the c-arm dimpler. Get the DRDT-2, it is so superior to any other method it has saved me countless hours...

I won't dis' the DRDT-2. It's nice. I've used it, and I've used Avery's C-frame too. I wouldn't spend the extra for the DRDT, myself. I'd call it a convenience tool. If you need quiet, it's the only way to go. Quality of work is no different (though either one will do either excellent or poor quality, depending on technique). DRDT may be easier to get consistency, but there are much harder things to master in building an aluminum airplane than using a C-frame.

YMMV. Opinion only...

 

[fstringham7a]

RE:FULL KIT PLUS

Fernando and others

Get the full kit and then plan as you build to continue to add both aviation and your normal everyday tools to the tool chest. I have used both the bang away c-frame dimpler and the fancy what som would say expensive DRDT-2 and there is just no way that I would not buy the DRDT-2 to do this project.
I had the opportunity to pay $70.00 for a stud bolt installer to install 6 studs on my Titan ECi IOX-360. Yea I know the two bolt method would work fine (NOT) Dad if your going to pay this much $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for this project a few extra bucks for the best tools only makes sense. Quote from one of my sons that like myself loves to build stuff.

I truely admire those that build scratch/non cnc pre punch kits, and with the tools of their day. I have seen some beautiful work using the simple and inexpensive tools. My hats off to them..............but....for me tools/vans prepunched kit/some time/and lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$$ = RV7A GRIN

Frank @ SGU RV7A 95% done 120% to go !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DaX]

I won't dis' the DRDT-2. It's nice. I've used it, and I've used Avery's C-frame too. I wouldn't spend the extra for the DRDT, myself. I'd call it a convenience tool. If you need quiet, it's the only way to go. Quality of work is no different (though either one will do either excellent or poor quality, depending on technique). DRDT may be easier to get consistency, but there are much harder things to master in building an aluminum airplane than using a C-frame.

YMMV. Opinion only...

My feeling exactly. Of course, I'm only on the empennage and by the time I get to the fuse, I may have changed my tune. Noise is not an issue where I am building.

And BTW...I think Van's says that the empennage contains (at least once) the use of every skill required to build the entire airframe. To me, this says I'll need the whole tool kit to build the empennage. I am over halfway through and must say I've used a LOT of my tools already.