Van's Air Force
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Ordered my tail today......
- Thread starter Chappyd
- Start date
Hawkeye7A
Well Known Member
I went with Avery
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!)
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!)
dan
Well Known Member
Clear Air Tools
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.
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.
Tools
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,
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
Legacy Member
Tools cost money, no way around it.
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 $$$ too.
When I first started I was spending around $200 a month on tools and that was after buying a starter tool kit. That continued through the wing stage and I still have the "urge" to buy more. Sears just dropped of a $65 box yesterday.
Now I am buying more electrical type tools and I thought I already had all of those.
What I'm saying is, get a starter kit and be prepared to add to it.
When you get the urge to say, "I don't have the right tool but I can make something else work." Stop, open your wallet, order the correct tool, and work on something else until the new tool arrives. Otherwise you will loose more time while waiting for the replacement part from Van's and the new tool to arrive. Trust me, this will save you $$$ too.
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.
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.
Look in this thread for a good discussion on tool kit pros and cons.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=5797&highlight=tool
Jekyll
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=5797&highlight=tool
Jekyll
Drdt-2
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...
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...
I agree with Dan, call Fred at Clear Air Tools. I spent about a half hour on the phone with him this week and I learned more about riveting tools than I learned over the last 2 years of building.
I also love my DRDT-2, but you will find that a C-Frame will actually give you a better dimple than either the DRDT-2 or using a pneumatic squeezer for dimpling. This is due to the way the spring-back dimple dies work. You get a much crisper dimple with the solid whack on the die rather than just through pressure. That being said, I'll stick with my DRDT-2 for ease of use.
I also love my DRDT-2, but you will find that a C-Frame will actually give you a better dimple than either the DRDT-2 or using a pneumatic squeezer for dimpling. This is due to the way the spring-back dimple dies work. You get a much crisper dimple with the solid whack on the die rather than just through pressure. That being said, I'll stick with my DRDT-2 for ease of use.
Thanks
Thanks for all the input. I ended up making a list and getting them from Isham. I did get the air squeezer and the drdt-2. I used an air squeezer at my A&P's shop last year. way cool. and the drdt-2 is highly recommended. I'm sure, like the rest of you, I'll be ordering much more in the coming months/years.
Thanks for all the input. I ended up making a list and getting them from Isham. I did get the air squeezer and the drdt-2. I used an air squeezer at my A&P's shop last year. way cool. and the drdt-2 is highly recommended. I'm sure, like the rest of you, I'll be ordering much more in the coming months/years.
