kiljoy
Well Known Member
So before I'd allow myself to begin building an RV I knew I needed to take a primer on sheet metal. I attended the SportAir sheet metal class in Oakland this past weekend. I was very, VERY lucky that a spot opened up just a few weeks before the class... and that I live 5 minutes away from it.
I went into this so excited that I tried not to think about it for weeks. I was afraid that I'd either be a natural at more delicate metal work or worse be horrible at it.
The entire weekend was a blast and I cant recommend the classes enough. My only complaint is that they don't stay in one place for a week so that you can take all of the classes.
Class is in session. Jack Dueck from the EAA Canadian Council was our teacher.
I'm gonna BUILD STUFF!!!!
This isn't that hard.
This was a little harder (note the dome head indentations on the east side of the inspection plate hatch)
That's the first grade I've ever cared about.
The aviation maintenance school the classes were held at had plenty of cool items to look at!
Overall it was a great experience. Mr Dueck really knows his stuff and how to teach newbies. My only weakness was drilling out rivets. After I finished my wing project I stuck around for 3-4 hours and practiced riveting and then drilling out those rivets and reriveting, etc. Mr. Dueck recommended practicing drilling out pop rivets. Those were less fun. A great experience!!
Things I also learned:
- List of tool needs continues to grow (pneumatic cleco pliers).
- I'm better with the rivet gun than a rivet squeezer.
- I love this almost as much as I love my family.
- One day I'm going to come home from the hangar and
my wife will have left with our cats and I won't notice![Big grin :D :D](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I went into this so excited that I tried not to think about it for weeks. I was afraid that I'd either be a natural at more delicate metal work or worse be horrible at it.
The entire weekend was a blast and I cant recommend the classes enough. My only complaint is that they don't stay in one place for a week so that you can take all of the classes.
![IMG_7888.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1058.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft404%2Fakilroy75%2FSportAir%2520sheet%2520metal%2520workshop%25203-17%2FIMG_7888.jpg&hash=ded62d30d2df91912df2a1db14007850)
![IMG_7892.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1058.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft404%2Fakilroy75%2FSportAir%2520sheet%2520metal%2520workshop%25203-17%2FIMG_7892.jpg&hash=c655056a49ce72f046252dc9ceadc0bb)
Class is in session. Jack Dueck from the EAA Canadian Council was our teacher.
![IMG_7895.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1058.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft404%2Fakilroy75%2FSportAir%2520sheet%2520metal%2520workshop%25203-17%2FIMG_7895.jpg&hash=8face4cc6e532881249b6b524182fa78)
I'm gonna BUILD STUFF!!!!
![IMG_7901.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1058.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft404%2Fakilroy75%2FSportAir%2520sheet%2520metal%2520workshop%25203-17%2FIMG_7901.jpg&hash=11f0d8b69a33fa2c7d90cbbe6a64283e)
This isn't that hard.
![IMG_7910.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1058.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft404%2Fakilroy75%2FSportAir%2520sheet%2520metal%2520workshop%25203-17%2FIMG_7910.jpg&hash=350210dbda1852857175ba1a853912f5)
This was a little harder (note the dome head indentations on the east side of the inspection plate hatch)
![IMG_7913.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1058.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft404%2Fakilroy75%2FSportAir%2520sheet%2520metal%2520workshop%25203-17%2FIMG_7913.jpg&hash=d36ea9dbea6df88316aef6b62e4f9714)
That's the first grade I've ever cared about.
![IMG_7917.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1058.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft404%2Fakilroy75%2FSportAir%2520sheet%2520metal%2520workshop%25203-17%2FIMG_7917.jpg&hash=da797d37a6f415b70efb849b6afbdd6d)
The aviation maintenance school the classes were held at had plenty of cool items to look at!
Overall it was a great experience. Mr Dueck really knows his stuff and how to teach newbies. My only weakness was drilling out rivets. After I finished my wing project I stuck around for 3-4 hours and practiced riveting and then drilling out those rivets and reriveting, etc. Mr. Dueck recommended practicing drilling out pop rivets. Those were less fun. A great experience!!
Things I also learned:
- List of tool needs continues to grow (pneumatic cleco pliers).
- I'm better with the rivet gun than a rivet squeezer.
- I love this almost as much as I love my family.
- One day I'm going to come home from the hangar and
my wife will have left with our cats and I won't notice