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The day you know you are a builder!

randyintejas

randyintejas

Well Known Member
I have built a lot of things in my 44 years but being a pilot this is without a doubt the most rewarding! I cannot say enough about the Vans kit.. Wow! Pre-punch is amazing! This could not have been any easier to construct. A note to those starting out: BUY a pneumatic squeezer and DTDR and life will be good.
Cheers
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you aren't a builder until you hurt yourself like smash a finger or drill into your hand and you spit on the wound and keep on going like nothing else matters. THEN you are a REAL builder. I'm told the repeat building offenders don't even cuss anymore when they inflict bodily injury upon themselves. :)
 
i agree, your feelings will change when you bleed on the parts you're working with

much like not being a real pilot until you survive an emergency such as an engine out

that being said, i hope I'm not a real pilot, ever!
 
The day I REALLY knew I was a builder was when I sold my flying airplane somewhere during the wing building stage so that I could fund the rest of the project! I knew at that point I not only needed to be a builder but a "finisher" too!!
 
The day I realized I was an airplane builder was when I finished the lower right wing for my Hatz biplane. No kit, just plans. 100% fabrication required by you -the builder.
 
Yeah Bruce....all these wimpy RV builders..

...just don't appreciate how good they have it.:)

My Cassutt ribs had around 24 parts EACH that I cut with a balsa modeling saw and glued and stapled gussetts on ...eighteen ribs.

Enjoy yourselves:)
 
I knew I was a builder when...

I knew that I was a builder when I was planning financially for the next kit, and the next kit after that, and the avionics, and the paint

I agree drdt and pneumatic squeezer are a must have.
 
randyintejas said:
I have built a lot of things in my 44 years but being a pilot this is without a doubt the most rewarding! I cannot say enough about the Vans kit.. Wow! Pre-punch is amazing! This could not have been any easier to construct. A note to those starting out: BUY a pneumatic squeezer and DTDR and life will be good.
Cheers
Click to expand...

Randy,

Congrats on finishing the HS. Nice work! These were my first two tools, too!

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For those who may not know, you can save a bunch of money by buying the "Front End Kit" for the DRDT-2 dimpler. Buy the steel locally from a scrap yard and save some big bucks. Plus, you save on shipping too, since the front end kit is much lighter than having all the heavy steel shipped to you. Some simple welding, and you're done. I'm not even a welder, but I was able to put mine together. I'm almost finished with the fuselage, and it has served me well.

I REALLY knew I was a builder when I came home with the wing kit. A heavy sinking feeling of "oh my god, what have I gotten myself into" hit me as I was doing all the inventory and looking at all those pieces in the kit. It quickly dissipated, though, and I have never looked back. It's the most rewarding thing I've ever done.

Keep pounding those rivets!
 
Needed Tools

I agree, the DRDT-2 & Pneumatic squeezer are must haves. Also be sure you have a belt/disk sander and (2) 3M wheels mounted on a long shaft bench grinder.......among 100's of other very important tools. I got a 12" Delta disk sander a couple months ago.....wow!
 
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The day I knew was ...

... when I drilled a #12 hole in the palm of my left hand, grabbed a clean shop towel for that paw, and went on building. :D
 
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