Van's Air Force
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Tool kit
- Thread starter JPB
- Start date
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
Welcome to VAF!
Jeff, welcome to the good ship VAF
I did a piecemeal purchase, as I already had a lot of tools that come in the various kits----------and I was fortunate enough to have a buddy who helped me select the stuff I really needed, and he loaned me some of the high cost, but rarely used stuff so I did not have to buy them.
If you have anyone around the area who can help you in this way, I would recommend it.
Again, welcome aboard.
Jeff, welcome to the good ship VAF
I did a piecemeal purchase, as I already had a lot of tools that come in the various kits----------and I was fortunate enough to have a buddy who helped me select the stuff I really needed, and he loaned me some of the high cost, but rarely used stuff so I did not have to buy them.
If you have anyone around the area who can help you in this way, I would recommend it.
Again, welcome aboard.
The kits are a good deal for anyone who likes one-stop-shopping. You will get a good set of tools that will let you build your airplane, from any one of the main suppliers.
What I found is that for about the same amount of money overall, scrounging from multiple suppliers will let you buy nicer tools. You can also buy them over time, rather than drop a large wad of cash at once.
What I found is that for about the same amount of money overall, scrounging from multiple suppliers will let you buy nicer tools. You can also buy them over time, rather than drop a large wad of cash at once.
XOverZero
Well Known Member
It depends...
The approach to acquiring the tools is as individualized as need be for each builder's situation.
I started out with essentially no aircraft construction tools, so going the specialized kit route definitely made sense for me. There are several top notch vendors who offer kits, some of which are assembled specifically for the RV-12. With them you get almost all the tools you need for the -12, and equally important, none of the tools you don't need for the -12. The discount over the individual piece prices sweetens the deal, and you only have to pay one shipping charge.
Avery, Brown and Cleaveland are advertisers on VAF and go out of their way to support the RV builder community. Others are Isham, Aircraft Tool and Supply, and Aircraft Spruce. It may be worth your time to get cozy with the search function and explore some of the archives?lots of good recommendations in there.
If you buy one of the kits, you?ll find that as your project progresses there will be a few more tools to add here and there, which are not needed until later in the build. No reason to buy an expensive tube flaring tool if you won?t need it for a year.
There is one tool, though, that I recommend highly for the -12 right off the bat. Last I checked it was not included in any kit. It?s the Close Quarter Rivet Puller tool from Avery Tools, their part number 5012.
It takes the place of the little wedges that Van?s has you fabricate as the very first task in the RV-12 build. I have found it to be indispensible. Don?t go in the garage without it.
Another ?must have? is Cleaveland?s Main Squeeze manual riveter. Worth every penny and then some.
Good luck on pulling your factory together. Stay on VAF and post your progress.
The approach to acquiring the tools is as individualized as need be for each builder's situation.
I started out with essentially no aircraft construction tools, so going the specialized kit route definitely made sense for me. There are several top notch vendors who offer kits, some of which are assembled specifically for the RV-12. With them you get almost all the tools you need for the -12, and equally important, none of the tools you don't need for the -12. The discount over the individual piece prices sweetens the deal, and you only have to pay one shipping charge.
Avery, Brown and Cleaveland are advertisers on VAF and go out of their way to support the RV builder community. Others are Isham, Aircraft Tool and Supply, and Aircraft Spruce. It may be worth your time to get cozy with the search function and explore some of the archives?lots of good recommendations in there.
If you buy one of the kits, you?ll find that as your project progresses there will be a few more tools to add here and there, which are not needed until later in the build. No reason to buy an expensive tube flaring tool if you won?t need it for a year.
There is one tool, though, that I recommend highly for the -12 right off the bat. Last I checked it was not included in any kit. It?s the Close Quarter Rivet Puller tool from Avery Tools, their part number 5012.
It takes the place of the little wedges that Van?s has you fabricate as the very first task in the RV-12 build. I have found it to be indispensible. Don?t go in the garage without it.
Another ?must have? is Cleaveland?s Main Squeeze manual riveter. Worth every penny and then some.
Good luck on pulling your factory together. Stay on VAF and post your progress.
rapid_ascent
Well Known Member
I bought all of my tools separately. Was it worth it? Maybe maybe not. I did spend the money over time versus spending a chunk in one shot. I probably spent more in shipping by the time I was done though. I did like being able to select exactly the tools I wanted. I found the best price on clecos. In some cases I have 2 or more variants of the same tool. In some cases I have a couple of one tool and I still didnt find one I like.
I think the main concerns for my building are time and money. Buying all of your tools piecemeal does take time. If you can plop down a chunk of cash then do it and get building. You'll end up buying replacements for broken tools or tools you don't like anyway.
One other thing buy a good drill if you can afford it, I build my tail section with a Taylor drill. It's not a bad drill but by the time I was finished with the tail section I'd had enough of that drill too. I bought a Sioux drill when I started my wings. Worth every penny. Well at least to me.
I think the main concerns for my building are time and money. Buying all of your tools piecemeal does take time. If you can plop down a chunk of cash then do it and get building. You'll end up buying replacements for broken tools or tools you don't like anyway.
One other thing buy a good drill if you can afford it, I build my tail section with a Taylor drill. It's not a bad drill but by the time I was finished with the tail section I'd had enough of that drill too. I bought a Sioux drill when I started my wings. Worth every penny. Well at least to me.
Stockmanreef
Well Known Member
I just put in a large order to Avery. I don't know if I will need all the tools, but I can always resell them at the end.
The only thing that I did not purchase from Avery were the dies (dimple and flat). I will purchase them from Cleaveland Tools. I was told that their dies were the best. I was going to purchase rivets gun and drill here, but ended up going with Avery.
I am getting a few assorted tools from other locations. Die grinders, cheap belt sander, and priming gun from Harbor freight.
Anyway the point to the post is that Avery is having a 10% off sale on their tools until the end of April and an extra 5% off if you purchase a kit. You can add and subtract tools from the kits. I bought a lot of clecos. Maybe too many, but at 15% off, I figured why not.
cheers
ken
The only thing that I did not purchase from Avery were the dies (dimple and flat). I will purchase them from Cleaveland Tools. I was told that their dies were the best. I was going to purchase rivets gun and drill here, but ended up going with Avery.
I am getting a few assorted tools from other locations. Die grinders, cheap belt sander, and priming gun from Harbor freight.
Anyway the point to the post is that Avery is having a 10% off sale on their tools until the end of April and an extra 5% off if you purchase a kit. You can add and subtract tools from the kits. I bought a lot of clecos. Maybe too many, but at 15% off, I figured why not.
cheers
ken
