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Missing Hardware

asw20c

Well Known Member
I'm just curious how often others have discovered missing hardware in their kits. I'm still on the empennage (although near the end and about to start the fiberglass work), and today I had my third episode where I've come up short on some minor bits of hardware. It is literally less than a dollar's worth I'm missing, but significant enough that I'm stuck until I have what I need. What's worse is that I'm going to lose two build-days this weekend because the replacement parts won't arrive until next week sometime. This drives me crazy; I want to be building but I can't due to 75 cents worth of missing hardware.
 
There is advice concerning the need for a proper inventory after receiving the kits. I think it's in section 5.;)
Cheers, DaveH
 
Agreed. Synergy did the inventory since I did the emp class with them. I was extremely meticulous when I received my wing kit for this very reason.
 
There were a few minor bits missing when I got mine a month ago. They want you to count everything except rivets. They sent me the missing hardware right away.
 
I'm just curious how often others have discovered missing hardware in their kits. I'm still on the empennage (although near the end and about to start the fiberglass work), and today I had my third episode where I've come up short on some minor bits of hardware. It is literally less than a dollar's worth I'm missing, but significant enough that I'm stuck until I have what I need. What's worse is that I'm going to lose two build-days this weekend because the replacement parts won't arrive until next week sometime. This drives me crazy; I want to be building but I can't due to 75 cents worth of missing hardware.

The cure for this is to have your own kits of basic hardware on hand. You will damage some during the build anyway and will need replacements and you will need replacements later for maintenance.
 
asw20c --- Can't speak to the specifics of the RV-14 parts but having helped a friend assemble a 9A and my own 12 I have to say I'm amazed that Van's does as well of a job as they do considering the many thousands of parts that go into our planes.

I can only remember a few times where I did not get the correct parts count or not receive a piece of hardware altogether. Admittedly, it is a pain to count all the hardware but necessary for the very reason you just pointed out.

While working on the 9A we discovered early on it is difficult and sometimes confusing working out of the paper bags ... especially when the parts count becomes the same between two similar items. So to make the inventory go easier, I found that it is almost painless to take all the bags of hardware home and perform the hardware inventory while watching TV and placing the parts in inexpensive Harbor Freight parts bins. Finding a part is a snap ... all the nuts are in one tray, bolts in another, ect. To conserve bins, really long bolts can share a bin with much shorter bolts ... big difference between -3 and -13.
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Happy building,
 
Floor sort

I read all the posts and various blogs that advocate for binning of parts. I binned my parts for the empennage kit and it worked great until the first floor sort event. It doesn't take much to scramble your whole kit when all the parts are exposed naked in those Harbor Freight bins. Any labor saved in retrieving parts from labeled bins is quickly negated after the first time the tray is dropped on the floor. The other problem with those Harbor Freight bins is that small parts "migrate" from one bin to another by slipping under those floppy bin separator walls.

I now keep all parts safely contained in the paper bags with the inventory sheet nearby for searching for parts. YMMV but I would recommend NOT to bin your parts. Those paper bags are your friends ;-)
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Floor Sort

Same deal with rivets. The last thing you want to do is put a bunch of like sized rivets next to each other in open bins. Keep the rivets safely contained in plastic baggies. A drop of a plastic baggie on the floor is a non-event. Dropping a bin of like sized rivets is a disaster. </rant off>:mad:
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It doesn't take much to scramble your whole kit when all the parts are exposed naked in those Harbor Freight bins. Any labor saved in retrieving parts from labeled bins is quickly negated after the first time the tray is dropped on the floor.

smash ---- you make a very valid point and dropping the parts bin must be avoided at all costs.

In the 4 years I worked out of the bins I had NO mishaps, perhaps I was lucky ... but EXTREME care was also used. When working on an assembly I would count the number of items required, open one bin at a time remove the needed quantity, close the lid and place the bin back on a storage shelf far away from workbenches and tools. Never left the bins on a bench open. As for the dividers moving ... never had an issue with that but I was really careful .... guess a drop of hot glue would solve unwanted divider movement.
 
It's all about risk mitigation. You can promise to be diligent and use extreme care and you may be lucky and finish the project with out anything bad happening. But consider the odds...
 
The FIRST thing to do is check inventory. I put my hardware into the slider bins after labeling them with the part numbers. I put the rivets into empty plastic water bottles.

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So far, in the 3,000+ hours and 4 years I've been building my slow-build RV-3B, I haven't had a single problem with this system. I've dropped the rivet bottles a couple times but never lost a rivet.

There are other successful storage systems described in the archives.

Incidentally, reducing the pixel size to 800 pixels wide makes the thread a lot easier to read.

Dave
 
You can also use a hybrid approach. Like my first plane build, where I had to procure all the hardware, I used the Harbor Freight trays for all standard AN hardware. No reason or need to go to the inventory sheet for those things.

Things that are a less generic or unique, stay in bags. I have far fewer bags to keep track of and I have one box for each kits inventory. Easy to grab the right box and use the inventory sheet to find what I'm looking for.

I also used them for all rivets and have had one minor sort needed. Turns out that they are not that hard to sort. Had it straightened out in minutes. A nastier spill would have taken longer but it has been easy to avoid. I always keep them closed and snapped shut between access. They hardly ever sit open so they have been jostled many times with no mixing problems.
 
I use Smash's method. Have the inventory sheet handy nearby, bags in the bins mounted to the back of my bench/wall. Works great for me. Haven't found anything missing yet (except time to work on it :( )

Chris
 
lost weekend of building

Don't give up building days. There's always something else to work on. Look ahead to the next chapter, the first few pages usually involve new parts to assemble and or fabricate. Debur parts or sheets. Prime parts. Cut out jigs.
Same thing while you wait for pro seal or epoxy resin to dry. Wish I had learned this earlier. Would have saved some money on 2nd day air charges.
 
I bought the Harbor Freight bins since they have individual bins that can be removed from the larger container. That way if I knock one over its not a sorting problem.
 
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