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project toolbox kit ??

cbrown747

Active Member
I have looked at the forums for comments about the toolbox and did not find the answer I was looking for so i thought I would try it here. I am wondering if I got all the componets needed to do this kit.

I received this kit as a gift from my financee and she also bought tools from cleaveland tool co.. They told her that all I needed was included.

Well I got the rivet gun without the compressor, so I will have to work on that, but my question is this:

I received 3 bags of clecos in that are marked cl-332 and cl-175. On the second instruction it says to cleco both ends of the toolbox. The problem is the cleco does not fit in the holes at the ends. Why are the holes bigger on the body (side) than at the end. The clecos fit nicely on the sides.

Was I suppose to get smaller clecos for the side? The instructions do not identify which cleco to use.

It would be nice if cleaveland tools would have done a better job of identifying each piece along with some instruction to how the componets fit on some of the tools.

Does anybody have some advice on this? I have both the toolkit and the airfoil kit, so I am eager to get both of these done before I order the empennage kit. Thanks for any assistance.
 
The silver clecos are 3/32" and fit #40 sized holes for the AN426AD3-x or AN 470AD3-x sized rivets. The copper colored clecos are 1/8" for #30 sized holes for 4-x sized rivets.

For the tool box, my guess is Van's called out the different sizes simply to give builders practice working with both sizes.
 
Is the kit a Vans Toolbox/Airfoil Practice kit?

If so, you will see in this link, a description of the toolbox assembly. Silver colored clecoes are for AN3 rivets (3/32). Those prepunched holes are usually slightly smaller (#41 drill size) to start and while the clecos fit, you would put parts together and drill them with #40 bit to final size before deburring and riveting and/or dimpling the holes. The copper colored clecoes are for AN4 rivets (1/8"). Those holes are also predrilled to the smaller #41 size for starters, but you final drill those holes to #30 drill bit size which will fit the copper colored clecoes just fine.

Most holes start undersized at #41 and get enlarged by you to the proper size. Hope that helps. You must learn to read the plans carefully because they are designed to catch you if you don't. You'll wind up putting a 470 (non-flush) in a place where 426 (flush) types are called for. Its only practice. Make a mistake? Get some practice drilling out rivets or undimpling holes that weren't supposed to get dimpled, etc...

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=WenEng&project=665&category=4437&log=72275&row=2
Click on the next page or previous page selections to browse through my practice kit experience.
 
The plans say to line up the hinge in the body with the top of the rear edge, but make sure you are gonna get min edge distance before you match drill the hinge holes!

If not you may find yourself "upgrading' to a different hinge from the hardware store!
 
thanks for the replies, but want to follow up with one quick question.
Is everybody suggesting that I may have to enlarge the holes on the ends to allow the clecos to fit?

I hope the empennage kit instructions are far more explicit than this practice kit.
 
Check the plans to see which rivets are called for...

If the plans show you need for example AN426AD3-3 rivets, you will drill #40 and use silver clecoes. If the plans show you need for example AN470AD4-3 rivets you will drill #30 and use copper colored clecoes. Get accustomed to really reading the plans over and over, and looking ahead to see how the pieces share the same space. The further into building you get, the plans assume you know a certain level of knowledge and they don't go into as much detail in words. It's not hard, its just confusing at times. Thank goodness the for VAF board and some others to help answer questions. Hooking up with other builders will be a godsend to you as well.
 
I just got my empennage for christmas and I have previously built the tool box kit and the practice kit (small wing like structure). I think the practice kit is much more helpful. I actually ordered a second one to practice on before I got into the more expensive parts. The first one didn't turn out perfect :). The practice kit comes with a more complete set of instructions on the basics of metal prep. These are pretty cheap so I would suggest you order one if you are considering going further.

You might also want to consider taking one of the EAA sheet metal classes. That should at least get you started with the very basics of how all of this stuff goes together. Its not difficult but its different than probably anything else you've done before.


I'm still a beginner but all of these things did help me make the decision that I could indeed build a plane, and I liked doing the work.
 
First off if your fiancee bought you tools and a practice kit you should move up the wedding to avoid letting her get away.

I apologize if your tools were not marked clearly. It sounds like you received the Empennage tool kit. If you follow this link: http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=EMPKITW
you will see a table with clickable part numbers, follow those links to identify and read the descriptions of each tool. It looks like we could use a clickable photo for builders who don't yet know what each tool is. I will look into that.

The following link is to videos that can be downloaded that explain most of the tools in our Complete RV Builders Kit:
http://www.cleavelandtool.com/video/dvdclips.htm

Any time you have questions about how or where to use something please give us a call.
 
thanks again to all. It is amazing how many respond to questions in this forum relative to the numbers. I can see this being invaluable to the building process
 
First off if your fiancee bought you tools and a practice kit you should move up the wedding to avoid letting her get away.

I apologize if your tools were not marked clearly. It sounds like you received the Empennage tool kit. If you follow this link: http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=EMPKITW
you will see a table with clickable part numbers, follow those links to identify and read the descriptions of each tool. It looks like we could use a clickable photo for builders who don't yet know what each tool is. I will look into that.

The following link is to videos that can be downloaded that explain most of the tools in our Complete RV Builders Kit:
http://www.cleavelandtool.com/video/dvdclips.htm

Any time you have questions about how or where to use something please give us a call.

I was trying to find that video link you posted from cleave land tools. Its a bad link. Have any idea where the video went?

Thanks
 
Assistance

Welcome Charles.
Excellent customer service from Cleveland.
I have a few suggestions.
1. Find a local builder and build the tool box or use scrap, with the mentor using your tools. You will learn so much and save errors. You'll make plenty later so there's no reason to start off with mistakes.
2. Look for a class if you can't find a local mentor. Also, try watching some of the EAA Webinars. Good stuff.
3. Join EAA and a local chapter.
4. Search VAF. No matter how weird something seems. Someone here has done it and probably explained it. That includes getting started. Usually they found a method that's better than the Vans manual.
5. Practice on scrap with different rivets and tools. Drill out the rivets and do it again. If your fiance is interested, bring her in to practice too. Having a build partner really speeds things up.
 
Welcome

I was trying to find that video link you posted from cleave land tools. Its a bad link. Have any idea where the video went?

Thanks

Welcome Robert
Where are you in Colorado? Lots of builders up here of all models. I'm building a 7a in Estes Park.
 
CBROWN747, how's your progress?

I hope CBROWN747 finished his toolbox quicker than me, i got my kit for Christmas the same time as him and I just finished it last week. I drilled the hinge in the wrong place, thought the hinge went on the inside of the box and the edge spacing was all wrong. I finally ordered a new piece of hinge about a month ago. I did have a move during that time and did not have riveting tools when i got the kit. I also liked how it looked on the shelf with all the clecos sticking out of it. I need to pick up the pace, 3 1/2 years on the tool box puts me on a pace to build an airplane in about 25 years. CBROWN747 is probably flying his already.
 
If you go back to the start you will see that cbrown got the toolbo from his "financee". Not sure if that is a prospective marriage partner or a financier he wants to wed.
Anyway I think he should have it sorted out now.
 
Ooops

If you go back to the start you will see that cbrown got the toolbo from his "financee". Not sure if that is a prospective marriage partner or a financier he wants to wed.
Anyway I think he should have it sorted out now.

Doh!
Looks like my brain needs an Ooops rivet. Financee it is.
 
Welcome to the forum!
Just a couple of comments. If you can learn how to post pictures of the area you have questions about you will help yourself by showing others what you are asking and it will help others such as yourself find answers as they progress with their project and look on this forum for insight.

I took a sheet metal class before starting out with my kit and another before starting on the wiring. Both were worth their weight in gold.

I built one of the tool boxes a couple of years after I started my plane so I would have a cool box to carry stuff in in the plane. When I did mine I did not use the handle supplied with the kit because I thought it was kind of cheezy. I got a pull handle from the aviation department at Home Depot that I liked a lot better.

My rivet gun did not come with a compressor either:(
 
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