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tools needed to complete the practice kits?

rotoiti

Well Known Member
I am in the process of deciding whether building an RV-10 is a good idea :)

I have purchased both practice kits from Vans and now I am wondering on tooling I need to complete those.

I am looking at the Avery RV kit with 3x rivet gun but it seems quite expensive *if* I decide not to go forward with the project. I have already purchased the Main Squeeze from Cleaveland. I do have a compressor.

Is there a minimum equipment list of tools I should have to easily complete the two practice kits? Or should I just go ahead and purchase the kit?
 
Tools

I built the tool box over a year ago but it is still just clcco'd together, I haven't bought a squeezer yet. I already had normal tools like files and a 3/8ths drill bit for deburring. I shopped EBAY and bought some used clecos, cleco pliers, and pop rivet type dimple dies, they were the only special tools that were needed. It sounds like all you need right now are some clecos and you're ready to go.
 
If you go ahead and buy a full tool kit you can keep everything you don't use in its wrapper. Then if you decide not to go forward, you can sell it here for very little loss.

I believe there's a min tools list on vans site for the practice kits but you save quite a bit when purchasing a full or nearly full kit from Avery so it may not be worth it.

Edit: here's a list. ** means needed for practice kits http://vansaircraft.com/public/tools.htm
 
Just a Start

If you go ahead and buy a full tool kit you can keep everything you don't use in its wrapper. Then if you decide not to go forward, you can sell it here for very little loss.

....and if you decide to go forward with the 10, you can expect to pay that much more again in additional tools.

The tool kit is more than you'll need for the practice kit, but it contains the majority of the tools you will need 90% of the time. I found myself ordering new tools, almost weekly for the firs few months of my build, to cover that other 10%. i.e. - pneumatic squeezer, more clecos, reamers, torque wrenches, crows foot wrenches, clamps, tape, -4 size pop rivet dimpler, drill bits, lumber for jigs, screws for jigs, drill press, bench grinder, hacksaw, bandsaw, deburring wheels, dremel tool, dremel acccesorries, more dremel accessories, crimpers, wire strippers, flaring tools, tube cutters, coax cutters, molex crimpers, magnets, mirrors, pics, vice grips, bench vise, headlamp, cordless drill, ratchet straps, safety wire, safety wire plyers, tubing bender, no hole yoke, longeron yoke, tank sealant, fuel tank lube, boelube, punches, oops rivets, extra hardware, extra rivets, cherry max rivets, bolt guage, cherrymax rivet guage, torque seal, loctite, primer, markers, heat gun, shrink wrap, solder gun, solder wire, flux, sand paper, syringes, rags, flocked cotton, west systems epoxy, micro, alodine, alumaprep, storage bins, weights, adel clamp holder, "B"-nuts, plywood, multimeter, ear plugs, safety glasses, gloves, resperator, hvlp paint sprayer, tap & Die set.... and another few hundred for what i forgot. :eek:
 
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