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Vans Parts Dept -- 1st call of shame

bkervaski

Hellloooooooo!
Testing
Well, first call of shame today to VANS parts department .. mis-drilled the forward spar #30 instead of #40 .. parts were only $50-$70 but shipping .. OUCH!
 
Next time, ask here first if anyone near you just happens to be putting in a large order. You can combine them to cut shipping costs. Not real likely but sometimes you get lucky.
 
Another reason to post here is that you may not have needed to order new parts. In this case, assuming you had edge distance and so on, you could have just used AD4 rivets instead of AD3 and carried on. Only close inspection would have revealed your mistake, but I suspect everyone but an RV supernerd would not notice.

Now, that isn't a blanket statement as sometimes there may be a structural reason to use the smaller rivet/bolt etc. I'm just saying it doesn't hurt to ask first...
 
not the last!

Bill, sorry my friend, it won't be your last! No shame in it, by the way! :)
 
....In this case, assuming you had edge distance and so on, you could have just used AD4 rivets instead of AD3 and carried on...

Or as a refinement of that, used NAS1097 AD4 flathead rivets. They have the same head as a -3 flathead rivet but the -4 body. From the outside, they'd look the same.

Edit -- Please see post #9; I think he's right.

Dave
 
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I'm lucky to be based at Aurora. I take my Walk of Shame right up to the counter, they know my name. It does not stop after the build much either. Brake pads, because I taxi with too much toe pressure, baffle parts because I missed the oil cooler reinforcement mod, a new hat because you can't taxi with your head hanging out the side!
 
Well, first call of shame today to VANS parts department .. mis-drilled the forward spar #30 instead of #40 .. parts were only $50-$70 but shipping .. OUCH!

I am curious. What spar was this?

I did the same thing to the Horiz Stab spar. I misread the plans and drilled some of the spar to spar cap holes #30. I ended up having a new spar shipped to someone who was getting a quickbuild near me. He was gracious enough to hold it for me, and they did not charge additional as it just fit in the back of the same truck.

Same deal: $120 shipping in my case for a $40 part.
 
Practical experience . . .

Well, first call of shame today to VANS parts department .. mis-drilled the forward spar #30 instead of #40 .. parts were only $50-$70 but shipping .. OUCH!

The practical result is an increasing pile of scrapped parts for a while, then as your skills improve and you begin make other things from them, the pile gets smaller until you have to order actual raw material! This may not happen on the 14 where all the pieces are actually designed and available, but it is real on a 7.
 
Or as a refinement of that, used NAS1097 AD4 flathead rivets. They have the same head as a -3 flathead rivet but the -4 body. From the outside, they'd look the same.

Dave

I think it's not recommended to use these "oops" rivets for a whole continuous row.
 
I misread the plans and drilled some of the spar to spar cap holes #30.

That's exactly what I did, which means the skin would have to have #30's and my OCD wouldn't let me live with it so .. new parts ordered!
 
That's exactly what I did, which means the skin would have to have #30's and my OCD wouldn't let me live with it so .. new parts ordered!

Now I don't feel as dumb. I think the wording on that step should be changed...

For reference its 8-4, step 2:
Clamp the spar cap in place. Match-Drill #30 the 1/8 [3.2 mm] holes of the spar web into the entire length of the spar cap.

I missed the "web" and instead drilled the flange as you did. Horizontal stab is done now and it is smooth sailing after that mistake.
 
Now I don't feel as dumb. I think the wording on that step should be changed...

For reference its 8-4, step 2:
Clamp the spar cap in place. Match-Drill #30 the 1/8 [3.2 mm] holes of the spar web into the entire length of the spar cap.

I missed the "web" and instead drilled the flange as you did. Horizontal stab is done now and it is smooth sailing after that mistake.

The spar flange has 3/32nd holes so the wording is correct.
Something that might help new builders is to keep in mind that the majority of the time when possible, the prepunched holes are punched close to final size, so if you are about to enlarge a hole much beyond what is is already punched, take one more look at the instructions and make sure you understand.

Also review the difference between the definition of match drill and final drill in Section 5.
Match drill means using an existing hole as a guide or pilot hole to make a hole of the same size (or very close to it) in another part.
Final drill means enlarging a hole from what it is now, to its larger/finial diam.

In a nut shell.... if you see "match drill", you should not be using a drill bit that is much larger than what the punched hole is.
 
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Scott,

I totally agree, and after the fact stared at it and couldn't believe that "I just did that". In my case I stopped after 4-5 holes because I realized it made no sense, but It was a new type of part for me (undrilled spar caps) so maybe this is just what you do... learning experience. I just thought it was interesting that someone else made the same error as I figured I was the only one :)

Thanks!
 
I'm lucky to be based at Aurora. I take my Walk of Shame right up to the counter, they know my name. It does not stop after the build much either. Brake pads, because I taxi with too much toe pressure, baffle parts because I missed the oil cooler reinforcement mod, a new hat because you can't taxi with your head hanging out the side!

Bruce, I would love to see your plane in person one day! I am based out of Twin Oaks currently, but will most likely move to Aurora after my plane is finished.

Any chance? Sorry for the high jack...
 
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