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What's in Van's magnet kit?

Ed_Wischmeyer

Ed_Wischmeyer

Well Known Member
Needing to drill blind holes through fiberglass, and Van's sells a "magnet kit" for $25 -- but no idea what's in it, or whether cheap round magnets from Amazon would do as well (and get here lots sooner...)

What's in the kit? Comments, suggestions?

Thanks,

Ed
 
A bunch of wasted time, thats whats in the kit. Those magnets stink and are not accurate. We used a laser guide from your local Home Depot, Aviation isle.

Or Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009O94W3E?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Also another procedure would be to put a bright light directly (important) behind it to illuminate a place to drill your pilot hole. Make sure you set it up straight or you can get the light at an angle and your hole offset. A cheap bright white LED on a wire and some tape work wonders here.
 
Last edited:
Got a reply from Van's -- 20 magnets and nylon washers.

Putting a light behind won't help, as this is the spinner front bulkhead. No idea how to get a bright enough light in there.

I'll check out the laser.

Ed
 
bkervaski said:
A bunch of wasted time, thats whats in the kit. Those magnets stink and are not accurate. We used a laser guide from your local Home Depot, Aviation isle.

Or Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009O94W3E?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Also another procedure would be to put a bright light directly (important) behind it to illuminate a place to drill your pilot hole. Make sure you set it up straight or you can get the light at an angle and your hole offset. A cheap bright white LED on a wire and some tape work wonders here.
Click to expand...

Could not agree more. Blog post here where I used laser on spinner:

https://turnerb14a.blogspot.com/2019/01/quick-update-snorkel-installed-egt.html
 
Ed_Wischmeyer said:
Putting a light behind won't help, as this is the spinner front bulkhead. No idea how to get a bright enough light in there.
Click to expand...

You can just drill the pilot holes in the bulkhead first, then use a light or LED. We did some this way with great results, often temporarily assembling parts with a string of LEDs taped inside.
 
Ed,
No need to invest in a Self-Leveling Cross Line Laser unless you have another use for it. Just use any laser pointer supported by a helping hands device, a flexible tripod, or even a lump of clay.
https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-01902-Adjustable-Magnifying-Alligator/dp/B000P42O3C/ref=asc_df_B000P42O3C/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312096335436&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17017212255121143883&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029755&hvtargid=pla-448870101576&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/JOBY-GorillaPod-325-Compact-Flexible/dp/B074WC6W5H/ref=asc_df_B074WC6W5H/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312111900416&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6122539479503740017&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029755&hvtargid=pla-404025316225&psc=1

Cheers, David
RV-6A A&P
 
bkervaski said:
You can just drill the pilot holes in the bulkhead first, then use a light or LED. We did some this way with great results, often temporarily assembling parts with a string of LEDs taped inside.
Click to expand...

This works pretty well in situations where the underlying part is flush against the back side of eh fiberglass part (such as a spinner).

It is highly inaccurate if there is a gap between them (as is often the case with wheel pants).
 
scsmith said:
Lasers and LEDs work well for fiberglass. For carbon, not so much.
Click to expand...

Actually Steve, the laser method doesn?t depend on transparency of the material at all. You take the part off, line the laser up on the underlying bracket, bulkhead, nutplate....then put the part on and drill it where the laser is shining. It?s slick, so long as you can support the laser in a rigid fashion.

Ken Scott did an article on this a coupe of years ago in the magazine - I forget what issue.

Paul
 
Bill Boyd said:
No need to locate holes you don't have :D
Click to expand...

Indeed...

enhance
 
Ironflight said:
Actually Steve, the laser method doesn?t depend on transparency of the material at all. You take the part off, line the laser up on the underlying bracket, bulkhead, nutplate....then put the part on and drill it where the laser is shining. It?s slick, so long as you can support the laser in a rigid fashion.

Ken Scott did an article on this a coupe of years ago in the magazine - I forget what issue.

Paul
Click to expand...

Ah, got it. Now that you mention it, Bob K. made a tool to do this for locating holes in bulkeads for pushrods to go through on the HP-24.

The issue for general building will be to support the laser so it can't move as you install the part to be drilled.
 
scsmith said:
Ah, got it. Now that you mention it, Bob K. made a tool to do this for locating holes in bulkeads for pushrods to go through on the HP-24.

The issue for general building will be to support the laser so it can't move as you install the part to be drilled.
Click to expand...

I used a tripod but when it was very close to floor (wheelpants) stacked up some reasonably stable stuff to put the laser on. Had to carefully chock wheels too.
 
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