Merry Christmas all. Hoping to get a little startup help. I?m shopping for a tool kit to get started on my project. There?s quite a few recommended companies on the Vans website, and they all seem to offer ?the best deal.? Was hoping somebody could help me choose one to get me started. Will I need all the tools up front to begin the empennage? Was looking at Brown Tool deluxe RV kit for $1699 (item #DLXRV-2X). Will that get me through the initial kit? Is this more/less than I need for the empennage? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.
Rich
Rich, I'm about 80% through my RV-9 empennage, and I must say that you'll need pretty much all the tools at some time or another, plus you'll also end up with others that you think up along the way. Main Squeeze is a definite must, and in my opinion I'm happy hand squeezing over pneumatics, but it's all personal preference. I also found some super handy little detail sanders from ATS, which are great for getting into tight little spots to de-burr. I bought a lot of tools in dribs & drabs, which then cost me time and freight, so I recommend buying a good set early on. Cleaveland dimple dies are good, but expensive, though their all-in-one rivet gauge is great. Invest in stacks of scotchbrite, and putting a 6" wheel on a bench grinder makes things go really quickly, especially when trimming rudder and elevator skin stiffeners. I bought a 5" hand shear (cost me about AU$90), which I much prefer to use over snips when I can - it's a dead straight clean cut with minimal curling. Definitely include chucking reamers (#30 & #40) as these do give nice clean holes compared to drills. These are my preferred tools for the pre-punched hole enlarging.
You'll find the Brown kit would suit your needs in that it will enable you to build the plane, however as others have mentioned there are some other tools that just give certain jobs more "polish" or are easier to use, but will cost more.
There's lot of tools you'll use all the time - drill bits, deburrer's, dimples, cleco pliers but others you'll only pick up occasionally like fluting pliers or countersink bits. Having said that it's always nicer being able to reach for the right tool, than to be wondering how to do the job properly without it.
Then there's the extra's, like electrical tools and spray painting equipment (assuming you'll prime) which aren't mentioned in the tool kits, not to mention consumables like scotchbrite and sandpaper. Stein sell good quality electrical tools like crimpers and wire strippers. Spray equipment is it's own topic.