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Newbie Questions About Tools

iamtheari

Well Known Member
Hi everyone. I'm not quite ready to pull the trigger on my RV-14 kit but I am getting close. I want to make sure that I am 99% ready to go when that time comes, so I am doing things like preparing my work space and getting ready to order tools. I am a first-time builder and have no metalwork experience. A local A&P who used to build Kodiak wings at Quest wants to help, so I will have a good resource there especially for things like learning how to rivet.

I am looking through the Cleaveland tool kit recommended for the RV-14 and I have a few questions. Some of them are "Do I need this?" but most are "What else do I need?" If there is any possibility for doubt, it's best to assume that I don't have the tool. For example, I don't have a bench vise. Also, my theme is that I am spending $30,000 or more for the kit alone, and I really do not want it to remain a pile of parts in my basement for the next 30 years. I want the build to be a pleasure that I look forward to most of the time, so that I end up with a great airplane while I am still young enough to fly it. I don't want to throw money away, but I would rather spend an extra $100 on a tool than an extra lifetime of regret over not having it.

1. Cleaveland includes a 1/4" air drill in the kit. I assume that the lighter weight and higher RPM of the air drill make it worth the $250 price tag. Are there other pros/cons? Is there a different or additional drill that would be better to have? Is there enough drilling on the RV-14 to justify the air drill in the first place rather than using my good electric drill?

2. Cleaveland includes a C-frame bench riveting tool. My understanding from watching other people's build videos is that this is mostly for dimpling skins. Is the one they sell the one to get or should I look for something else?

3. Since I will have a skilled helper at least some of the time, are there any tools that are worth having two of? For example, Cleaveland's kit has a 3-piece aluminum deburr handle. Does it make sense to have two of those to deburr twice as fast or is that a false savings?

4. Cleaveland includes a 3X rivet gun. Is it worthwhile to have a 2X as well or can the plane comfortably be built with just the 3X?

5. What non-airplane tools am I going to need? I have an air compressor but plan to buy a different one anyhow (word to the wise: never buy an oil-less air compressor larger than pancake size, it's not worth it) and I'll just keep the old one in the garage while I build in the basement. I know I will need a bench grinder and bench vise. I suspect I will need a drill press and maybe a band saw. Help me out here. Also, I have used air-powered paint guns and I hate the cleanup process. Should I bother with a gun for priming or should I go with rattle cans?

6. I don't want to haul all of my garage furniture down to the basement, so I need to supply whatever work surfaces and storage are going to be necessary for this project. I am going to build two 24"x60" workbenches (thank you, EAA Chapter 1000). I'll probably pick up a Sears Craftsman rolling workstation with drawers (I have the 42" one with 11 drawers and a hardwood top that I like, maybe I can use that but more likely I'll buy another for airplane stuff and move it to the hangar when I'm done building). I also think I'll get the Harbor Freight 74-bin rolling parts rack for fasteners and small parts. What else do you consider a must-have?

That's all I have for now, but I'm sure I'll have more between now and sending in my orders for tools and for the empennage kit. I am planning to place my order sometime around January 15. Thanks in advance for any and all guidance along the way!
 
Yes, you can build with just the 3X rivet gun.
Yes, you will need to have the C-Frame for dimpling, but I never set a rivet using it.
When I bought my tool kit, I deleted some items that I already had, like files, tin snips, punches.
I would definitely get the air drill and a good compressor. You'll need the compressor for the riveting. I also would get the pneumatic sqeezer if it isn't in the standard kit. The money you spend on this, along with an adjustable set and various yokes will make your build SO much easier.
I highly recommend that you get a good drill press and band saw, along with the bench grinder. The one power tool I didn't have, but wished I did was a bench disc/belt sander.
Get the basic deburring tool that you twist. If you have a helper, and need another one, they are cheap. Same goes for an extra pair of cleco pliers.
I found during the build that the basic tool kit is just a starting point. You will need to buy more stuff as you go, especially when you get to the wiring. I bought some specialized tools for rivet removal, edge rolling, etc. and they were worth the price. You can never have too many tools!
 
Plenty of opinions on these issues. None are wrong.

I have a 2x gun. If I was buying new (from scratch) I'd get a 3x gun.

I have an air driven high speed drill. It gathers dust while I drill with my cordles 18V drill. I don't like being tied to a compressor and/or hoses unless absolutely necessary.

I have always found manual squeezers to be very cost effective tools. I have yet to need an air driven one. I think I could probably rivet just as fast with a manual squeezer as with the pneumatic one, and even better, no compressor or cords required.

The C-frame tools from various vendors are all similar enough that it isn't an issue.

You'll need files, rulers, sharpie markers, snips, drifts, a center punch, etc. I have a boatload of tools, and they all come in handy at some point. A drill press and bandsaw are very helpful, as is a benchtop sander.

Old doors set on sawhorses make great workbenches. They are extremely portable and take up very little room when stored.

Priming? Honestly, you'll go broke using rattle cans. They just don't contain much sprayable material. They are great for when you have one or two little parts to prime and don't want to clean up, but otherwise, they are pretty inefficient. The exception would be if you only primed faying surfaces (i.e. places where one part contacts another). You wouldn't need a lot of primer for that.
 
I haven't built a -14, my responses are based on building my Rocket:

1. I bought a 1/4" drill. I have used tools for most of my 63 years, and wish I had bought one of these years ago. I really like it and have used it a lot after the build. I also got the quick change device for it - use mostly for #40 and #30 bits. if you get one of these be sure to get a light 1/4" hose with quick-couplers.

2. Cleaveland's C-frame is fine, you will need this. I use a DRDT-2 instead, but not necessary and there are those who claim it doesn't create as crisp a dimple. Don't know - mine works fine.

3. Get a couple cleco pliers, and a second deburring tool is a good idea,

4. The 3X should be all you need. When you get practice you will be able to adjust the amount of hammering with finger pressure.

5. The bigger tools I use most are my driill press, small band saw, bench vise, and scotchbrite wheel on the angle grinder. I also would not do this without a pneumatic squeezer. With respect to priming, I used my spray gun (I have a 7'x7'x7' spray booth) with epoxy primer. Others have used rattle cans, others don't prime at all - personal choice. Another word regarding air compressors - get a 2 stage compressor if you can.

6. My primary workbench is 96"x30". The top is a sacrificial piece of MDF that I have turned over once and now need to replace. I cut out a 1 foot square on the edge where I inserted a 1/2" steel plate to use for back-riveting. I also have a couple of small parts bins which I have labeled for all the rivets, screws, washers, nuts, etc. I would buy an extra supply of these things beyond what is included in the kit.

There are lots of differing opinions out there. The above is what works well for me.
 
Here is a reasonably priced drill, I've found this drill to be every bit at good as the Sioux.

Cleveland will substitute the Nova for the Sioux and reduce the cost of the kit accordingly.
 
A few additional thoughts from an RV-10 builder who is getting close to ready to move my project from the shop to the airport for final assembly and first flight:

While I make extensive use of the air drill, I also find having a cordless drill handy with a straight flute reamer to slightly open the occasional rivet hole when driving rivets and the rivet won't fit is worth having. It's also useful for things like step drills with 3/8" shanks that won't fit in the 1/4" air drill.

Instead of the C-Frame, I strongly recommend you consider a DRDT dimpling tool. It provides much more uniform results, and is much quieter.

I found having a pneumatic squeezer to be very useful. Yes, I could have built with just a Cleaveland Main Squeeze, but the pneumatic squeezer was my go-to tool.

Get at least one good Tungsten Bucking Bar similar to the Cleaveland BBT41. It's expensive, but it was the bar I used for probably 95%+ of my driven rivets.

Since you are a first time builder, I would recommend you spend the money to take an introductory EAA sheet metal class. This class helped me get quickly up speed and to make my mistakes on the practice project instead of the empennage.

I also took the Synergy Air empennage class. This class was a great way to get quickly started with my build, while having the opportunity to try a wide variety of tools and techniques which helped me decide the tools I wanted to buy for my project. If you can afford the time and cost, I would highly recommend you consider this. For me it was well worth the investment in this class, as I avoided many newbie mistakes and I believe have a much better quality aircraft build as a result. While your having a local A&P for help and advice is good, unless the A&P has built kit planes, he will not have the skills and experience the Synergy Air A&Ps have to impart to their students.

Welcome to the aircraft builders world. Hope you enjoy the journey.
 
When you build your work benches built them to a height that is comfortable for you and spend the time getting them absolutely flat.
My main work bench is the size of one full sheet of waterproof ply. 6 foot by 4 foot.
Most holes are already prepunched to size so my battery drill gets most of the work. A tight head chuckless 90deg drill kit has been very handy at times. A lot of thought has gone into the kits like the Cleveland one, believe me it's just a start. You'll be drooling over tool catalogues as part of the building ritual. Good luck.
 
Definitely get the #30 and #40 reamers, a few each, you will use them all the time.

The Lightweight Airhose Kit (Item #: ACKIT) is a must, much better then dragging along all the heavy hoses. I bought a good hose reel and have never missed the dedicated stations that some people put in

For drills I bought a nice and small 12v Hitachi lithium powered. Smaller is better.

For priming I've found a cheap touch up gun works great (found one on amazon ) PowRyte Elite 4.2 Oz Composite Mini HVLP Gravity Feed Air Spray Gun - 0.8mm Nozzle , less than $30

Put all your workspaces on casters so you can easily move stuff around.

Moving type blankets for wrapping up finished products (you can find them for 5 bucks)

Lots of the maroon scotch-brite pads

I've found a good drill press and small band saw (Lowes about $100) save a lot of time and produce a much better product
 
Tools

Ari
Congratulations. Welcome to the Dark Side!
Tools are very personal. Start with the set and see where your personality takes you.
1. Good, light, fast 1/4". 6,000 RPM
2. Very personal. I prefer a c-frame.
3. Yes. Extra devurring and tool is handy for more than just friends. During assembly, it's handy to keep a threaded shank bit in one and countersink in the other. Two cages is nice. Three is even better. Two cleko pliers is good. Four or more will guarantee one is not lost.
4. Same as #1. Good 3X. Sioux 3X
5. Vise, grinder, band saw, drill press, bench sander. I prefer HVLP but lots are building with spray cans.
6. EAA benches are fine. I built a third using the excess plywood for the bench tools. I bought four of the mini drawer HF parts bins for all the bolts, nuts, washers, etc. Larger parts live wherever but my inventory has a column for shop location so I don't go insane looking. My mentor gave me the best tip. Buy a case of water in small bottles. Drink the water. Dry the bottles. That's 12 bottles for rivets. Label them before filling. Need more? Buy another case. They don't spill much if you knock one over. Buy some disposable cups and bowls. When you work, place the bottle in the bowl and pour out only what you need.
 
Welcome to the fun.
1. Don't use my air drill much. I have a battery drill with two batteries that I use almost exclusively. I'll sometimes use the air drill or my floor drill press, but not often.

2. I use a DRDT and like it a lot. You can find them here when people are done building or you can buy a new one.

3. wait

4. I use a 3x gun with a small regulator on the input that allows me to regulate the pressure according to the rivet that I'm setting.

5. bench drill press, occasionally a small bench sander, large vise, Harbor Freight buffer/polisher with a 3m deburring wheel. I have a large air compressor in the garage with a hose reel attached to my bench. I plumbed a rapidaire line downstairs to the basement. Used v-style high flow for all of my couplings. I also used the lightweight hose from Cleaveland, one in the garage and one in the basement.

Use Stewarts primer, it's water borne, so I occasionally shoot it in my gun or just grab a foam brush for those small parts.

6. I use a water bottle for my AN426AD3-3.5 rivets. The rest are in drawer organizers.
 
When I was building my 7A, I used Stewart Systems primer. It needs a couple days to harden completely, but is very durable. It is a water based primer/sealer and therefore non-flammable and could be used safely in my basement with gas furnace and H2O heater. Easy cleanup with water. That said, if I was building today I would only prime the non alclad parts. YMMV. Just another option that may work for you.
Good luck with your build.
 
My 2 cents

The tungsten bucking bar cannot be over recommended. Attach a strap to your wrist and the bar so you don’t drop it inside a structure.

I have both a hand squeezer and a pneumatic. I use both. I prefer the the hand squeezer for the smaller (-3 diameter rivets) and the pneumatic for bigger ones.

A 30”x30” table on casters has been a recent addition that’s been very helpful. Bandsaw, stationary belt sander / disc sander, and bench grinder with scotch brite wheel on 3 of corners. Move it / spin it to where you want.

The DRDT2 is also really nice.
 
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Just started my 14a build, have build a Zenith 750 2.5 years ago. I did buy my extra tools from Cleaveland and customized the kit. My opinion:

  • 20v cordless drill worked fine on last build and is working fine now. Not being tied to a compressor is nice.
  • I bought the DRDT-2 and so far it works great.
  • 3x gun is also very nice and should be sufficient
  • Grinder, band saw are both from Harbor Freight. Drill press purchased on Amazon
  • Go with the pneumatic squeezer, this is an amazing tool that can be used for dimpling and squeezing rivtes.
  • You will continuously buy other tools that are needed, but nothing wrong with that!
 
Lots of good comments but...

While I agree a good 3x rivet gun can be used successfully, I used a 2x gun for all of the 3-x rivets which is probably 90+% of the airplane.

Lower pressure on a 3x gun - while controllable - is not the same as standard pressure on a 2x gun. Owning both, I much prefer the 2x gun. I would borrow or buy a used 3x for the bigger and much fewer rivets.
 
Agree with Bob, the 2x has all the grunt you need. The only rivets that take a fair bit of power are the large rivets that fill the tooling holes in the fuel tank ribs. You only have to swell those so they fill the hole securely. They are not structural.
Settings I've been using : 25 psi for the - 3, 45psi for - 4 winding up to 40psi & 60psi respectively with extensions fitted.
 
Thanks for all the advice. How often is the band saw used? They range in price from $100 to $10,000 and I don’t want to over- or under-buy. I can borrow a drill press, which will help.

I’ll start shopping elsewhere for used DRDT-2’s and pneumatic squeezers. They’re expensive new but they do sound worthwhile to have from the comments here.
 
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I have a $129 Skil bandsaw from Lowes and it works fine for the price. Get a couple metal cutting blades for it and put one on day 1- you will go through a few. There are a few pieces you need to fabricate during the build that you really need a band saw. It will never cut as accurately as a $2000 saw but just cut a little big and use the scotchbrite wheel to finish it up.
 
tools

for what its worth go to estate sales for tools. you never know what you will find... vice 10 bucks, files 50 cents. stuff like that. and youtube is a great resource and so is google. my band saw was 60 bucks and my drill press was 80 bucks. its all part of the journey. go and good luck
 
I never use my air drill. A good lightweight cordless drill will be fine, and much quieter.

I just have a manual squeezer with a couple of yokes. It builds arm muscles ;)
The bandsaw is a must; I have a Craftsman one that I picked up with some gift cards and have been impressed by it.

I have a 2X and 3X gun; we used the 3X for my dad's -6 many years ago and I can use it fine, but my wife finds the 2X more controllable on AD3 rivets. Make sure you have a swiveling flush set, but get a "fixed" one too as it will be valuable in certain situations.

I'm also using Dad's old C-frame because it was free.


I've gone to rattle-can primer because I always got terrible results with the Stewart Systems one and it was a pain to use as well. It's going to cost me a little more but I'm saving in aggravation.
 
The C-frame is really handy for riveting as well with the extension from Cleaveland. Great for the 470 rivets in the bulkheads and gives consistent results.
 
If you have the DRDT-2, it replaces the C-frame riveting tool that Cleaveland bundles in the kit, correct?

What about a pneumatic squeezer? If that fully replaces the hand squeezer, it doesn?t seem like such an indulgence given that the latter is over half the price of the former. But if you need both, then it seems like it adds up quickly.
 
The body of the pneumatic squeezer is quite bulky and there are a few places where it won't fit but the hand squeezer will, having both is a good thing. I think a good estimate is that you will spend 2X the tool kit cost by the time you are done buying tools.
 
If you have the DRDT-2, it replaces the C-frame riveting tool that Cleaveland bundles in the kit, correct?

Correct, you don't need both the DRDT and the C-frame. I have never wished I had the C-Frame and I have driven almost all the required rivets in the RV-10.
 
If you have the DRDT-2, it replaces the C-frame riveting tool that Cleaveland bundles in the kit, correct?

What about a pneumatic squeezer? If that fully replaces the hand squeezer, it doesn’t seem like such an indulgence given that the latter is over half the price of the former. But if you need both, then it seems like it adds up quickly.

The DRDT doesn't make dimples as "crisp" as the C-frame, but yes, if you have one, you don't need the other.

You can pick up hand squeezers for <$100 if you shop carefully. Above that cost, you're looking at incremental improvements, not game changers.
 
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MY two cents worth

1. get the pneumatic squeezer. various yokes. I have 4, three lengths and C size
2. Right now Pan-American tools has a Xmas sale on their drill bit sets. I wish I had the #1-#60 set. There are many occasions where you need an oddball size bit. Often a one time use. This in addition to the common bits, 40,30,27,19.
3. get a Pneumatic clock puller. or find out how to treat tennis elbow:D
4. 1" grey abrasive wheel. I've gone through several. They are great for deburring rib flanges. The larger wheels have limited use.
5. My builders kit (from avery) included some cleckos that I never used. The gold color and the black color aren't used on the -14
6.There are a couple of applications for the 1/16 cleckos are used. they are not included in most kits.
7. angle drill-either the attachment or a seperate drill is a must
8. give some thought to how to organize the parts bags. I'm not sure my way is best. I put each bag in a parts bin. I have spent a lot of time reviewing inventory lists to find which bag a part is in.
 
8. give some thought to how to organize the parts bags. I'm not sure my way is best. I put each bag in a parts bin. I have spent a lot of time reviewing inventory lists to find which bag a part is in.

I've found it easier, outside of a few specialized things like the rod-ends, just to dump all the standard hardware into sorted drawers by type and size. So I have a bin for AN3-3A, AN4-4A, and so on. But then, the -7 plans don't generally give you instruction by hardware bag, just the part numbers.

https://smile.amazon.com/Akro-Mils-10164-Plastic-Storage-Hardware/dp/B000LDH3JC
 
All the previous comments are good advice

After numerous builds, my tool preferences have changed.
I built my first RV with basic tools and everything worked out fine.
However, preferences have changed as follows and I offer a few things to think about:

My Sioux drills are getting dusty since I almost always go to my cordless DeWalt 20V drills unless I need a smaller drill to fit in a particular space, which is very rare. (A 90* drill is handy but you don't really need one.)

I use the C-Frame for some riveting, but I now use the DRDT exclusively for dimpling. Easier and quieter and I haven't had a problem with results, but you can't rivet with it.

I prefer a 2X rivet gun because it is smaller and lighter than a 3X gun. A 3X gun would be preferable for a slow build kit since there will be a lot of 1/8" rivets, but for a QB, a 2X is plenty good. I recommend a small regulator on the handle of the gun for pressure adjustments.

For power tools, I use a band saw, disk/belt sander, grinder with a scotch bright wheel and a drill press. I have had both floor mount versions and bench top versions and I prefer the smaller bench top models. The only bench top tool I wore out was a band saw, which lasted for several builds before I decided to replace rather than repair. (HF sells cheap tool stands which work great for mounting these bench top tools, if you have the room.) I also have a vise mounted on a grinder stand and it works great for smaller stuff and can be moved around easily.

A small 20 gal compressor is all you need. Make sure to get the piston variety, instead of the diaphragm type, so the noise doesn't make you deaf. (Jay Pratt has built about 50 planes using a small 20 gal compressor!)

Fancy work benches are nice, but a piece of plywood on two saw horses is more than ample. You can take them down and lean them against the wall when you need space and you can have a couple different sizes of plywood for a smaller bench top when you don't need a larger one. Plus, you don't have to worry about drilling into it as you work and ruining the table top.

I have several work carts, from HF, to hold all my clecos, clamps, etc. so I can wheel them around to where I am working or be stored out of the way. The shelves on the cart are also a good place to store your drills and other hand tools. (you can also hang a lot of stuff on the wall if you have pegboard!)

You will need a lot of clecos, more 3/32" than 1/8" but the more the merrier. You may want a few of the larger sizes, but you can decide as you go along. I have at least 5 cleco pliers and a couple more would be nice to have. They also make a couple specialty cleco pliers that allow you to reverse them for tight spots, and one to get the cleco from straight up. I use these occasionally but they are not a necessity. I also have a pneumatic cleco tool which gets occasional use like when doing wing and fuselage skins, which require a lot of clecos.

I like to use several of the plastic drawer type storage bin thingies. I typically sort all of the bags of hardware in them right away and then just get the part I need as I go along. (I sort by type, not by bag.) Much easier than hunting through all the little bags as you go. That also allows you to add any bolt, rivet, etc. stock that you have in an organized way. I have these mounted on the pegboard wall to save table space.

Pneumatic squeezers are wonderful! If I had only one I would have one with the longeron yoke and a 3" no hole yoke at a minimum. I use these the most, however a hand squeezer would see you through the entire build.

There will probably be lots of other small tools and attachments that you will acquire over the build, but you'd be surprised at what you can do with just the basics.
Have fun!
 
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Wow, that is a lot of kit planes. Are you doing the 3 just as a challenge at this point? :)

I?m planning to slow build. Does that change the above advice, especially about drills and rivet guns? I would be happy to use my Dewalt 20V drill instead of buying a $250 air drill but only if it doesnt mean hating my drill, airplane, or both. Same goes with driving all rivets with a 2X gun vs a 3X.
 
Same goes with driving all rivets with a 2X gun vs a 3X.

I should qualify my earlier 2X rivet gun recommendation. I do not recommend it for rivets larger than AD3's (the vast majority of rivets are AD3's). I used my 3X gun for AD4 rivets or any AD3 rivets that you set with a 12" offset back rivet set. If you go with only one gun it should be a 3X with a regulator attached to the gun in my opinion. If you're going to slow build, two guns, each for the right purpose, is a worthwhile investment.

I also used a DRDT and am very pleased with the results, if you set it up right the dimples are nice and uniformly crisp. My wife did a lot of the dimpling with it and it was very easy for her to use.
 
Same advice for slow build versus QB.
Get the 3x rivet gun unless you can borrow one for the larger rivets.
You don’t need all the tools right away. Get started with the minimum if you want and get them as you need or want them.
For some items, such as dimple and squeezer dies, I think quality is the way to go, so don’t skimp on them. It will pay off in the long run. You can search the forum for discussions on the best ones. Avery isn’t around any more but I like Cleveland tools, too. That’s just me.
I prefer the battery drills, since they are smaller and lighter than they used to be, but if you decide you need a pneumatic drill you can always get one.
As you progress you will decide what you need and want so sometimes it’s wiser to wait on some items.
Try to meet some builders near you and you can probably get a chance to try out some of the more airplane specific tools before you commit to buying your own. Meeting other builders or joining an active EAA Chapter is about the best thing a new builder can do, in my opinion.

And yes, the RV3 is a challenge, but a lot of fun. Can’t wait to finish!
Good luck and have fun!!
 
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If I had it to do over:

Do over; I would invest in an RV builder tool kit offered by a number of tool companies. No reason to scimp as you will end up buying later, waiting on a needed tool and pay additional freight.

Don?t be afraid of harbor freight for band saw, bench grinder for your scotch bright wheel, vice, and lg belt and arbor flat sanding unit. I did not get the sander and cost me very inefficient time with hand sanding but tools. Besides, you?ll become addicted to that Chinese rubber smell there that will keep calling you back for endless little stuff like drill bits, parts drawers etc etc.

Be sure to join an active EAA chapter with several active tech counselors. You will be eternally grateful!!!

If your a builder type, enjoy the journey! If your first and foremost a pilot, think twice and decide if your willing to invest a couple full years and have the perseverance! I?m at the close of the building project but first a pilot. And time is ticking as I grow older (66)! I am 6?3? and 235lbs so the 10&14 were my only options. If I were a ?normal pilot?, small and smart, I would have bought a 7 and be flying! But this 14A was my choice and I stuck with ITV thick and thin!
Anyway, whoever reads the this, enjoy your aviation journey! Keep the rubber side down!
 
Lots of good advice above, so here is my 2 cents.

I have three air drills: one that always has a #40 bit, one that always has a #30 bit, and one for everything else.

I have a battery drill and only use it once in a while. Compared to the air tools, it's heavy, bulky and slow.

Two cleco pliers are very handy.

Forget about the rivet gauge. Make your own using the minimum and maximum dimension given in that riveting spec that is on Van's site. It'll be more accurate and handier.

Cleaveland makes the best dimple dies. The drill bits they sent were not nearly as good, but Gen-Av-Hdqrs sells excellent ones.

A pneumatic squeezer is a must. I have three yokes: 4", 1.5" and longeron yoke. These are generally sufficient but once in a while something else would be nice.

Caveat, I'm building an RV-3B which might be more tool-intensive than a -14.

Dave
 
new builder - Cleaveland tools are excellent

I realize that I'm posting to a semi-old thread, but I agree with purchasing an RV-14-specific Tool Kit from one of the vendors. It saves a lot of headache when purchasing the initial bolus of tools.

I hemmed and hawed between Aircraft Spruce and Cleaveland Tool for a while, and eventually pulled the trigger and ordered the RV-14 kit from Cleaveland, with a few modifications (e.g. DRDT-2, which is fantastic; both the 3x and 2x rivet guns; and the Sioux drill, which makes holes "like buttah"). Since my initial order, I've been back to Cleaveland for all my subsequent tool purchases - 6 more orders in the last ~month. Why? The customer service is FANTASTIC. I want to give a shout out to Annette, who has not only been excellent in shipping everything in a timely manner (very reasonable shipping costs, too), but she is an absolute pleasure to work with, and even recommended a few tools that I didn't know I needed, but soon found out I did. This is what I imagine customer service was like back in the 50s.

I'm determined to buy all my tools from Cleaveland, not only because their tools are of excellent quality and they have a large number of RV-14-specific tools, but because of folks like Annette.
 
As long as my old thread has been revived, I did find that the RV-14-specific toolkit was a huge time saver. It has nearly everything that I have needed, including a few that would be easy to miss in skimming the plans. For example, when you drill the hole to safety-wire the trim tab hinge pin to the elevator rear spar, the plans call for a 1/16" hole. I googled what size drill bit to use for that size hole and the nearest one was a #52. Lo and behold, my kit came with a #52 bit.

I definitely recommend the DRDT-2. I cannot imagine trying to use any other tool to dimple the larger skins such as the tailcone skins, all of which I have done solo with no problems.

That said, the kit did not include a few items that are either required or extremely useful to have. Here are the ones I have had to order from online suppliers so far:

0.311" reamer
3/8" reamer
Boelube paste (for the reamers)
Edge forming tool (the kind built on a small vise grip)
Bucking bar for elevator rear spars
Backrivet plate
Wedge-shaped tungsten bucking bar
RV-14 economy modified 3/32 male dimple die
120-degree #30 countersink cutter
120-degree 1/8" dimple die set
Molex crimping tool
3/16" Clecos
5/32" Clecos

(Odd note: Those larger clecos are called for in the plans. For example, page 26-01 says that special tools for the section include 5/32 clecos. But I am nearly done with section 26 and haven't figured out where to use them yet.)

I do wish that I had a reduced diameter 1/8" female dimple die. It would have saved me from grinding off part of the shoulder of my 1/8" set.
 
tools..

Lots of great advice, and some is just personal preference, but I'll add my list of "things I learned the hard way"

1. Only used my air drill a couple of times, didn't seem necessary, aluminum's pretty soft; 2 Bosch 12v rechargeable drills worked great.

2. C-frame didn't work well for me, brute force and noisy. Dimpling by slamming with a hammer seemed to cause ripples in the skin when viewed at the right angle. DRDT-2 works great, but use the high-quality spring-back dies.

3. nah

4. 3x only

5. Usual power tools as listed, HF is fine. As far as compressors, the HF and most others are incredibly noisy to where you need hearing protection. I bought this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Califor...-and-Oil-Free-Air-Compressor-5510SE/205602927
About as loud as a washing machine; you can carry on a normal conversation next to it.

For priming, I used Stewart Systems Eko-Prime with an air brush instead of a spray gun. Takes about twice as long to paint, but no big deal. No cleanup with Eko-Prime, just toss the air-brush into a bowl of water and it's ready to use again...
 
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