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RV Training kit wasted on RV-12 builders?

jnjhirsch

jnjhirsch

Member
I ordered an RV training kit to learn more about building an airplane. I am most interested in building an RV12. So, I ordered the training kit from Vans. Few days after I ordered, I got to thinking about the rivets on the training kit and asked Vans support if the kit can be made using pull rivets. They said I could cleco the parts and drill out the holes for pull rivets, but it would be a waste of time. They said, after I did about 2 rivets, I would have received all the benefit of pull rivet training, since it's so easy. Is there more to be gained from the kit?

Oh well, its paid for and UPS will be delivereing the kit next week whether I want it or not.
 
Training kit

Welcome Jeff and thank you for your service.
I thought there were some traditional rivets on the 12. That said, it will sell easiely on Classifieds. Consider buying the tool box. At least you'll have a cool tool box to use later.
 
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As a rookie, I found building the tool box and other training kit very valuable experience. It is an opportunity to experience Van?s instruction format, peel blue plastic, de-burr and finish edges and experiment with a variety of tools in a variety of conditions.
 
I found the training kit quite useful as I had zero experience with things like clecos and rivet squeezers. Vans are right about pulled rivets, but don't forget there are also a lot of standard rivets in an RV-12. I didn't fully complete the kit to the last rivet - just did enough of everything to know that I could things correctly (including drilling out rivets). Later on I pulled it apart when I needed some material for other purposes.
 
If you've never worked with sheet metal, I think you'll find the kit helpful. I agree with the suggestion to use it for practice drilling out rivets.
 
I agree with Jetguy. I had built planes with wood, fiber glass and tube & rag, so the Sportair Workshop was very valuable for the solid rivet experience before starting the 12. I have taken several EAA workshops and each was an excellent investment of time and money.
 
money well spent

I think it was a very good investment. As noted above, if you are completely new to building (as I was), it is an excellent hands-on with all of the little details in basic sheet metal work. In my case, it's also become my primary toolbox for the small stuff. I literally use it every day that I work on the plane.

In my case, I agonized about spending money on a rivet gut and building it according to plan using driven rivets, but then realized that the goal wasn't to learn how to use a rivet gun but how to build things in a way that would be useful for the RV-12. I squeezed rivets wherever I could get the squeezer; pulled LP4-3's everywhere else.

Have fun, and welcome aboard!
-dbh
 
There is a lot to benefit from

jnjhirsch said:
Is there more to be gained from the kit?
Click to expand...

I used the parts of the training kit also to get familar in using 2K epoxy primer.
Beside that it is also useful for getting a flavor in using the deburring wheel on Alclad 2032 material.
I also made 2 tool boxes from Van's and I think it is a great handmade birthday or christams gift for just 20 bucks.

For someone like me, who didn't have a clue about riveting, the training project and the tool boxes were an invaluable experience, also to figure out if I am capable for more, before getting my hands on precious sheet material. :D
I am glad to have started that way.
 
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Tools

That $20 practice project justified my purchase of several thousands of dollars of aircraft assembly tools that I didn't have...so it was then a lot easier to justify the order for the empennage.

That toolbox sure was expensive....
 
I think they should explicitly say that there are a lot more solid rivets in the RV-12 kit than they hint at. Certainly it is mostly pulled rivets, but there are still quite a few solid rivets. I too took the EAA weekend class with my wife and it was invaluable for someone who had never worked with aluminum and rivets before. I think that class is great for -12 builders even though there are a lot of pulled rivets in the 12. I think the toolbox is also valuable to take on as an exercise, even if you are building the -12.

Carl
 
Carl,

I felt the same way about solid rivets, but after finishing the tail they were no big deal. But I would definitely recommend a rivet gun over a squeezer for the 1/8" rivets unless you have Popeyes arms.😁

Rich
 
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