RV tool kit

[svyolo]

I will be starting on my QB kit in about 4 months, and am looking at tools. I have a lot of tools, but none specific to working on aircraft sheetmetal. A lot of vendors sell a RV Tool Kit of various levels of complexity.

Is this overkill for a QB kit? I do have to skin one side of both wings, and build the cowling from the nose bowl to the instrument panel. Any recommendations? I have always been a scrounger, but in this case I want to turn a quick build kit into a flying airplane. Spending a couple of years scrounging tools while my project sits is not in the cards.

[Mark Goldberg]

I have talked with Cleveland Tools about selling a Bearhawk specific tool kit. It would be based on the same tools Bob Avery sold as a BH kit when he was in business. I am happy to help you get this going and also you receiving the discount they give my kit customers. Mark

[jaredyates]

Post up a link to a specific kit and we can commence the peanut gallery comments!

[Mark Goldberg]

Here is the Avery Tool kit for BH from before Bob Avery retired. These were not always the cheapest tools, but they were good quality. Avery Tool kit March 2012 customers.pdf MG

[BTAZ]

Looks pretty complete.

1. I would get a Tungsten bucking bar instead of steel. I used one that was about 3"x1"x.75" almost exclusively and it worked great.
2. I didn't see a rivet cutter. (maybe not needed for a kit but definitely needed for plans built)
3, I would buy at least 5 of every called out standard length drill under 1/4" and probably two or three each of the others. If needed later, the shipping will be more than the drills and some of them(number drills and long length) are not always easy to find locally on a weekend.
4. Also some measuring tools. A good six foot tape measure, a 3' metal rule, a 6" metal rule, a Tri square set, and a 6" caliper.
5. A set of jewelers files.

[Bcone1381]

Additionally,
-Tubing Bender for 1/4" and 3/8" tubing.
-Nicopress Sleeve compression tool.
-Hemostats for installation of loop clamps.
-Tubing Cutter.
-Dead blow mallet.
-Crowfoot wrench for torquing for tubing terminal AN fittings
-safety wire pliers

[svyolo]

Sign me up Mark. I didn't see anywhere that you were offering tool sets. I have a shop full of tools, just no aircraft sheetmetal stuff. I will definitely take your "Avery" kit if you are offering to sell it.

My shop is located about a half a mile from Grizzly Tools world headquarters and showroom, and 2 blocks from what I would argue is the best family run hardware store left in North America. Hardware Sales in Bellingham WA. I doubt my project will be held up more than 20 minutes because I need a tool.

[Mark Goldberg]

John - some of the additions suggested by posters are good. You should review what others have mentioned, and give me a list of what you want. Then I will put you in contact with Cleveland after helping get it organized. Mark

[Brad Ripp]

svyolo, I put a feeler out a month or two ago asking if anyone had any tools they wanted sell. I had no experience with sheet metal work. The most valuable response I got was to look at some of the stuff from Harbor Freight. I wouldn't have thought to go cheap like that in building a plane but I tried it out. I left there with several air tools and a hand full of other stuff for $122. They are so cheap they are almost disposable. I used their pneumatic sheet metal shears, cutoff tool, drill, die grinder, etc. All has been good except that one drill isn't quite right and they said there is a 60 day replacement with receipt. I was able to find a friend at the airport with a sheet metal break and that was very valuable. It's their high end one, he's and A&P and he got that from Harbor Freight too.

[svyolo]

I have some Harbor Freight stuff, mostly shop stuff like jacks, engine hoist, engine stands. For the less important stuff that isn't dimensionally critical, I might buy a few more. But a lot of what they sell is complete junk. A good friend of mine, a lifelong Body Shop owner/manager says their 19 dollar HVLP spray gun is not only as good as the 500-800 dollar ones that his shop is required to use, but the parts are interchangeable.

But for drilling/shearing/countersinking/dimpling/riveting, I am going to go with decent quality. Not the equivalent of "Snap On" tools for airplanes, but half way decent.

[Bcone1381]

Harbor Freight 12" aluminum snips are outstanding ($12). I cut out alot of the wing rib pieces with them...all of the straight cuts. No power tools needed. snips.html

I've had good service from ATS (Aircraft Tool Supply) tools for my rivet gun.

Also check out The Yard Store. They beat a lot of places on price, with good quality.