Where to buy tools?

[TJ_Slice]

I am putting together a toolset for my build. So far, I am looking at Cleveland, Aircraft Tool Supply, and Spruce.

Any others I should look at?

I have been looking at the complete Bearhawk Builders set that Cleveland has. I don't intend to cheap out, but I think I can save a little money by using multiple sites.

[jaredyates]

I also like The Yard for certain things https://yardstore.com
I never bought a preassembled set per se, just got what I needed here and there as I went.

[alaskabearhawk]

I got a good number of my tools from eBay, Craigslist and FB marketplace. Very few of my tools were new when I bought them.

[TJ_Slice]

I placed several orders today. Aircraft Spruce, The Yardstore, Aircraft Tool Supply, Cleveland, and a couple of others. I should be just about ready to go.

One thing I didn't order was a torque wrench. I wanted to do a little more research on those. I figure I can do a bit of building before I need one.

[rodsmith]

You will probably want both a 1/4" and 3/8" torque wrench eventually. Keep in mind the max torque for AN-3 bolts is easy to exceed.

[TJ_Slice]

Thanks. I'm sure I would do it too. I'll probably buy them fairly soon.

[arborite]

the Project Farm youtuber has done some good reviews on torque wrenches. some cheap ones worked as well as big money ones.

the key is to calibrate them. a well calibrated, properly maintained harbor freight torque wrench works fine. even the expensive ones need calibration.

[TJ_Slice]

I was just watching that channel yesterday.

[rodsmith]

Eventually you will want a set of crows foot wrenches to use with the torque wrench. It can be a cheap set as long as they fit the fastener's well. I mainly needed them on various engine accessories and one of the engine mount bolts.

[TJ_Slice]

That's the easy part... then I have to figure out the math!

[SpruceForest]

A bit late to the thread, but after 5 decades of 'tooling up' for projects, here's input on what/where:

- Buy what you need when you need it rather than assume some other builder's 'complete list of required tools' is necessarily going to be your list

- Leverage your airport network for both knowledge and tool loans (you can spend $$$ and lots of labor and space buying/moving tools for what is a short-term need, or use your buddy's connection at a nearby sheetmetal shop or with a fellow builder at the cost of some beer). Cleaveland or the Yard Store will never stock that special bucking bar that gets inside the flap and aileron trailing edge to set solid rivets... the one that went out of production about the time I was born... but chances are someone in the Chapter or on the field has one or knows someone that has one.

- Craigslist and Ebay are filled with both barely-used, top notch tools and worn out/'never was any good' junk - do your research and ask questions before you buy.

- Pay it forward when you are done... all that wing tooling you will spend months building for a scratch built project will be a near-priceless gift to the next builder in line

And finally... the most important lesson learned on tooling up/shopping up:

Tooling up (or setting up an incredible shop) does not get the project built... no matter how much money you throw at it. Avoid confusing the thing (progress on the airplane) with the symbol of the thing (big, clean shop filled with shiny new tools). Don't NOT invest time and resources in tools and shop, but try to keep things in perspective when doing it.

[TJ_Slice]

Good info, thanks. While I am sure I probably bought something that I will only use once or twice, I tried to not go overboard, and stick with the basics.

[alaskabearhawk]

Great advice and well said.