Best Tips for a New Builder

NDflyer

NDflyer

Companion QB #19
As I get close to picking up my Companion kit and bringing it home, I am reading through and looking for best ways to get started and advice for avoiding the big mistakes. I thought it would be nice to have a thread compiled of the best advice from the people who have been there before. The ones who made some mistakes when they were inexperienced and can help us learn.

So what are your best tips you learned while building? Things like "I would never do ___ without doing ___ first," or "I should have bought this tool right from the start." Could be anything, all advice appreciated!
 
I felt overwhelmed when I got my kit. Start by organizing the kit stuff. For me, everything fit into one of three types of containers....A fishing luer size orgainzer box, a shoe box, or a tub. That worked well. Also, as you sort out all the parts, understand what each part is. Your putting away the Elevator Trim Tab Pushrod, not "some bent rod". Part identification might require a set of Plans, I hope each kit comes with a set of plans...if not I get a set. I used the plans for way more than just part ID.
 
Same deal with parts as tools- cry once. Get a variety of an-3 & -4 bolts and a sheet of each common aluminum thickness (025”, 030”, 050”) and some steel (tank straps, extra tabs). It’s frustrating waiting on an order to arrive to finish some step. And it’ll keep temptation to use hardware store hardware to a minimum.

There’s a lot of gray area in airplane building - that caught me very much off guard. I expected a clear “right way” and set myself into a spin a few times so far when it’s not.

Good organization is worth some investment. I started in a 1-1/2 bay garage on one wing, it worked but was tight and I had to have things put away but also accessible. Inventoried all the hardware into harbor freight parts trays and it’s saved so much time along the way. I didn’t inventory all the other parts until last month when I finally had a hangar to myself, that omission caused me some headaches over the last year. Still trying to improve my system for organizing references, but it’s starting to come together. Jared’s flow chart was a great place to start for me. There are so many different sources and innovative things different builders come up with that I want to use as my best practice, it can get overwhelming fast.

It’s a really good kit and I’m sure getting better, but definitely not an RV kind of deal with idiot proof instructions. There’s plenty left for you to make, buy, and figure out. It won’t get you to a complete and fit out airplane, understand that up front and it’ll save you frustration.

I started a look ahead list of tasks and parts on a big whiteboard. Helps me have more productive time when I’m in the shop.
 
Great information everyone.

Buy quality tools, especially an angle drill. I am looking at the Nova from Pan American as well as the Sioux.

Inventory and organize with intention. This one is going to be a challenge. I will be in a non heated T hangar until December. But I will be organizing and planning more than building during this time period I suppose.

Have plenty of hardware on hand. I have a lot to learn about sourcing hardware. Just understanding what an- bolts I need for example.
 
I second the organized labeled hardware containers . Disorganization is the enemy of progress. Also try to have multiple efforts going at once so if you run into a bottleneck (have to order parts etc) in one area, you can shift over to the other and keep moving, If you get sick of doing nutplates (I counted 1022) work on a flap or tubing routing….Try to accomplish something every time you walk into your hangar or shop. You will invariably run into questions in one area…. make progress in another while contemplating solutions.
 
Talking about buying once and crying once, I have never found a better right angle drill than the current snap-on. We probably have 5-6 in the shop now and they are used every_single_day. With the high rpm I dare say they can drill a nicer hole than my standard dewalt drills.

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500AGL said:
Talking about buying once and crying once, I have never found a better right angle drill than the current snap-on. We probably have 5-6 in the shop now and they are used every_single_day. With the high rpm I dare say they can drill a nicer hole than my standard dewalt drills.
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Dang, crying for sure. Looks like about an $800 investment with 1 batter and charger. I can guess your answer, but do you think it is that much better the the Nova series from Pan American? https://www.panamericantool.com/novar-standard-motors.html
Not having to drag around the air hose would be nice though.
 
NDflyer said:
Dang, crying for sure. Looks like about an $800 investment with 1 batter and charger. I can guess your answer, but do you think it is that much better the the Nova series from Pan American? https://www.panamericantool.com/novar-standard-motors.html
Not having to drag around the air hose would be nice though.
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Looking at the snap on store I think they are $389/121/78 - so maybe 588 total off the truck?

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com shop.snapon.com

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com shop.snapon.com

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com shop.snapon.com
 
Drill bit tip.

You need every size drill bit. But you need 5-10 VASTLY more than the rest. You need #30 and #41 vastly more than the rest.
I have drill bit templates to size every drill bit next to the bits. Go ahead and buy one big, high quality drill bit set with a case. Transition it to mini drawer storage at you discretion.

I have a cheap homemade vertical "mini-rack" of 1/4, 3/16, 10, 12, .......up to 30 and 41. It sits right under the drill bit template. Most of the rest are in a "drawer" storage. You can put multiple sizes in each drawer, just label them. You can put a 35, 19, 5/16, 1/2 in one drawer. Spruce and McMaster sell quality individual bits, including specialty bits.

I do the same with bolts. I put #3 bolts with #5. and #4 with number 6. Same length in each drawer. It WAY cuts down on the number of drawers you need.

I put washers and nuts simllar. And I put the correct size cotter pin in the same drawer as the castellated nut.

When I say "drawer" storage, I mean mini storage drawers. Maybe 12 X 18" with 25-30 drawers.

I am the most unorganized person I know. I think I balanced my check book once, maybe in the 80's.

But building an airplane, I got a bit better. Not the checkbook, of course.
 
You will not avoid a big mistake because the first mistake you make, no matter how small, will seem like the end of the world.

When you do make a mistake, don't rush to try and fix it. You will not be in the right state of mind. Give yourself some time to calm down. Do some research, check the forums, make a phone call, etc.

There is almost nothing you can screw up that can't be fixed.
 
Attached is a spreadsheet I made that has a tab for interactive inventory. It's not perfect as there are a couple double entries but it will get you 98% there. Thanks @jaredyates for updating the excel upload.

All the build information is so disjointned. I spend way more time thinking and figuring than building. I uploaded all the reference build manuals and links to a project in an LLM so they can help me find the right source page for the thing I’m working on and point out disagreements.

I’ve probably spend $2-3k on tools and parts so far and I thought I had a decently equipped shop to start but this is my first plane build.
 

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The excel file attachment problem is not an intentional policy. I think I have adjusted it just now, please try again. If it doesn't work, please let me know.
 
Updated this spreadsheet to include the main kit inventory and not just the spruce drop ship. There are still errors direct from Bearhawk where they are shipping the wrong items or missing items per their hardware callout. Quite a few typos in the new wing build manual as well.
 

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Chrisl2 said:
Attached is a spreadsheet I made that has a tab for interactive inventory. It's not perfect as there are a couple double entries but it will get you 98% there. Thanks @jaredyates for updating the excel upload.

All the build information is so disjointned. I spend way more time thinking and figuring than building. I uploaded all the reference build manuals and links to a project in an LLM so they can help me find the right source page for the thing I’m working on and point out disagreements.

I’ve probably spend $2-3k on tools and parts so far and I thought I had a decently equipped shop to start but this is my first plane build.
Click to expand...

That should be very useful. Thanks!

Interesting use of an LLM. Sounds like that is the kinds of things they do best though. Did you have it summarize things from multiple sources, or just organize it so you could find what you are looking for? How many sources did you give it? things like build plans, avipro build manuals, etc.?
 
Chrisl2 said:
Updated this spreadsheet to include the main kit inventory and not just the spruce drop ship. There are still errors direct from Bearhawk where they are shipping the wrong items or missing items per their hardware callout. Quite a few typos in the new wing build manual as well.
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The only way any manual gets better is for your feedback to make it back to the folks managing the resource. Virgil does visit here from time to time but I would send him a note with any problems that you find as well.
 
NDflyer said:
That should be very useful. Thanks!

Interesting use of an LLM. Sounds like that is the kinds of things they do best though. Did you have it summarize things from multiple sources, or just organize it so you could find what you are looking for? How many sources did you give it? things like build plans, avipro build manuals, etc.?
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All of the manuals on the bearhawk website and then I created a MD file with links to some build logs and this forum. I also uploaded the inventory.

It’s been useful for figuring out what to do when I’m not sure and also finding what bolt goes where and such. Still waiting on plans to arrive. Try to verify anything against actually checking manuals vs just accepting the LLM but it’s really quite accurate with being pointed at official resources.
 
I hauled my kit home and put away in the hangar for now. I now need to order tools and hardware. Instead of trying to get everything at once I am going to start with the wings and buy what I need to complete them. Figure I will learn a lot during that process for future buying.

I am open for more tool recommendations.
Which tools would you spend more money on?

When is it worth it to have power tools over manual (like shears, dimpler, etc.)?

And which tools do you find to be good value on used market (ebay)? If budget limited am I better buying the best rivet gun on ebay, or a cheaper one new? Obviously this will vary dramatically, just wondering what you guys have seen.
 
If you can find a set of tools from someone who is hanging up the tool belt so to speak, the good quality ones last forever. Also check out your local EAA chapter for any that can be borrowed. One tool I got a tremendous amount of use from was a simple battery powered angle disk grinder, for cutting sheet aluminum.

I used a hand dimpler/riveter a lot and found it was worth buying. You could easily get away with borrowing a pneumatic rivet gun to close up the wings - preferably talk the owner into helping and guiding through the job in exchange for some good coffee and scones !
 
NDflyer said:
I hauled my kit home and put away in the hangar for now. I now need to order tools and hardware. Instead of trying to get everything at once I am going to start with the wings and buy what I need to complete them.
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You will be doing thousands of little tasks, many of which require hardware (and other consumables like drill bits.) As you build keep in mind what missing hardware item commonly stops a task and learn and avoid that next time.

The Bearhawk hardaware list is a good data point. When I built there was no firewall forward hardware data, or plans or parts. Where I am at in my rocommendations is this. You want common hardware items in your inventory so you can complete the task your on and get the positive feeling of completion. You also will reduce the number of times that lack of a common hardware item stops a task. Because in the end the more times you have a positive feeling the more fun your having. Building has to be fun to get this big job done with lots of joy.

So spend some of the cash on hand at building up an inventory of common hardware items. If you get a bolt drilling jig to drill undrilled bolt holes into threads and head then you will only need undrilled bolts so it lowers inventory cost. I mean buy at least 4 of every short bolt like AN3 and AN4. Not AN5 and 6's though. And dont buy 4 of every long bolt. But 100 of your size 3 and 4 nuts and washers. Get 1/2 size rivet lengths too. Get 100 #6 nut plates both dimpled and regular. Get 100 of the NAS1097 rivets in the shorter lengths (plus 1/2 size lengths) to install them.

Then every time you put an order in for anything look over the hardware supply and resupply what is running short.
 
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