Needed tools, chemicals, etc.

[Tivanov75]

Hello everybody! Starting my Kitfox in about a month! Just wondering what tools are mostly needed and what tools really helped you out the most. Also need to know what chemicals are best, epoxy, glue, bondos, whatever you used the most! This will be my first time building a plane, so fairly new at this. Thanks!

[AirFox]

Everything to get started comes in the kit. Most of the work can be done with hand tools. It's handy to have a sander, drill press and Band Saw. I used small Harbor freight drill press and band saw. There are several builders in the area who are more than happy to help with our experience. Send me a PM and we can get in contact. I have a SS7 at Fairways in Oregon City.

Scott

[Flyboy66]

A gallon of denatured alcohol.
Lots of little shop rags.
more popcycle sticks.
more #30 drill bits (6 or so)
the scitch brite pads ( Amazon)
balsa blocks for stabilizer tips, elevator tips, vert stab tips.

[efwd]

Dremel tool with cuttoff wheels
Harbor Freight air driven Rivet Puller unless you have pre built wings that the Lift Strut Brackets have already been installed at the factory.

[aviator79]

Tools:
Dremel with plastic and metal cutoff wheels and sanding drums.
Bandfile
cheap(ish) bandsaw.
Pneumatic rivet puller
The Kitfox builder's toolkit.
Good respirator(s),
Safety glasses
Extra 1/8 clecos
Handy to have some 3/16 clecos
Plenty of spring clamps (2" and 6")
Moving blankets (for supporting and protecting things)
Digital level


Consumables:
Popsicle sticks
Lots of nitrile gloves.
Waxless paper cups
Maroon scotchbrite
Ultra fine tip sharpie markers
Blue painter's tape
Strapping tape
Giant box of shop rags. (blue shop towels are useful too, but they leave fuzz behind. You want a lot of lint-free shop rags on hand).

Chemicals:
Plenty of denatured alcohol for cleaning
Super Fil (buy one kit, you may need more, you may not)
If Poly Fiber, you'll need extra poly brush, and enough poly spray, plus top coats. You can wait to order until you actually start covering. There's enough with the kit to get you well into the process. Just know that the Poly Fiber manual overestimates what you need. If you paint with Aerothane, the stuff is pricey, and the PF manual estimates about twice what you actually need. I would only order two gallons up front, (plus quart for trim color if necessary). Then order more if it becomes necessary.

I put this Amazon list together if helps with your shopping: http://a.co/bFMe70t

[efwd]

Pretty nice shopping list Brian. I have used all that except the parts bin cart, but I seriously considered it as well.

[jiott]

Of course a pneumatic rivet puller is nice, but I used the hand puller that came in the Kitfox tool kit for the whole project, including wings built from scratch. Yes my hands became somewhat tired at times, but really no problem for this 69 year old guy.

[bbs428]

Welcome aboard!

Brian's list is spot on.

I found it handy to have 2 Dremel tools handy one with a cut off wheel and one with a sanding drum.
I had an older one and bought one of the newer more powerful Dremel's. Very handy.

For what it's worth - The dremel accessories are much better and pricier than the generic ones
but they last a lot longer.

[t j]

The question in another thread about what tool to use to squeeze solid rivets got me to thinking about my Knipex pliers wrench. It works well for squeezing rivets and will replace a hand full of wrenches needed in your tool bag once you are flying. I have the 5 inch which is the smallest size. It not only will do a good job on rivets with it's 10 to 1 leverage... it can be used on nuts and bolt heads from 5/16" to 7/8" and no it will not round them off.
https://www.amazon.com/KNIPEX-86-03-150-Pliers/dp/B005EXOJZK/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=knipex+6+inch+pliers+wrench&qid=1552741403&s=gateway&sr=8-1

[rv9ralph]

The question in another thread about what tool to use to squeeze solid rivets got me to thinking about my Knipex pliers wrench. It works well for squeezing rivets and will replace a hand full of wrenches needed in your tool bag once you are flying. I have the 5 inch which is the smallest size. It not only will do a good job on rivets with it's 10 to 1 leverage... it can be used on nuts and bolt heads from 5/16" to 7/8" and no it will not round them off.
https://www.amazon.com/KNIPEX-86-03-150-Pliers/dp/B005EXOJZK/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=knipex+6+inch+pliers+wrench&qid=1552741403&s=gateway&sr=8-1

I have the same tool. Even though I have several riveting tools, I have used my Knipex to squeeze a rivet, just because it was readily at hand.

The big advantage of the Knipex is that the jaw are smooth and parallel, very important when squeezing rivets.

Ralph