Kitfox Aircraft Stick and Rudder Stein Air Grove Aircraft TCW Technologies Dynon Avionics AeroLED MGL Avionics Leading Edge Airfoils Desser EarthX Batteries Garmin G3X Touch
Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123
Results 21 to 26 of 26

Thread: Setting up your build shop

  1. #21
    Senior Member t j's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Ellensburg, WA
    Posts
    861

    Default Re: Setting up your build shop

    EAA work table plans.
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Tom Jones
    Classic 4 builder

  2. #22

    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Palm Harbor, FL
    Posts
    26

    Default Re: Setting up your build shop

    Quote Originally Posted by efwd View Post
    I found this bench at Home D. and quickly measured it. It was being sold for about $100. I built two, far cheaper and I have never really worked with wood at all. It wasn't difficult.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoULxwTaGAU
    Those look great, and I like the idea that you can fold the legs and store them. Thanks!!

  3. #23

    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Palm Harbor, FL
    Posts
    26

    Default Re: Setting up your build shop

    Quote Originally Posted by t j View Post
    EAA work table plans.
    Thank you!! Don't know why I couldn't find this on my own!

  4. #24
    Senior Member Cherrybark's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Near Tyler, TX
    Posts
    509

    Post Re: Setting up your build shop

    I thought about required tools and workshop while working on the project today. You really don't need too many power tools. Here's what came to mind.

    4" x 36" Ryobi Bench Belt Sander
    Grizzly Bench Drill Press
    The aforementioned Dremel with EZ-Loc cutoff wheels
    Two Ryobi 18V drills - one being their Right Angle Drill for a handful of difficult to reach holes
    Drill Doctor
    Drill Index - Huot has a decent set from #0 - #60 - online - only a few sizes are used but nice to have
    Norseman #30 & #40 High Speed Twist Bits - one or two 12-packs of each since your probably ordering online and shipping is a big part of the price.
    3/16 HSS Stainless Chuck Reamer - USA Made. You'll almost certainly break a tooth on the one in the kit.
    This is a great time to update your wrenches and socket sets. Gear Wrench makes some nice combo wrenches with ratcheting box ends.
    Various hand tools but nothing out of the ordinary.
    A pneumatic rivet puller. Astrotools.com PR14 worked well with a very small compressor. Very nice to have when popping the large rivets on the spar lift strut fitting while Hysol is oozing out of the holes.
    A red workshop chair on rollers.
    Harbor Freight has a two sided "parts bin" on rollers that's been handy.
    Harbor Freight again - an assortment of the black, spring clamps including maybe six of the large size.

    For epoxy work:
    Multiple packs of Red Solo cups - cut off 50% to make a mixing cup.
    An inexpensive digital scale for measuring Hysol.
    I'm a big fan of West Marine Epoxy with mixing pumps. Use the slow hardener for good working time. Useful additives are 406 Colloidal Silica for strong bonds and 410 Microlight for easy sanding.
    Nitrile gloves are hard to come by right now so stock up on two or three boxes when you have the opportunity.
    Visit Amazon and buy a set of four pate knives, https://tinyurl.com/y44y6t7t for example. Great for mixing and spreading epoxy. Wipe off with paper towel and alcohol. Someone recommended them to me and they were very useful.

    Another oddity, buy a pair of cheap squeeze bottles - one for alcohol the other for acetone. Writing constantly comes off so now the bottle with the duct tape has acetone.

    The Kitfox tool kit has a couple of items that are very nice to have, including a couple of very long #30 and #40 drill bits you'll need.
    I also bought a dozen or more extra clecos in the two sizes Kitfox supplies

    If you've been wanting a bandsaw, this project is a great excuse to buy one. There are a few times where I've thought how nice it would be to not be making long, slow cuts with the Dremel.

    If you have a jig saw, put it somewhere it won't be found when it's time to cut Acrylic.
    Carl Strange
    Flying
    SS7, 912iS, Oratex, G3X

  5. #25
    Senior Member Delta Whisky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Amissville, VA
    Posts
    637

    Default Re: Setting up your build shop

    My most frequently used tool during the build:
    Tool cart.jpg

    The Harbor Freight aviation roll around tool crib (ARATC). And, keep an eye out for sales and it is a far cry from an AMU.

  6. #26

    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Palm Harbor, FL
    Posts
    26

    Default Re: Setting up your build shop

    Quote Originally Posted by Cherrybark View Post
    I thought about required tools and workshop while working on the project today. You really don't need too many power tools. Here's what came to mind.

    4" x 36" Ryobi Bench Belt Sander
    Grizzly Bench Drill Press
    The aforementioned Dremel with EZ-Loc cutoff wheels
    Two Ryobi 18V drills - one being their Right Angle Drill for a handful of difficult to reach holes
    Drill Doctor
    Drill Index - Huot has a decent set from #0 - #60 - online - only a few sizes are used but nice to have
    Norseman #30 & #40 High Speed Twist Bits - one or two 12-packs of each since your probably ordering online and shipping is a big part of the price.
    3/16 HSS Stainless Chuck Reamer - USA Made. You'll almost certainly break a tooth on the one in the kit.
    This is a great time to update your wrenches and socket sets. Gear Wrench makes some nice combo wrenches with ratcheting box ends.
    Various hand tools but nothing out of the ordinary.
    A pneumatic rivet puller. Astrotools.com PR14 worked well with a very small compressor. Very nice to have when popping the large rivets on the spar lift strut fitting while Hysol is oozing out of the holes.
    A red workshop chair on rollers.
    Harbor Freight has a two sided "parts bin" on rollers that's been handy.
    Harbor Freight again - an assortment of the black, spring clamps including maybe six of the large size.

    For epoxy work:
    Multiple packs of Red Solo cups - cut off 50% to make a mixing cup.
    An inexpensive digital scale for measuring Hysol.
    I'm a big fan of West Marine Epoxy with mixing pumps. Use the slow hardener for good working time. Useful additives are 406 Colloidal Silica for strong bonds and 410 Microlight for easy sanding.
    Nitrile gloves are hard to come by right now so stock up on two or three boxes when you have the opportunity.
    Visit Amazon and buy a set of four pate knives, https://tinyurl.com/y44y6t7t for example. Great for mixing and spreading epoxy. Wipe off with paper towel and alcohol. Someone recommended them to me and they were very useful.

    Another oddity, buy a pair of cheap squeeze bottles - one for alcohol the other for acetone. Writing constantly comes off so now the bottle with the duct tape has acetone.

    The Kitfox tool kit has a couple of items that are very nice to have, including a couple of very long #30 and #40 drill bits you'll need.
    I also bought a dozen or more extra clecos in the two sizes Kitfox supplies

    If you've been wanting a bandsaw, this project is a great excuse to buy one. There are a few times where I've thought how nice it would be to not be making long, slow cuts with the Dremel.

    If you have a jig saw, put it somewhere it won't be found when it's time to cut Acrylic.
    Wow Carl!! Thank you so much for putting this together!! I'll be printing this off to use as a checklist!! Actually, everyone has been incredibly helpful. I have no doubt that I'll be able to get this completed. My plan is for a six month build. I don't work fullk time so I think I'll be able to pull that off with help from my friends and EAA members. Thank you again for the input!!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •