lucasrankin8761 wrote:Hello everyone! I am in the process of getting all of the tools I need to build the Waiex-B Tail Kit.
Welcome! The
Sonex Tool List is actually a pretty good one, especially for getting started.
As Bryan said, you'll always want more clecos than you have! Start out with 200 of the sizes that Sonex recommends (you might shop around, you can get clecos from a lot of places and you might find a better deal on a certain size from a certain online source). Over time - especially when you get to the wings - you'll find yourself wanting 400 or more of the common sizes. Just buy them over time and it won't seem like as big of an expense! :P
You'll use more drill bits than they call for, too. Especially #40 bits; they slowly lose their cutting power but every time you switch to a fresh one you'll be reminded how important a sharp #40 is for a fast clean hole. However, for starting out I think 4 to 6 of the #40 and #30 bits should get you through the tail without a problem. I started in 2011 back before the matched-hole parts were available, so you might get away with fewer #40 bits since there's LOTS less of those holes to drill nowadays (I'm so jealous!). For the AN-3 bolts in the tail spars you'll also appreciate 1 of each: #21, #13, and #12 drill bits. Oh, and you'll definitely want a few "Unibits" - AKA "Step Drills". They're exactly what you want for making perfectly round holes in thin material like skins. Using a normal drill bit in thin material will cause distortion and problems once you get up to about a 1/4" bit size - so for anything bigger you're best to start the hole with a #40 and/or #30, then start working up to the proper size with unibits. They also come in handy later on when you need to make holes in Phenolic material.
Also, as Bryan mentioned, you'll definitely want a big flat work table you can use to lay out parts and drill into. There are plenty of plans and options online for these tables that you can build out of 2x4's and MDF/Plywood/Particle Board. Use something thick and solid for the top surface - you want it to maintain its flat shape over time and under the weight of parts on it.
Here's a link to
photos of my original garage/workshop setup. What's pictured is what I thought I needed to start building from scratch, along with a few tools I picked up over the first 2 years of my build. Many photos have a caption explaining what you're looking at. You'll need many of the items pictured, but you won't need all of them and you don't need to buy them all at the beginning. The only thing I'd really recommend against is handing tools/hoses from the ceiling that you see in a couple of my photos. It turned out to be more problematic than helpful. Nowadays I just use the retracting hose reel and call it good. I also don't think that the SKIL brand bandsaw in my photos is that good. I've made it work, but it takes a lot of fiddling and adjusting and has still never cut perfectly straight. Feel free to ask questions about anything you see in those photos! I can tell you the name of the tool, whether I recommend it, and what use I've actually gotten out of it over the course of my build. :-)
Now, onto the Great Drill Debate! This is a time-honored tradition for all homebuilt aircraft forums and meetings, where a new person starts asking for advice. ;) It can get a little cantankerous, but usually is conducted with good intentions...
You
can build a Sonex mostly with a cordless (or corded) electric drill.
And for the tail kit that's a fine way to begin. But keep the following things in mind:
- A (decent) pneumatic drill, while louder, spins lots faster - allowing you to work faster and make cleaner holes
- You'll need an air-compressor anyways, to run your Rivet Gun. Do not think you can pull rivets by hand in any quantity - you'll be seeing a physical therapist before long! :lol:
- A pneumatic riveter (like the Harbor Freight model that we all use) doesn't take much air; but an air drill does. So you can either buy a small compressor now and then buy a bigger one later for your drilling, or you can buy a big one now and be done with it [I have a 33 gallon 1.5HP model and have found it to be noisy, but adequate]. Or you can buy a small one and resolve to use an electric drill for most everything (but see subsequent points)
- Later on in the Sonex build you will find many spots where an electric drill is just too bulky to fit into the space or to drill squarely to the material. A small air drill (such as the ATS 4000RPM Pro Palm Drill) can fit into much smaller spaces and save you time and hassle!
- There is a big difference between cheap ($30 - $80) air drills and mid-level $100 - $200 air-drills like the ATS model I linked to above. The cheap ones are very loud and don't make holes much better than an electric drill. I used cheap ones for a long time and didn't like air drills until I got a good one! There are also really expensive models, like the "Sioux" line of compact air drills, but at ~$400 I don't think the difference in performance or feel justifies the huge price gap between compact mid-level models and the high-end ones. Note that all air drills make enough noise that you'll want hearing protection.
- Running out of charge on an cordless drill and having to stop work is a pain. You can buy extra batteries, but they can be expensive and that money could just as easily be used for a better compressor and/or an air-drill.
- Regardless of what anyone says, you'll wind up using both types of drill to complete your project. ;)
One more tip: If you can, go to an EAA SportAir Workshop on Sheet Metal building. Or, go to a Sonex weekend seminar. Either one will get you hands-on practice with real tools and real material, and is well worth the price! The cost of the class/travel will save you money in replacement parts in the long run - to say nothing of the frustration and fear it'll spare you when in your own workshop the first few times. :D
Good luck, and keep asking questions! Also, don't be shy about using the "Search" box in the upper right corner of the webpage - many of your questions have probably been answered in the past and that wisdom is readily accessible via the Search. 8-)
--Noel
Sonex #1339
Seattle, WA
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2017 11:24 pm