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Van's Practice Kit jigs - 3D printed

x0veN

I'm New Here
I've taken a tremendous amount of value and help from reading these forum topics, today I decided it was time to give back.

I started down the Van's RV-10 build (shop setup, tools, and practice kits so far) and I'm about to order my empennage. While I was doing the Van's practice kits I was searching for 3D printed jigs and I could not find any. So I decided to make my own for the trailing edge drill guide and the trailing edge wedge countersink. Here it is for the taking, enjoy and I hope it helps someone like it has helped me.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4974622

Cheers,

x0veN
 

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That is a nice jig, but I will say, one of the purposes of the practice kits is to teach you how to use the tools and techniques needed to build a plane. The idea here is to learn to do lay-outs and how to use a rivet spacer.
 
That is a nice jig, but I will say, one of the purposes of the practice kits is to teach you how to use the tools and techniques needed to build a plane. The idea here is to learn to do lay-outs and how to use a rivet spacer.

The practice kits are pre-drilled, not sure I understand this comment. This jig is to help you drill at the correct angle and countersink.

In the instructions, I believe it tells you to find a way to prop up the wedge so you can countersink straight. This was me finding the way. ;)

30 thousand yrs ago a man in a cave said I can do that better if I make a tool.

:p
 
The practice kits are pre-drilled, not sure I understand this comment. This jig is to help you drill at the correct angle and countersink.

In the instructions, I believe it tells you to find a way to prop up the wedge so you can countersink straight. This was me finding the way. ;)



:p

It has been years since I did the practice kit. I misunderstood what the jig was for. I recall having to lay-out the rivet spacing on the training edge, but my memory is poor. Since you said it was a drill guide I thought you meant a spacing guide. - Thanks for clarifying.
 
So, in my experience, now with two practice kits, the difficulty with countersinking wedges is 10% perpendicularity, 90% chattering. Also in my experience, the jig (I got the aluminum one from Cleaveland Tool) does not solve the latter problem. The only solution to chattering, and it's not fool proof, is to make sure the piece underneath the wedge has a guide hole where the countersink's tip stays aligned. If anyone else has a different (and less cumbersome) way to address chattering, I would love to see it.
 
I worked on my second "wing" practice kit today, and really focused while countersinking the trailing edge wedge. I used the Cleaveland angle jig. I found slower drill, less pressure, use my fingers to hold the cage so it does not spin and probably most important drill perpendicular to the work, and I had no chatter on the entire wedge this time. Last time I did it a couple of weeks ago, it was a total disaster, This time every hole came out clean.

On a side note, how do I install the two rivets on the ribs closest to the trailing edge???
 
I worked on my second "wing" practice kit today, and really focused while countersinking the trailing edge wedge. I used the Cleaveland angle jig. I found slower drill, less pressure, use my fingers to hold the cage so it does not spin and probably most important drill perpendicular to the work, and I had no chatter on the entire wedge this time. Last time I did it a couple of weeks ago, it was a total disaster, This time every hole came out clean.

On a side note, how do I install the two rivets on the ribs closest to the trailing edge???
Mike will be along with an official welcome, meanwhile . . .

Welcome to Vansairforce!

Use the google search tool for this site. There many methods. Look in the 7-7A forums. I don't understand why vans does not off set these two rivets by a tiny amount. What a PITA.

A shop made wedge for an anvil, or pull rivets of proper spec. Most just use the pull rivets, or is a survey needed?:eek:
 
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