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Fan Spacer - "The Rest of The Story"

HFS

Well Known Member
Fan spacers, in the new era of pre-punched kits, are really not needed for much anymore but -

In the "old days" all of the holes (for everything) were laid out according to the fan spacer, and the convenience it brought by doing so.

So, I'll add a little bit to the last KP article about their use -

Most people from the Paolithic era probably numbered their spacer's "fingers" to allow them to keep track of the numbers of holes (or spaces) being contemplated over a given distance; but, even more convenient for a spacing callout on the plans was to mark the first few fingers with a scribe mark (with Magic Marker overlay), lining up with the adjacent finger, at a given spacing, i.e. 3/4", 1", 1 1/4", 1 1/2", etc.

When laying out a row of holes for a given spacing callout - simply extend the spacer until the desired scribe mark aligned with the adjacent finger, then fine "tune" the spacing to coordinate with the distance over which the holes would be located.

I'm not sure how many "old school" builders did this - but it did help.

YMMV - But only by a fraction.

HFS
 

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I've seen Dave's work, which is exacting. I suspect he pulls out the fan spacer to check the location of the factory's pre-punched holes, just in case...
 
Old School -

Dan - I am such a dinosaur that I have never built an airplane with pre-punched holes. The RV3b I am currently building is definitely "old school"!

David
 
Dan - I am such a dinosaur that I have never built an airplane with pre-punched holes. The RV3b I am currently building is definitely "old school"!
David

My current project was special ordered without prepunched holes on the fuselage.

Wing skins are prepunched because I'm not modifying them.
 
Even with the modern prepunched kits, I used a rivet fan multiple times during my build. Would recommend to have one in your toolbox.
 
I used one earlier this year… While doing the cowling installation on the RV-15 prototype (it did take a little bit of digging through all of the toolboxes to find it though:rolleyes:)
 
If you think this tool is old when I started building my RV6 I used a piece of marked elastic to space rivets liberated from an old pair of tighty whitey underwear briefs. This was before the fan tool was introduced. I don't think cordless drills were around back then either. No internet either. THE HORROR
 
Thanks

I've read about you old geezers.. in books. The internet doesn't go back that far.
 
Rivet fan

I have one and have used it but find it incredibly annoying that I can measure and layout a set of holes far more accurately. I lay the fan on my markings and the holes are off by enough to make my OCD act up. It sits in the tool box more often than not.
 
I have one and have used it but find it incredibly annoying that I can measure and layout a set of holes far more accurately. I lay the fan on my markings and the holes are off by enough to make my OCD act up. It sits in the tool box more often than not.

I don't know if it has to do with manufacturing tolerances, wear, or what, but mine has been through 9 airplane builds plus several "rebuilds" and I just laid it out with my 24" scale and every hole is dead on!
 
Rocket Bob - Me Too!

A "trick of the trade" back then; but, if you'd check real close you would see that the elastic would not stretch uniformly enough to give accurate, repeatable spacing all the time. At that time it was the only game in town - so we used it!

HFS
 

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I recently used a fan spacer on my RV-14A flap hinge brackets. I marked the end holes, drilled them and used the fan to drill the remaining holes. I saved a lot of time normally spent laying out all of the holes.
 
I recently used a fan spacer on my RV-14A flap hinge brackets. I marked the end holes, drilled them and used the fan to drill the remaining holes. I saved a lot of time normally spent laying out all of the holes.

I do NOT drill through my "fan tool". I just use it to mark the holes.
 
I do NOT drill through my "fan tool". I just use it to mark the holes.

Actually, I do drill through the tool (as mentioned in the reticle that HFS referenced when he started the thread)….but as I mentioned in the artcile, this will eventually wear the tool out. However….so far I have built two Sonex aircraft with the same tool, and it is still within what I call acceptable tolerance. I have a new one sitting in the drawer (that I got at one of the Airventure tool tents) for when my first one is dead.

The thing is - I don’t use it for wing skins, etc - mostly for small parts like control surfaces - so I limit the amount of time the holes have ben drilled through…

Of course, I also use a C-Frame to dimple lots of holes, unlike SOME guys I know who do it all with a puller….. ;). :)
 
Actually, I do drill through the tool (as mentioned in the reticle that HFS referenced when he started the thread)….but as I mentioned in the artcile, this will eventually wear the tool out. However….so far I have built two Sonex aircraft with the same tool, and it is still within what I call acceptable tolerance. I have a new one sitting in the drawer (that I got at one of the Airventure tool tents) for when my first one is dead.
The thing is - I don’t use it for wing skins, etc - mostly for small parts like control surfaces - so I limit the amount of time the holes have ben drilled through…
Of course, I also use a C-Frame to dimple lots of holes, unlike SOME guys I know who do it all with a puller….. ;). :)

Guilty as charged! But you know....I have never dimpled where there wasn't a hole!

BTW, as an aside, the BiPlane project is going to Michigan. It's finally going to get finished.
 
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However….so far I have built two Sonex aircraft with the same tool, and it is still within what I call acceptable

Building a Sonex requires laying out and drilling rivet holes :eek:

I guess I will just have to wait for the RV-15 to have a retirement project :rolleyes:
 
Building a Sonex requires laying out and drilling rivet holes :eek:

I guess I will just have to wait for the RV-15 to have a retirement project :rolleyes:

Come on, be adventurous…build a -3….if for no other reason than to make Ken Scott start to twitch…. ;)
 
My fan came with those markings already stamped on it. I just used it today to layout screws for a new windshield in a friend's Navion. Homebuilder skills and tools really do transfer to the certified world.
 
The fan has been one of my most used tools. Yep, guilty of drilling through it lots of times. Considering that it has slow built all of my 3B the wear isn't too bad.

Russell
 

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I have a fan spacer but I have discovered that the distance between holes is variable, and gets larger (or smaller) as you go along the fan, depending which end you start at.

I guess it's defective. It's within a reasonable tolerance for 4 holes or so, but it's disturbing.
 
I had one of those gadgets and used it once and put it away, never to be used again. I'd measure the distance, figure the hole spacing, and mark they off. Simple reliable, and can be used anywhere.

Dave
 
I have a fan spacer but I have discovered that the distance between holes is variable, and gets larger (or smaller) as you go along the fan, depending which end you start at.

I guess it's defective. It's within a reasonable tolerance for 4 holes or so, but it's disturbing.

The one I have is pretty crappy...the holes do NOT form a straight line when it's extended even a moderate amount. So it's fine for measuring out the spacing, but the few times I used it I marked a line first and then just marked the distance based on the "nearby" holes.
 
The one I have is pretty crappy...the holes do NOT form a straight line when it's extended even a moderate amount. So it's fine for measuring out the spacing, but the few times I used it I marked a line first and then just marked the distance based on the "nearby" holes.

I agree
When I use one I use it to mark spacing only, along a line already established with a straight edge or edge offset marking tool.
 
I agree
When I use one I use it to mark spacing only, along a line already established with a straight edge or edge offset marking tool.

Yep, that's another reason I don't drill through it. I, too, just use it to mark the distance between the holes on a pre-drawn straight line.
 
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