Addition made to all RV tail/empennage kits

[greghughespdx]

We recently made a small addition to every RV tail/empennage kit we ship. We’re now including our OP-51 “Sheet Metal Basics” kit, a small and practical learning exercise that folks can use to practice/develop their skills before jumping into building the actual tail kit. It certainly doesn’t replace our more advanced practice kits like the toolbox, lightbox sign or practice airfoil. In other words, this one ain’t meant to be purdy – It’s practical! Think of it as an extra opportunity to try things before you jump in, if desired. It’s especially good to use for practice in *fixing* mistakes – something we all need to feel confident in. Worried about drilling out and replacing rivets for the first time? Use this little kit to practice and don’t worry about messing it up while you’re learning. We’ve used the “Sheet Metal Basics” kit with STEM educational programs for many years to help kids learn the basic skills, too.

Included is an instruction sheet, aluminum sheet pieces and angle, plus the necessary hardware – the same sort of hardware that is commonly used in building our aircraft kits.

Don't need it? Cool! Use it to teach a kid from your neighborhood how to use the tools and build skills. And be sure to post or send us a photo of you teaching them! Spread the opportunity and help construct the next generation of builders!

You don't have to order a tail kit to get it, by the way. I mean, we certainly would like it if you did. But, if you already have your tail kit it's also available to order online at our web store for the princely sum of $10 plus shipping. You can search for "BAG SHEET METAL BASIC" to find it.

And since history tells us that someone will comment or ask: No, we didn't increase the tail kit prices because of this.

 

[PhatRV]

The two nut plates are invaluable for practice because the first time the nutplates are touched is when you install the elevator trim motor or installing the nutplates on the wing.

 

[Mark Dickens]

Practice kit? What you ought to include in the tail kit is at least 3 trim tab skins!

 

[iwannarv]

Practice kit? What you ought to include in the tail kit is at least 3 trim tab skins!

Little did you know.... That first trim tab WAS the practice kit!

 

[greghughespdx]

Practice kit? What you ought to include in the tail kit is at least 3 trim tab skins!

That’s actually been actively discussed here. And, may or may not be coming in the future.

 

[Mark Dickens]

OK, now you got me started. What I really would like is to get all of the hardware of one type in individual bags instead of having a zillion bags with mixed hardware. In other words, you'd get one bag of all the AN3-5A bolts, one bag with all the AN365-1032 nuts, etc. Individual bags with specialized hardware for specific tasks are great, but why split up all of the commodity hardware. Just send me all of the rivets sorted by size in individual bags so I could just dump them into my parts drawers. I'd think this would be easier for Vans as well. OK, I'm done now

 

[greghughespdx]

OK, now you got me started. What I really would like is to get all of the hardware of one type in individual bags instead of having a zillion bags with mixed hardware. In other words, you'd get one bag of all the AN3-5A bolts, one bag with all the AN365-1032 nuts, etc. Individual bags with specialized hardware for specific tasks are great, but why split up all of the commodity hardware. Just send me all of the rivets sorted by size in individual bags so I could just dump them into my parts drawers. I'd think this would be easier for Vans as well. OK, I'm done now

We may have heard that request before. In my extensive discussions with builders over the past few years, I've discovered that it turns out there are two kinds of people in the world: The people who want their hardware bagged the way it is, and people who want it bagged the way you described. And, the two groups are about equally-sized and -distributed.

For future models we'll be considering that sort of thing and listening to people. On this topic, we certainly have a lot of feedback already.

 

[wcalvert]

Great idea

Greg, you guys and gals are doing a great job supporting our obsession during these difficult times. Without a fuse to work on right now I'd be crawling up the walls!

When I bought my Emp kit, I asked Barb for some practice pieces to play with. She found some more scrap and included it with my kit. After drilling and riveting that pile together I felt ready to start. All down hill from there.

Hopefully more folks pass their money from the stimulus on to Vans.

Keep it up!

 

[greghughespdx]

Keep it up!

We certainly will do what we can!

For my part, if I could get away from all of this "enable-Van's-to-work-remote" slew of work, I'd be working on my RV project... Maybe I shoulda realized when I changed careers and took this job a couple of years ago that I'd have *less* time to work on it! A lot less time, actually!

Everyone enjoy your building time, such as it is, and post pictures everywhere of your progress!

 

[Ferdara]

Greg,
Mine looks a little different.
Ready to start the 14A!
A couple more practice sets to go.
Mark

 

[Kyle Boatright]

We may have heard that request before. In my extensive discussions with builders over the past few years, I've discovered that it turns out there are two kinds of people in the world: The people who want their hardware bagged the way it is, and people who want it bagged the way you described. And, the two groups are about equally-sized and -distributed.

For future models we'll be considering that sort of thing and listening to people. On this topic, we certainly have a lot of feedback already.

Late to the party on this, but I'd think the way Van's bags the hardware is cost additive because of the labor involved. So if half the people like it and half don't, why not help everyone save a nickel along the way and bag all of the like stuff together?

I still don't understand the current (and long term) bagging practice.

 

[JGreen]

OK, now you got me started. What I really would like is to get all of the hardware of one type in individual bags instead of having a zillion bags with mixed hardware. In other words, you'd get one bag of all the AN3-5A bolts, one bag with all the AN365-1032 nuts, etc. Individual bags with specialized hardware for specific tasks are great, but why split up all of the commodity hardware. Just send me all of the rivets sorted by size in individual bags so I could just dump them into my parts drawers. I'd think this would be easier for Vans as well. OK, I'm done now

Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing. I'm about to start my -12iS tail kit and wondering what the best strategy is for separating the bags of mixed fasteners - or if that's overkill in the grand scheme of things. I was thinking/wondering if anyone had done an Excel spreadsheet that could be used to X-reference the specific fastener back to the bag. I might do that for my own sanity and post the spreadsheet back here.

 

[dnimigon]

We certainly will do what we can!

For my part, if I could get away from all of this "enable-Van's-to-work-remote" slew of work, I'd be working on my RV project... Maybe I shoulda realized when I changed careers and took this job a couple of years ago that I'd have *less* time to work on it! A lot less time, actually!

Everyone enjoy your building time, such as it is, and post pictures everywhere of your progress!

Not sure if your the man to complain to but Vans has to put more fragile stickers on items they ship. I’ve complained before about getting parts sent out only to come in a box with the only sticker is my address. Boxes are ripped, dented. Crap gets put on them because the shipper doesn’t know whats in the box. Cant see any reason Vans cant put all kinds of fragile, expensive aircraft parts stickers on them. I’ve had some bent up parts which i fixed but shouldn’t have to worry about this. The Monet we’re spending on these aircraft surely they can make sure stuff arrives unbent. Sorry about ranting for now. The parts assortment bags are another rant which I wont get into.

 

[N804RV]

Not sure if your the man to complain to but Vans has to put more fragile stickers on items they ship. I’ve complained before about getting parts sent out only to come in a box with the only sticker is my address. Boxes are ripped, dented. Crap gets put on them because the shipper doesn’t know whats in the box. Cant see any reason Vans cant put all kinds of fragile, expensive aircraft parts stickers on them. I’ve had some bent up parts which i fixed but shouldn’t have to worry about this. The Monet we’re spending on these aircraft surely they can make sure stuff arrives unbent. Sorry about ranting for now. The parts assortment bags are another rant which I wont get into.

OOPS (aka UPS) views "fragile" stickers on packages the same as bulls-eyes at a rifle range.

Aside from that matter, ------ Holy necro-post! This one seems a little long in the tooth and to have gone pretty far from the OP.

 

[BobTurner]

Not sure if your the man to complain to but Vans has to put more fragile stickers on items they ship. I’ve complained before about getting parts sent out only to come in a box with the only sticker is my address. Boxes are ripped, dented. Crap gets put on them because the shipper doesn’t know whats in the box. Cant see any reason Vans cant put all kinds of fragile, expensive aircraft parts stickers on them. I’ve had some bent up parts which i fixed but shouldn’t have to worry about this. The Monet we’re spending on these aircraft surely they can make sure stuff arrives unbent. Sorry about ranting for now. The parts assortment bags are another rant which I wont get into.

Unfortunately this is a shipper’s problem, not Vans. Fragile sticker or not, any forklift operator should know the forks go under, not thru, the box (happened to me).