Do a Lot of Surfing
Odds are if you are reading this, you have already been to the Van's web
site and their links page. There you will find several realy good builder sites that can help
you gain a good understanding of what is required to construct a Van's RV. Many of these sites contain links to
sites for parts suppliers and other really good resources.
Take a Class
Although I have a mechanical engineering degree from the University of
Michigan and spend a lot of time building things, I had never worked with sheet metal to any great extent. So I
took the sheet metal class offered throught EAA and found it to be very helpful. It gave me a good feel for the tools
that are unique to working with sheet metal. Another option is to find another builder in your area and spend
some time watching/working with them on their airplane.
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| Van's Practice Kit |
Practice, Practice, Practice
It had been a year and a half or so from the time I took the sheet metal
class until the time I purchased my tools. In order to refreash my metal working skills and try out the new tools
I had purchased, I ordered the Van's practice kit and worked on it with my 13 year old daughter. This was very helpful
as it gave me a chance to learn how best to configure and adjust the new tools for the best results. I figure it
will also give me a platform for trying out tools (like a rivet removal tool) prior to using them on the actual kit components.
Find Local Builders.
This is one tip that I have not yet taken advantage of, but I plan to do
so very soon. My goal is to get to know a few local RV builders (and non-RV builders). A couple ways I have
attempted to do this is to join the local EAA Chaper and get the list of local builders from Van's. My local EAA Chapter
(Chapter 186) publishes a great directory of our members, their contact informaiton, and what aircraft they are building,
have built, and/or own.
Get the Baby's Room Ready
This was something that worked out very well for me. As I mentioned
in the Workshop discussion, I took about 12 months to get my workroom put together. This included building a new workbench
and work table along with purchasing several new shop tools. Some builders may already have their workshop and tools
ready to go and may not need to do this. The one benefit I hope to gain from having done this is that I won't need to
stop at some point duirng the plane building process to address these things. It also made my wife happy because it
postponed the actual purchase for another year or so!
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