No progress on the plane for a few days here, but I did take the time to do a lot of research into what other people have done during their builds to help with the overall feel and flow of the project. After watching countless videos and reading forums until my eyes glazed over, I have come to two basic conclusions at this time (and yes, only two – ask my wife how long I can research something without making a decision!):
- I’ll be using the Akzo 463 primer to prime all of my parts prior to final assembly. It’s a bit more expensive and involved than the Sherwin Williams product, but a far cry from some of the methods that include rounds of washing and coating. That being said, I will still be doing the appropriate scuffing and cleaning with acetone for a basic surface wash, but will avoid lengthy pre-treatments. I like the properties of the Akzo as well. Mix it up and let it set for a bit and it will hold steady for up to 8 hours giving you plenty of time to get it into the spray hopper of an HVLP sprayer and onto the surfaces of the parts. Once you spray it on it is dry to the touch in just a few minutes (full cure takes a day). Cleanup seems to be no more onerous than anything else. I’ve ordered the first batch of it while I’m out this week for work.
- Pneumatic cleco tool. Getting one. I’ll be honest – this did not exactly require a hard sell on me as I knew I wanted one before I even knew they existed. I haven’t even really gotten into any of the skin attachments yet, which is when I’m led to believe the cleco volume gets real. Real fast. Ordered this guy today too.
I ordered my initial round of tools from Cleveland Aircraft tool and they were pretty good. Not super expensive shipping, complete kit (that I could edit to pick and choose what I did or did not need or where I wanted to upgrade/downgrade tools), and they have wonderful online videos demonstrating the use of some of the more complicated tools that I had never used before. I’m looking at you Mr. Pneumatic Squeezer. I also have used Aircraft Spruce for this order to test them out. I just want to make sure that over the full lifespan of this plane that I know what the service levels are associated with the various vendors and what I can expect. So far – I’m thrilled across the board.
No pictures today – sorry. Then again, I KNOW you don’t want to see a convention center anyways. No planes in it.