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Thread: Helpful unskilled . . . being polite

  1. #1
    bwilson4web's Avatar
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    Helpful unskilled . . . being polite

    Having sent the check and having a pretty good idea of what I plan to do, someone who has the flying bug all but begged to 'help' . . . and I realized I don't want him anywhere near the parts when I'm doing my work. I trust my own abilities but strangers aren't going to be in the plane when after a whole bunch of testing, I finally push the throttle in for my first flight. I don't want to crush his enthusiasm but it needs to channeled into a safe direction. So I'm thinking disassembly and moving subassemblies around. But every nut and bolt and fixture that will be going up with me . . . will have my finger prints on top.I can relate because I remember the skepticism my offers to help 20 years ago at an EAA chapter got a cold-shoulder, too. There needs to be 'safe' projects for newbies so they get the feeling of what it takes and a chance to do something without putting someone's safety at risk. . . . an interesting problem.Bob Wilson

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    Chad Jensen's Avatar
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    Van's offers two different practice kits that are cheap to buy, a tool box and an airfoil section...'course tools are needed, but that's a good way to get an intro. SportAir Workshops are also another great way to get ones feet wet.
    Chad Jensen
    EAA #755575

  3. #3
    hydroguy2's Avatar
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    I had an issue with a friend who really wanted to help....except he was an accomplished builder and did good work. BUT I wanted to build it myself! I just told him "I appreciate the offer but this is something I need to do for my own self, I'll call you when I need an extra hand."
    It's just one dam job after another

    Brian C.
    Sport Air Racing League http://www.sportairrace.org/
    Race 155

  4. #4

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    Hey Chad...thanks for the tip! I had no idea such a "practice kit" existed, and even though I don't plan to build any time soon, I would love to have this skill.

    I think this is what you were talking about?
    http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/...aining-project

  5. #5
    Chad Jensen's Avatar
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    That's exactly what I'm talking about 'smurf! They also have a tool box training kit...

    http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/...roduct=toolbox
    Chad Jensen
    EAA #755575

  6. #6

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    Another choice is to buy a rudder kit for a WWI airplane replica from Airdrome Aeroplanes - http://www.airdromeaeroplanes.com/ai...orderform.html (tube and gusset - very few tools required) and then grab the Poly-Fiber practice kit, which has enough fabric to cover it.

    If your helper really wants to help, there are two very low impact things they can do:

    1) Organize and lay out the parts and tools required for the task at hand. Then you double check, which gives two eyes on the getting ready process.

    2) Make him your recorder! He gets photography and scribe work for the builder's log.
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

  7. #7
    Chad Jensen's Avatar
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    Excellent ideas Frank! I think I may order a rudder kit for some practice for my Tailwind!
    Chad Jensen
    EAA #755575

  8. #8

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    Careful, though - it's easy to look at the finished rudder to a WWI replica and then want to put the rest of it to go in front of it!

    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

  9. #9
    Chad Jensen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Giger View Post
    Careful, though - it's easy to look at the finished rudder to a WWI replica and then want to put the rest of it to go in front of it!

    I have no doubt that would be the case Frank! I've wanted to build an N11 or N17 for quite some time now, and I'm REALLY interested in your build!
    Chad Jensen
    EAA #755575

  10. #10

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    It's going along swimmingly - should have the cabanes on by the end of the week, and then it's on to wings!

    I thought about running a thread in the Homebuilder's section of the forum detailing the build and the comedy of errors that somehow always works out okay, but don't know if folks would be interested in it.

    I'm really putting to test the advertised blurb that the kit can be put together in the space of a single car garage with common tools.

    A couple examples:

    Tube cutting jig:



    Note the manual aluminum seperation tool next to the electric drill!

    Elaborate jig for placing gussets on the ends of the front cabane struts:



    Work table in Normal Mode:





    So maybe an idea to scare off a helper is to be a bit "rustic" in one's building environment and techniques!
    Last edited by Frank Giger; 10-18-2011 at 02:25 AM.
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

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