Three boxes arrived in mid March 1999 about two weeks after sending away for the tail kit.  The kit is serial number: 80959.

The quick build kit was ordered on 5/18/99 and picked up at Van's with a U-Haul on 7/27/99.  The wings and control surfaces were very nicely built.  The fuselage quality was fair to good.

The finish kit was ordered 11/20/99.  I also realized that this is the time to install all the systems because the canopy can not go on until the forward top skin is in place.  Once that skin is on, the access is terrible.  The finish kit arrived in the 2/17/00.  Looks like lots of fiberglass work ahead. 

Update 11/14/00 - Was able to construct the canopy and forward baggage door by using lots of clecos to hold the forward top skin in place.  Riveting of this skin will be nearly the last item to do. 

The propellor was ordered in July and will not arrive until December....It showed up in early January.

I ordered the RV empennage tool kit from Cleveland Tools.  Several of the items can be purchased from a local hardware store much more cheaply (pens, ruler, Unibit, snips).  This $600 set of tools is less than half of what is needed to do the empennage.

More tools were needed, right away.  First, a hand squeezer with rivet sets and a 1/8" dimple die (get the 3" yoke).  More clecos, a vixen file, edge and hole deburring tools, an angle measuring device, a plumb bob, long drill bits (#30, and #40), and edge forming tool.  There are many others too....

I ordered a 1" belt sander and a band saw from Harbor Freight Tools.   They are very slow and disorganized, but the tools are cheap to buy.  The band saw took over six weeks and many phone calls before showing up. 

I finished building the vertical stabilizer and rudder while waiting for the band saw to cut the HS-810 and HS-814.  With the band saw these parts can be cut in just a few minutes

So far it is one half of a 20' by 20' two car garage.  I will be building the quick build kit and expect to have to move the car out when wings and fuselage arrive in July. 

Update -- I have been able to complete the entire wing and fuselage kit  in half of the garage including empennage attachment.  I will have to move to the driveway to mount the wings as the span exceeds the garage size by three feet.  What should be mentioned, however, is the wings and tail are in my bedroom and the kitchen cabinet is topped with a pile of finished parts

Update 2/00 -- I was able to fit the wings using the whole garage with one wing in and one wing out.  After drilling the rear spar one wing was removed so the garage could be closed.  Work was finished on the attached wing then the wings were swapped.

Update 10/00 -- Was able to complete the entire project in one half of the garage except for wing fitting as mentioned above.  The final assembly will take place at the airport. 

An old timer at the local EAA Chapter told me the way to finish one of these projects is never to stop working.  He said, if you are waiting for something to finish one job, start another.  These seem to be words of wisdom.  He also wondered how one has time to do a project like this and publish a web page.

Thanks to Rich for bucking rivets and lending me lots of expensive tools. 
(and showing me how to set up a website)

Putting Scotchbright on an electric sander is great for preparing skins for primer.

The deburring tool from Cleveland Tools fits nicely in a hand held electric screwdriver. (easier on the wrist)

The band saw saved a lot of time when cutting the control surface stiffeners.

It is important to leave enough skin on the end of each empennage surface to attach the fiberglass tip.  The instructions only show trimming of tip ribs on the horizontal stabilizer.  I needed more material on all the other surfaces too and wish I had trimmed the tip ribs on all the components.  As a result some of the fiberglass tips had to be trimmed so much that minimum edge distance was not met.  Hopefully the reinforcement strips inside will take care of this shortcoming.  Hindsight is always 20/20.

Part preparation is by far the most tedious part of the construction process.  Edge smoothing and scuffing are the least fun activities.  I am using "Metal Prep" etcher applied from a hand spray bottle and SEM self etching primer.  These products were purchased at an automotive paint store.

Cut the canopy skirt in half.  Use Plexiglas templates for drilling the vertical ribs on canopy skirt.
 

If I had it to do over again I would have:

- Used a two part primer (see painting page: Paint). (10/10/00)  Or maybe just use Rustoleum gray auto primer in $3.97 rattle cans.

- Installed manual elevator trim instead of electric trim.  The cost and complexity of this option is deceiving.  There is the initial additional cost of about $120, seems well worth it.  The hidden costs are: two stick grips $150, Servo relay deck $40, Circuit breaker $12, Wiring and connectors about $20.  There is also the added complexity of having wires running to the moving tail and wiring the control sticks and position indicator.   A better option would be to have a manual trim system that could be reached from both seats.

- Bought more tools from Brown Tool.  They have much better prices for good quality stuff.

- (4/15/01) Installed the radio stack on the left side of the flight instruments.  I have to let go of the stick to manipulate the COMM/GPS.  It would be better to leg go of the throttle.

- Used a tougher paint on the interior. Perhaps auto trunk paint or Imron.