Skybolt Construction Tools

This page was updated on 10/04/2008
Welcome to my Skybolt Tools page. The tools that I have acquired are by no means the only or even the best way to go, but I like them and they work well for me, so maybe they will work for you too. As usual, I hope that you Skybolt builders out there find this page interesting and useful. Smooth Landings, Capt Al Click on the images to enlarge them.
Since I started on the wing ribs first, I'll show my humble woodworking tools. My trusty bandsaw is a tabletop Ryobi that I got from Home Depot for $99. I cut all 1400+ gussets by stacking the 1/16" ply in 1" stacks, taping them together and cutting them out 16 at a time. It wasn't as tedious as you might think.
I normally use this little 4" table saw from Harbor Freight ($49) for building my R/C model planes but boy it sure came in handy for cutting all the 1/4" square spruce to length for the ribs.
Another $49 tool from Harbor Freight that I requisitioned from my hobby shop. This little 6" Delta sander is perfect for beveling the +-600 sticks for your ribs. Only took me about 4 hours to do them all. And they all fit perfect. Sure saved a ton of money over buying the wing rib kit.
For an oxy-acetylene outfit, I bought the Cavalier torch from Aircraft Spruce. It's small and light enough for the job. Even though 99.9% of my welding is using TIG, I still need the torch for heating/bending and an occasional weld in a tight spot that I can't easily get to with the TIG torch.
This is my TIG setup. It's a Lincoln Precision TIG 185 that I bought after taking a welding demo course in the Lincoln tent at Sun N Fun in Lakeland. After welding with oxy-acetylene, I couldn't believe how smooth, accurate, and clean the TIG process was. A little pricey, but I think it's worth it to consistently have perfect welds that look like a stack of dimes. I called Steen Aerolab and Jim Kimball's factory building the Pitts Model 12 and they use TIG exclusively on their airframes, so that was good enough for me.
I got this cheepy metal-cutting bandsaw at Harbor Freight on sale for $149. I've done some test cuts in 1/8" steel including building my welding table and so far so good. For successful cutting, throw out the blade that comes with it, buy a fine tooth Starret blade available from MSC Tools, tighten the blade as tight as you can get it, and you will have no problems with the blade jumping off or chipping teeth.
This is the welding table that I built from $75 worth of materials from the local steel supply shop. A necessity for welding the steel fittings.
Here is my Dewalt chop-saw. A neat Christmas present from my gorgeous wife. Did I tell you I have the best wife in the world?
I guess this fits into the 'tool' category, my 2- 8' tables built from $150 worth of 2x4's, 1x4's, and MDF, courtesy of Home Depot. First project on these tables will be the empennage. A wise old friend of mine who built 3 Pitts S-1's back in the 1970's advised me to start my welding of the 4130 on the tail-feathers first. If I really screw up a piece of tubing, at least it's a short piece and not as costly. Also, my welding skills will be improved by the time I start on the fuselage.
For notching the tubing, I went for the Accu-Jigger available from Aircraft Spruce or www.AccuJigger.com. It's extremely accurate, allowing you to notch one side of the tubing and then, without unclamping it, spinning the tubing 180 degrees to notch the other side. This makes tubing fits in clusters very close and fast, which is important for TIG welding.
Another great deal from Harbor Freight, 100' of 120 grit emery cloth for $2. Just tear off an 18" piece and clean up the ends of your tubing just prior to welding.
The Industrial Supply Store (see my Links page) sells these Bahco holesaws. Made in the U.K., they are tough, run true, have fairly fine teeth, they are 1/2 the price of the holesaws at Home Depot (average $3.20), and shipping is FREE! I got 4 of each size, 5/8" - 11/8", but I haven't broken a tooth yet, so I might have extras.
My 4.5" Black & Decker grinder sure comes in handy for almost all metal grinding jobs and saves a lot of filing. It's light and easy to handle. I don't know if they make it anymore, this one is about 20 years old.
I got this 12" sander from Harbor Freight for just $129.00. It works great and takes down steel like it's balsa wood. Just don't order one online. My first sander came with the cast iron leg broken off. Harbor Freight took it back but wouldn't reimburse me for the $20 shipping! That's right, I had nothing and it cost me $20! I got this one at the Harbor Freight store and inspected it before I left the store.
A drill press is mandatory for accurate drilling. This Ryobi tabletop model is available at Home Depot for $99.
A cutoff tool and a die grinder really save a lot of work. These air tools are available at Harbor Freight and cost about $15. They work great. Be sure to squirt oil (I like Marvel Mystery Oil) in the air inlet after you use them for the day.
I have put 100's of hours on this old Craftsman bench grinder that I have had for 30 years. The wheel on the right is for sharpening my TIG tungstens.
This brake cylinder hone from Discount Auto Parts did a good job of honing out the control torque tube mounts after I welded them.
This circle template sure comes in handy when laying out all the little parts you have to make.
The digital calipers are from Harbor Freight for $16 and work perfect, the decimal/inch tape measure comes form Aircraft Spruce and the 6 inch decimal/inch/millimeter steel rule came from Office Depot.
So far, I have used these 3 carbide reamers, 1/4, 7/16, and 3/8.
I got the idea for this portable workstand from one of Tony Bignelis' books. I have my chop saw, 12" sander, and bench grinder mounted on it and it is terrific. It allows me to put these tools in a convenient location in the shop and rotate the tools when I am cutting or grinding long pieces. The castors all lock, firmly holding the stand in place. That's my scrap metal bin inside.