Builder Resources

Most new builders come to us with two questions: Q1: Looking for tank size/PSI/CFM recommendations that will work well with the tools. Q2:  There are just too many choices out there. I’ve read through the hundreds of opinions on the vansairforce site and everybody has one. I really just want somebody such as yourself to guide me, even if it as simple as the brand. I know I’m going to need to spend $600-$900 on one and I can easily get a 220V outlet in the house. I’m going to be building in the basement (a walkout) and will have...

Sure, some builders just want to "get the thing into the air" but we find that our customers are of a different type. They care about quality of workmanship and the experience of building.  Quality in tools means three things to us: Ease of use, Result produced, Consistency across the build. If these things are paramount and paired with well-honed metal working skills, you'll achieve the hallmark of aviation craftsmanship, smooth skins and oooohs and ahhhhs around the airport. Ease of use We believe that superior tools are a pleasure to use and inferior tools produce only frustration. Let's talk about bucking bars—an...

We believe that superior tools are a pleasure to use and inferior tools are only a frustration. Through teaching builders’ classes we’ve seen that even a novice builder quickly improves and their technique can soon outpace the quality their tools can deliver. Ask any experienced builder; we all have a box full of tools purchased at “bargain” prices that proved to be inadequate for the job. While others might suggest “upgrade options” to nearly every tool they sell—we remain committed to carry only the tools that make the difference—and when you can pick something up locally for less, we’ll say...

You should LOVE the tools you’re using. You’ll be using these tools for hours at a time for several years on a project that’s costing you tens of thousands of dollars. Good tools account for about 5% of the total cost of your project. When “saving” on cheaper tools, remember that 90% of the cost of a project is your time. We often hear, “I wasted so much time with XYZ-tool! Yours works like a dream!” Get a buddy who’s done it before. People who have built an airplane before have been through the exciting and sometimes frustrating step of...