RivetBangers.com

Painless stopped in tonight while he was in the area on a business trip. It was a great visit. I had been looking forward to it all day.



I think the world of Jeff. He has been terrific inspiration and has been quite an encouragement for me as I learn to build my 8A. His visit also gave me an opportunity to get some information from a builder who has finished his own airplane, a beautiful RV6A.

Everything was going well until he started noticing some things about my kit that were different from his 6. The prefab spar, pre-punched holes...his whole attitude started to change.

We had a close call as he kinda freaked out when he learned Van's was now prepunching the kits. He started mumbling something to me about being a "cheater" and calling me an "erector-set builder." Then things started to get ugly.


























Thanks to a quick response from the sheriff's department, and after a couple of tense hours with the hostage negotiation team, all turned out OK. I got my saws-all back and Jeff is getting the help he needs. The doctors at the county mental health unit released him with strict orders to fly his RV6A on at least a weekly basis. His wife has been instructed to hide his rivet fan spacer to prevent him from having any flash backs to this incident.

I guess the lesson here is DON'T ASSUME the RV6 builder you let in your shop knows about pre-punched kits. Some of these guys have been busy building those great 6's for years and have not necessarily kept up to date on the newer kits.

I blame myself.

Jeff is welcome in my shop any time, though I will keep cutting tools locked up and out of the assembly area.


We should all keep him in our thoughts during this difficult time.






(OK, That is my story/caption for the photo...feel free to add your own.)

Thanks again Painless for all the encouragement. Thanks too to Spike and Patti for bringing us together and allowing me the opportunity to make such good friends.

Work safely everyone.


CD

good job talking him down.

Early builders should be watched closely. I have a friend who claims he had to mine the bauxite and then roll the AL into sheets.

Hahaha,

That is exactly the same way I get treated by my Buddy Bill H. when he sees my pproject. With Bill having his -6 almost completely finished except for the inspection and a few VERY minor details, he wonders why my -7 isn't DONE YET!

Jeff, I know... we got it easy. Back in your day you had to walk to scholl UPHILL BOTH WAYS!

CD, you should be done by now. ME TOO!

CJ

He didn't know that Van's' kits are now pre-punched.

Did you tell him that Lindbergh made it to Paris?

RVNewsletter wrote:
Did you tell him that Lindbergh made it to Paris?

He DID???!!!


Was great to check out Eric's progress. As I expected, the quality of his work is outstanding. He also has a shop to die for.

Regarding the second picture,I was just showing Eric how to cut lightening holes in his spar... Honest!

That looks like a dentist's touch.

RVNewsletter wrote:That looks like a dentist's touch.

Just applying what I learned from the ACME School of dentistry and auto repair.......

Alternatively you could just say you were smart enough to wait for the pre-punched kits to come out

I have a friend who is still building his 6. When he first saw my emp kit he almost fainted, and then in an excited manor exclaimed that he could build my tail kit in a month ...