It is almost Christmas time! :)

Received the magic email yesterday letting me know that my empennage/tail cone kit have shipped!

Primer wars!

 I do plan on priming all the internal surfaces of the RV-12IS.  I primed the RV-7 with several different kinds of products.  Everything from waterborne to self etching rattle can.  For the RV-10 it was all 2 part AKZO which is likely the best there is for the job.

That being said, I am looking for something safer to use for this project.  Easy clean up is a plus.  Therefore I have chosen to start the build by using Stewart System's 2 part EkoPoxy product.  This product is minimally hazardous and uses waterborne technology.  It has become well proven over the past several years and should serve my needs perfectly.

I picked the Zinc Chromate Green variant of their product since it should match the self etching rattle can color well enough for the occasional parts that I might use that on.  Disregard the color on these pics.

As for prep, I will be using the etch and scuff with maroon Scotchbrite pad method.  No hazardous Alodine will be used.

For the occasional random parts I will use self etching rattle can primer.  This stuff is my favorite:

Can’t have too many tools!

Been acquiring a few tools that I will be needing....

First off is you need a way to pull all the bazillion blind rivets and I am not about to do that with a manual puller!  Seems everyone goes for the el-cheapo Harbor Freight unit.  So did I!

Also added a 120° #30 pilot countersink bit from Cleaveland Tool:

Went ahead and picked up another 3M Scotchbrite Wheel so I can have one on both sides of my grinder.  These things are critical in my opinion in doing a good deburring job as easily as possible.  They are not cheap but are worth it!

Also refreshed my stock on the 1" versions of these that run on a die grinder.  Got these from Cleaveland Tool:

And last but not least, I picked up 200 more 1/8" Clecos.  You can't ever have too many.  I had 350 from my RV-7 and RV-10 builds so now I have 550!  Got these from Van's.

So I don't want to list a bunch of stuff about my tools since I have A LOT of them from my RV-7 and RV-10 builds.  You can find a bunch of info here where I posted about some of them during the RV-10 build:  Brantel's Tools

Ordered wings and fuselage kits!

So due to the lead times on kits, I just went ahead and ordered the wings and fuselage in addition to the tail cone/empennage.

Not like I will see them anytime soon but might as well get in line....

Empennage/Tail Cone Kit Ordered!

 Well here we go again!  Order has been placed for the empennage/tail cone kit!  Guess I better get started cleaning up the garage!