Today I decided to go ahead and try the practice project. There are actually two projects in the Vans Practice Kit - I worked today on the first which is like to two skins and some angle - goal is to mark off 24 holes, drill, debur, dimple and countersink and then rivet together. I also decided to go ahead and try my metal prep by cleaning the aluminum with alumiprep and prepping for primer with alodine and then priming with the AKZO two part primer. The priming worked well, although I think I need an air regulator on the paint gun so I can dial down the air pressure some more, for some reason, the regulator on my compressor shuts off the air at any pressure less than 40psi. Overall the process went pretty smooth, my holes were not lined up as neatly as they should be, and I screwed up a couple rivets, but that was the point of doing this so I can learn what not to do before I start on kit parts. Tomorrow I think I will work on the second practice project which is a small airfoil.
