Tools - Gotta Have Em!  

This Page shows some, but not all, of the tools I think are most handy to have. I chose table models for the band saw and drill press. They work well with my limited work space.

The band saw is a Craftsman 3 wheel model. I highly recommend it with the addition of a metal cutting blade. It handles the aluminum sheets just fin. It won't handle steel very well. I've used a hack saw for the few steel parts that need cutting.

This little drill press only costs $75 from a mail order place. You can find them in places like Harbor Freight, N.H. Northern and Heartland (God Forbid). It has really made life easier.

This heavy duty Black & Decker drill and the cobalt drill bits are a must when drilling the chrome molly steel frame. Don't mess around with regular drill bits. The extra money spent on cobalt is a good investment. They last a lot longer.

Just an old grinder/wire brush—it's really handy for finishing manufactured parts. I got this along with an air compressor from an estate sale. The previous owner died!

I borrowed this little bubble protractor from a friend. I didn't think it would be very accurate. I was wrong. It works very well for this application. Sears carries the set for about $120.
The SmartTool measures angles to within 0.1 degree accuracy. Although RotorWay doesn't specify this tool but most of the builders I talk to use one. It is manufactured by Macklenberg-Duncan. It is the same tool as their digital protractor except it has a plastic case instead of a mettle one. It's also $100 less expensive. I got this one from the Wicks Aircraft Supply catalog for $92.35.
Every man has to have a Dremel tool; the Mighty Mouse of power tools. Every guy that comes into my shop comments about me having a Dremel tool. This tool with its endless supply of attachments is the envy of any man that doesn't have one. I've used it to grind, drill and cut in some tight places. It's great for cutting the fiberglass body panels when equipped with the right angle head and heavy duty cut off wheel.
These kinds of clamps are indispensable. I use them all the time. I actually have one more that's a Godzilla size. I used it when pulling the tail boom onto the frame mounting brackets.

This is a picture of the HDHMBSH (Handy Dandy Home Made Broom Stick Hone). I wrapped a piece of 150 grit sticky back sand paper around a broom handle. I added popsicle sticks as needed to increase the diameter. It is a little slow but it works great. I used it a couple of times to ream out undersized parts like the foot pedals and the clutch actuator cylinder.