I am relatively new to the Vans community, but I have been monitoring the forum for many years. You see, my father has built an RV-10, and I participated in very small pieces of the build throughout the years. He is an A&P, and I am a professional pilot. I have had the pleasure of flying the airplane and realizing how excellent the machinery/engineering is that Vans Produces. During this process, I learned to "enjoy the build" and every aspect of it, from the research to the decisions and the physical/mental part of the construction of the kit. I mention this because, all too often, the kit manufacturer gets all the glory. However, we must remember the companies that contribute to the overall completion and success of the build and enhance the original product.
Most everyone knows that "you get what you pay for" regarding tools. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how skilled you are; when you work with a subpar tool, you often get subpar results. I have had the absolute pleasure of working with Cleaveland Aircraft Tools since about September 2023. Most of the more significant tools I could use were my father's; however, I purchased a large subset of things for the build on my own. Of course, Cleaveland is KNOWN for their dimple dies. I wanted my own die set, so this was one of many things I purchased from them. When they arrived, I was eager to start using them and compare them to the old ones I had.
I was excited because this is something subtle in the build that has to be done so many times over, and it comes back to my theory: you get what you pay for. Unfortunately, the dies didn't live up to my expectations! I immediately called and emailed CAT, shared videos and pictures, and started a discussion regarding the dies. This made me a true believer in who CAT is at the core. They are one of the few left "stand up" companies willing to do whatever it takes to make customers happy and come through on what they promise. Blake (the new owner of CAT) agreed that the quality wasn't at the level it should have been. He took the time to explain all the difficulties they faced in manufacturing and expressed pride in their supplier's workmanship. They spent so much time with me explaining what they were doing to correct the issue (changing manufacturing suppliers), followed up with phone calls and emails, and kept me in the loop throughout the process. WAY OVER and beyond what you would expect for a $50.00 part. Eventually, a few months later, he came through on his promise and shipped me new dies. They are beautiful tools, meticulously manufactured and polished by a new vendor who takes the pride needed to get the quality they always had when Mike used to make them in-house.
I am proud to say that the new dies live up to the CAT's promise to produce the best ones in the industry. Blake's attention to his customers, communication throughout the problem, and knowledge of the subject matter have made me a lifetime customer. I will support CAT throughout my build because he is the type of business that is a pleasure to do business with. You know your money will go to a good family and person, and you will also receive some of the best tools on the market.
BIG Shout out to CAT for being the company it is and supporting a vast and growing community of airplane builders across the globe. CAT has struggled throughout the VANS bankruptcy, as many of you know, so if you are thinking of getting some tools, please give them a shot. You won't be disappointed!
Most everyone knows that "you get what you pay for" regarding tools. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how skilled you are; when you work with a subpar tool, you often get subpar results. I have had the absolute pleasure of working with Cleaveland Aircraft Tools since about September 2023. Most of the more significant tools I could use were my father's; however, I purchased a large subset of things for the build on my own. Of course, Cleaveland is KNOWN for their dimple dies. I wanted my own die set, so this was one of many things I purchased from them. When they arrived, I was eager to start using them and compare them to the old ones I had.
I was excited because this is something subtle in the build that has to be done so many times over, and it comes back to my theory: you get what you pay for. Unfortunately, the dies didn't live up to my expectations! I immediately called and emailed CAT, shared videos and pictures, and started a discussion regarding the dies. This made me a true believer in who CAT is at the core. They are one of the few left "stand up" companies willing to do whatever it takes to make customers happy and come through on what they promise. Blake (the new owner of CAT) agreed that the quality wasn't at the level it should have been. He took the time to explain all the difficulties they faced in manufacturing and expressed pride in their supplier's workmanship. They spent so much time with me explaining what they were doing to correct the issue (changing manufacturing suppliers), followed up with phone calls and emails, and kept me in the loop throughout the process. WAY OVER and beyond what you would expect for a $50.00 part. Eventually, a few months later, he came through on his promise and shipped me new dies. They are beautiful tools, meticulously manufactured and polished by a new vendor who takes the pride needed to get the quality they always had when Mike used to make them in-house.
I am proud to say that the new dies live up to the CAT's promise to produce the best ones in the industry. Blake's attention to his customers, communication throughout the problem, and knowledge of the subject matter have made me a lifetime customer. I will support CAT throughout my build because he is the type of business that is a pleasure to do business with. You know your money will go to a good family and person, and you will also receive some of the best tools on the market.
BIG Shout out to CAT for being the company it is and supporting a vast and growing community of airplane builders across the globe. CAT has struggled throughout the VANS bankruptcy, as many of you know, so if you are thinking of getting some tools, please give them a shot. You won't be disappointed!
