So today I'm sitting at work, thinking up new ways to get all of your money, when the phone rings:
Van's: Hi, this is [somebody] from Van's Aircraft.
Me: Is this The Call?
Van's: Yes, your quickbuild kit is ready. Send money.
So I wrote the big check for $13,980 (the remaining 75% of the quickbuild cost) and sent it off. I suspect it will probably be sometime in November before the kit gets delivered, so I should have a few weekends yet to get the garage ready.
In the meantime, I need to drill the hole for the hinge bolt through the elevator horns, so I went to the local hardware emporium after work, looking for something I could use as a 1/4" OD, 3/32" ID drill bushing as called for in the plans. No dice. So, I ended up ordering an actual drill bushing from McMaster-Carr for twelve bucks. Kind of steep for a little piece of steel, but I'm sure I'll be able to loan it out to at least one co-worker eventually.
I also ordered some misc low-dollar stuff, including chucking reamers, from Avery while I was on a mini shopping spree.