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Articles by Larry Larson
Homemade Open-End Wrench
Anyone who knows me is familiar with my love of homemade tools. It comes from my dad. He was a blacksmith in my youth, and I often stood watching him make tools. I’ve made quite a few, too. Links are on my blog. Today I needed a 45° offset 7/16-inch open-end wrench. I just couldn’t bring myself to buy one for $8 to cut and bend it. Since I have tons of woodworking flat paddle bits from my father-in-law, it was the perfect stock. I found a 7/8-inch paddle bit with a broken tip. Perfect.
Fitting an RV-7A Cowl
We ended Part 2 by fine-tuning the edge of the top cowl where it meets the firewall. You want the cowl to butt right up to the firewall edge. Once you’re satisfied with the fit, it’s time to start drilling holes for the Skybolt fasteners. A complete set of Skybolt components for a side-by-side RV cowling. Step 1 Light showing through the cowl, indicating the location of the hole in the temporary flange. Inventory the Skybolt kit to become familiar with each of the parts.
Fitting an RV-7A Cowl
In Part 1, we built David Howe’s EZ-COWL jig and installed it on the crankshaft. The jig helps determine the correct location for the front of the cowl. It ensures we will have a uniform spinner-to-cowl gap and that the cowl will be aligned to the center of the crankshaft. With the jig in place, it’s time to put the two halves of the cowl together and begin fitting them to the forward fuselage. Step 1 Level the airframe both ways. The cowl split line should be aligned to the airframe.
Classic roadster showdown: Alfa Romeo Spider vs. Triumph TR6
The dream remains a common one: wind in the hair, throaty exhaust, a pinch of chrome. European machines have defined the roadster genre for decades, cementing motoring memories for enthusiasts young and old. They’re the cars good enough for hometown heroes and Hollywood heartthrobs alike. Many of our most beloved roadsters are products of the ’60s and ’70s, with most hailing from two countries: England and Italy.
Fitting an RV-7A Cowl
Time to start the Cowl? It’s one of the biggest milestones and ranks right up there with the canopy. Don’t fret. There are tips and tricks to make it a little less painful. My mentor, Dave Paule, tipped me off to a neat jig designed by David Howe. David fabricates a bunch of cool RV gadgets, and his EZ-COWL jig is a very useful tool. It functions as an extension of the engine crankshaft, making it easy to set up the cowl perfectly aligned on the engine thrust line.
Tip Tips - KITPLANES
Here we go again. If you’ve read my previous articles you probably already know more about fiberglass and paint than you ever wanted. Granted, I don’t know much, so the proverbial thimble filled up fast. No need to bore you with reruns. Control surface tips can be done a few different ways. Some builders simply rivet them on and leave the dressing to the paint shop. Some prefer to fiberglass the joint so the rivets and joint don’t show. I took another approach. My plan is to vinyl wrap the airplane.
It's a Wrap! - KITPLANES
Time for the instrument panel? You have dreamed of that panel every day since you started building. Now it’s time to turn that piece of aluminum into a finished panel. There are so many options. One option is to farm out the entire project. SteinAir produces works of art. Just give them a list of what you want, and they’ll send you a fully operational panel worthy of display in an art museum. However, you want to grow your own. This is Experimental aviation after all, and that’s why we do this.
Easy Slider: Part 3
In Part 2 we applied the last coat of primer and fixed any flaws. After wet sanding with 800-grit and one last cleaning, we’re ready to spray the final coat of paint. Kirker Ultra-Glo Single-Stage Urethane is my paint of choice. Of course, you’ll need a few other items besides the paint itself.
Easy Slider: Part 2
In Part 1 we fabricated the canopy skirt and windshield fairing from fiberglass and trimmed them to final size—but that doesn’t mean the parts are finally done. It takes a lot of filling and sanding to make fiberglass components look pretty. So let’s get started by making some sanding blocks. Rip four pieces of plywood 2-3/4 x 17 inches. Also make four 2-3/4 x 6-inch pieces. Cut and drill sections of aluminum angle and screw them to the less-smooth side of all the boards.
Easy Slider - KITPLANES
Let me guess. You have a beautiful Sikaflexed canopy and those pesky aluminum skirts aren’t even close to fitting. Now you’re thinking about a one-piece fiberglass skirt. What? Are you nuts? Fiberglass canopy skirt? One piece? OMG! Yes, it can be done. It’s actually easy. My canopy was a tad proud at the rear. Too much junk in the trunk, I guess. That meant those aluminum skirt pieces were not going to conform to the shape without an English wheel and skills I do not possess.
Sikaflex Canopy Bond
Tips for making The Big Cut and bonding a canopy. To continue reading you must be a paid subscriber Subscribe to Kitplanes KITPLANES – The Independent Voice for Homebuilt Aviation KITPLANES® magazine is the world’s #1 homebuilt aviation magazine. Written exclusively for enthusiasts like you, our editors pack each issue with need-to-know information on building, flying, designing and maintaining your own amateur-built category manned aircraft. Subscribe Today Airshow coverage sponsor:
Rivet Gun Punch
This one came in handy. If you’re like me, you make lots of mistakes and need to remove lots of rivets. The problem is punching out rivets on the airframe. You can’t use a vise to hold the backing tool or bar. One hand has to hold the backing tool. Then you need two more hands for the punch and hammer. Last count I only have two hands. Sweetie has been my helper, but today she was busy and as they say, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” I made the backing bars in the photo some time ago.
Cleco Pads
I recently painted the glareshield section of the top forward fuselage skin before gluing the canopy. Lots of work was invested, and I didn’t want it scratched when inserting and removing Clecoes. Aircraft Spruce sells “No-Mar” Reusable Cleco Boots in packs of 25 for $10.70, but there are close to 200 holes just in the glareshield area. Yeow! Here’s a cheap alternative. Go to the aviation isle at the local store and pick up a box of reinforcement labels. Super cheap.
Fine Line Paint Masking
Masking curved lines can be an exercise in frustration. Most tape will not bend without forming a crease. Multiple strips don’t work because they leak or leave a jagged line. 3M Fine Line Masking Tape works great, but it’s pricey. Here’s a cheap solution. Harbor Freight sells a pack of 10 rolls of electrical tape for $5.99. Talk about cheap paint masking tape! Black electrical tape is great for masking nice sharp lines, but it doesn’t bend to mask sharp radius bends like a fine-line masking tape.
Shop Tip
Often we have both hands busy holding a part and need two more hands to position a clamp and hold the wood pads in place before tightening the clamp. This can be really frustrating if, like me, you build alone. Permanent padded clamps are what we need. I’m sure such a thing exists but where’s the fun in that? Cut a section of black Gorilla tape big enough to cover both the frame and the screw. Cut the piece in half and place it in the clamp with the sticky sides opposite each other.
Oil Recycling
We all try our best to recycle and protect the environment. We haul waste oil to a recycle facility, pour fresh oil into our baby, then toss those empty bottles into the recycle bin. I’m sure, like me, you try to drain every last drop before the next one, but time is the enemy. We want the job done so we can go fly, but there are a lot of drops left in those empty oil containers. Well, here’s a simple solution. Don’t try to get every last drop. Save all the containers. Put the lids back on.
Paint Masking
We’ve all seen those commercials for painter’s tape. They make masking look so easy, but it seems every time I use the stuff, it leaks. Such was the problem recently while trying to Alodine the exterior of my RV-7A. Chemicals leaked everywhere. I needed a better tape. I can’t claim to be the first to use electrical tape to mask parts, but this idea really made things easier. Electrical tape is expensive, but for this use the Harbor Freight 10-roll pack for $5 is perfect.
Riveting with Mirrors
Sometimes we have to drive rivets in blind spots like under a longeron or behind a bulkhead. This trick has helped me many times to locate a rivet in a hole, align the bucking bar, and look at the finished shop head. Place a mirror in a stable location so the reflection you see is the work area. Use a shim to tilt it if necessary. Get creative with tape and shims to set the mirror where you get a good view. As they say, “A picture is worth 1000 words.” I think the photo explains it well.
Home Brew Bucking Bars
I’ve run into situations many times where a bar with a hole for a die would be so handy. It can be used to hold a die to back rivet universal rivets, hold a dimple die, or back up parts when driving out drilled rivet tails. It turns out a 3/16-inch reamed hole is perfect for dies, and the hole fits over most rivet shop heads. So here’s the project for today: You’ll need a piece of 1-inch cold rolled steel bar.
Lightweight D-Sub Connectors
Working on wiring recently, I became concerned about the weight of all the D-subminiature connectors, so I weighed a pair of D-sub shells: 26 grams just in the two shells with thumbscrews. That doesn’t include the D-subs themselves or pins since they get used anyway. Shells can go away, but how do I secure the two D-subs? There are lots of lightweight solutions available. 1. One trick is a pair of zip ties in an “X” pattern. Problem is, I hate zip ties.
Alodine Sluice
Alodine is an excellent corrosion inhibitor plus it adds zero weight. I should have Alodined before assembly but didn’t care for the chemicals. AlumiPrep and Alodine are not environmentally friendly and handling the chemicals is always a concern. However, they are the best choice for a vinyl-wrapped plane. So the question is, how do you capture the chemicals and rinse water? The answer is a sluice. Four pieces of conduit are attached to the door track supports with wire S-hook planter hangers.
Nitrile Gloves
If you’re like me, you work on lots of things other than airplanes, and it seems like all of them are dirty. From changing oil to painting, it seems like it all makes your hands filthy. I’ve grown to appreciate using nitrile gloves, but like others, my hands sweat inside, the gloves tear, and putting on a fresh pair can be an exercise in futility. This is one of my daily life hacks: Quietly sneak into your spouse’s pantry and borrow (steal) the corn starch. Dump a teaspoon full into your open hand.
Thin-Wall Close-Quarters Sockets
Don’t you hate it when the nut is so close to a rivet or part, there’s just no way to get a socket or wrench on it? Today was one of those days, and I was determined to beat that bear. A thin-wall socket would be perfect, but who wants to grind up an expensive Snap-on or Craftsman socket? So, where to find a cheapo socket… Harbor Freight? Yeah, but it’s too far away. Same for all the big-box stores. Besides, there’s just something horribly wrong with grinding up a $5 socket.
Labeling
As builders, we often have a pile of parts to turn into something resembling a flying machine. The pile often contains dozens of similar, if not exactly matching, parts. Every part has to end up in the exact location intended. Labeling is important, but what to do about part prep, priming, and painting? How do we label so they make sense, and how do we protect the label so it’s visible after paint? Here’s my solution.
Dimple Tokens
Sooner or later a part will need to be countersunk for a dimple. Fast metal airplanes have tons of them. The problem is getting the depth perfect for the various thicknesses of material and dimple sizes. Multiple countersink cages help. The most common sizes can be left preset, but it’s still a good idea to test and check fit. You could drill a hole in scrap, countersink, then hold it up against the dimpled part, but why not make life easier? Dimple tokens are the answer.
Priming Tubes
Sometimes the bear gets you. Sometimes you get the bear. Today, I got the bear. Almost every airplane has a tube or weldment, and often they need to be primed inside. If you’re like me, you struggle with sealing the end and, inevitably, more primer ends up on the floor than inside the tube. I’ve tried all sorts of plugs and tape with questionable results. My shop floor is evidence to my failure. Most of us have a box of nitrile gloves. Turns out they work for more than keeping your hands clean.
Back Riveting Universal Rivets
We’ve all had one of those parts to rivet. The squeezer won’t fit, so it has to be the gun and bar, but it’s light or an odd shape. Holding it while driving with a gun and holding the bar in the other hand is sure to result in less-than-perfect rivets, smileys, dents, etc. You have two hands, but need one more. The part could be clamped, but it’s thin and damage is always a danger. I learned this trick riveting ribs to a spar. This photo shows a seat floor.
Right-Angle Deburring Tool
Most of us have a threaded drill kit. Mine has an assortment of common bits like #40, 1/8 inch, etc. It also has a mini chuck and an extension. All the components are threaded 1/4-28. Most of us also have a speed deburring tool with an extension. It’s also threaded 1/4-28. Hmm. I see a pattern here. Recently, I was deburring the longerons and really needed a right-angle deburring tool to save my back. Necessity is the mother of invention, they say.
Non-Marring Fluting Pliers
Are your fluting pliers leaving scratches in the aluminum? Here's an easy and quick fix. Cut three pieces of shrink-wrap. Place one on each pin. Heat until they shrink nice and tight. Cut the ends. Heat again and press the ends with a piece of wood to make them round. Airshow coverage sponsor: Previous articleAlphabet Soup Larry is a humble Van’s RV-7A builder and a PPSEL pilot for 14 years. His goal is finishing his pride and joy, Lucy , and helping others with their projects.
Organizing Rivets
We all have the same problem: Organization eludes us. It can be a nightmare when we start driving rivets. Sometimes you have several sizes of rivets spread out on the bench. What always seems to happen next? They get mixed up, and you can’t tell which is a 3.5 or 4 in length. Paul Killeen suggested storing rivets in clear water bottles on VansAirForce.net. If you knock one over with the cap off, most of the rivets will stay in the bottle. I took his idea one step further.
Temporary Downdraft Paint Booth
The complete assembled paint booth. The 90-degree dryer vent connects to the board that goes under the garage door. It gets cold in the mountains of Colorado. Often the temperature is too cold to spray paint or primer outside. I didn’t want to build a dedicated paint booth for the few times when priming and temperature didn’t coexist, so here’s my temporary downdraft paint table. Approximate cost was about $50. Instructions 1. Cut a 4-inch hole in a long board.
Eliminating Egg-Shaped Holes
Quarter-inch pilot bits in hole saws have a tendency to enlarge the pilot hole as they cut. The result is an egg-shaped hole because the pilot bit wanders. Fortunately, the solution is simple. 1. Cut a piece of 1/4-inch steel rod. Grind or file a flat where the set screw will land. The flat keeps the pilot from rotating in the cutter. 2. Cut a piece of plywood or hardwood. Drill a hole and enlarge it to 1/4 inch with a reamer. The reamer leaves a perfectly round hole to the correct dimension.
Riveting Aileron Skins
I was assembling the ailerons for my RV-7A and reached a point where I needed to rivet the leading and trailing edge skins to the top of the spar. The manual gets really brief at this stage, and this is one of those steps that caused me to do some head-scratching. I’m sure there might be another way to accomplish this task, but I thought this solution was pretty creative and it worked for me.
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