Bob Fritz
KITPLANES readers will remember Bob Fritz (1947-2011) for his acclaimed Home Machinist series, but his accomplishments go well beyond that long-running feature. Following a stint in the U.S. Navy, Bob put his degree in mechanical engineering to use and was a tireless advocate for effective and consistent quality control. He brought that discipline to his work for KITPLANES. An avid diver and motorcyclist, Bob's love of flying was a surprise to no one.
Tapping Heads
The tapping head has a lot to commend it for the home machinist who is trying to add efficiency and consistency to tapping tasks.
The Home Machinist
Bob Fritz visited the TechShop workshop in Menlo Park, California, and got to play with lots of big, shiny toys that any homebuilder would covet.
The Home Machinist
Home Machinist Bob Fritz had been looking for a way to compare the effectiveness of various screw extractors he had accumulated in his toolbox, and he found a willing test subject in a Cessna 170s 60-year-old gas tank.
The Home Machinist
Bob Fritz is back from a long hiatus with a discussion about the difference between screws and bolts and what all of those ASME numbers mean.
To Launch a Light Sport
After a disappointing postponement of the first flight, the Jabiru J250 takes to the skies for real. By Bob Fritz.
To Launch a Light Sport
After being hauled on a trailer down a winding mountain road, the Jabiru J250 unintentionally has its first short flight (at the airport). By Bob Fritz.
Cut the Can, Man
Inspecting your filter after an oil change is a good idea, but what tool is best for opening the can? Bob Fritz tests the gamut of oil filter cutters so that you don't have to.
To Launch a Light Sport
Bob Fritz uses a couple of HVLP paint guns in preparation for painting his Jabiru J250. Which one is the top gun?
The Home Machinist
All tapped out? Bob Fritz lets you in on his secrets for retrieving broken, over-torqued and stripped screw heads.
Are All Battery Chargers Alike?
Bob Fritz tests battery chargers and desulfation systems, and finds its easier to keep a battery in good shape than to raise it from the dead—and that a good charger is a better bet than a new battery.
In Case You Missed It
Lightweight Stepladder
I affectionately refer to my Jabiru light-sport as being a “low high-wing” airplane. This...
Maintenance Matters
Damage to aircraft aluminum can be handled in one of two ways: repair or replace. Steve Ells explains what to consider when making this decision and asks three well-known kit manufacturers what they would recommend.
The Home Machinist
Phillips? Flat head? Double blade? Bob Fritz clears up questions you didn't even know you had about screwdrivers. When you're building a plane, the right tool for the right job (and right space) really does matter.