Bob Hadley
Bob Hadley is the R&D manager for a California-based consumer products company. He holds a Sport Pilot certificate and a Light-Sport Repairman certificate with inspection authorization for his Jabiru J250-SP.
Companion DIY Drill Guide
Build a simple aluminum jig to drill AN bolt threads for safety wiring—perfect for when your hardware bin is missing just one critical part.
CAD for the Home Shop
Explore how EAA members use Solid Edge and 3D printing to design, model, and build aircraft parts—affordably and efficiently with modern CAD tools.
Starkey’s Custom Spark Plug Adapter Lock Wrench
Make spark plug changes easier with a custom spark plug wrench for auto plug adapters on aircraft engines.
Modifying a Pitot Mast
Drilling a Piper pitot mast for heat proves trickier than expected—alignment is critical to avoid ruining the part.
Fixing Axle Fooly
Flat tires seem to come in clusters. You can go years without getting one, then for some reason, “boom” (actually, more like “psssss”), more flats in a month than a year or years.
IV Tube for Crankcase Ventilation
Recently, my neighbor Ed needed a part to upgrade the installation of his crankcase breather/oil separator kit.
Breaking Bead
This month’s home shop project is a bead breaker for separating stubborn tires from rims.
Orphan Part Angel
The Glasair static port design has a beveled segment that bisects the centerline of the port. This adds more than a minor complication to the machining process.
In Case You Missed It
The Home Machinist
What do you do if you want to cut a longer-than-usual taper? Well, first you'll need to create a simple tool from some round stock that will provide target zones for your dial indicator, and then you may need to buy some more tools-what a shame! Home Machinist Bob Fritz takes you through the process. Hint: Choosing the right Morse Taper is critical.
Product Review: Inogen Aviator
Marc Cook flies with the new Inogen oxygen system for aviation and offers a clear-headed appraisal of the systems benefits.
Ask the DAR
DAR Mel Asberry answers questions from readers about approval of new 51% kits and what happens if the rules change, plus finding an experienced flight advisor for your project.
