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.
A Seal Deal
Radial oil seals, the kind found on rotating parts such as crankshafts, cam shafts and axles, are wear items and occasionally need to be...
Prop-aganda
The other day I heard about a guy at my local airport lamenting the cost of overhauling the prop on his $4 million SOCATA...
Billet or Weldment With Off-Axis Turning?
People tend to design around their particular expertise. A machinist will design based on machining parts out of solid billet, a welder will design...
Ye Olde Slip Roll
This month’s project is a follow-on to the Pietenpol muffler that was the subject of the Home Shop Machinist column in the May 2019...
Lightweight Stepladder
I affectionately refer to my Jabiru light-sport as being a “low high-wing” airplane. This is because, despite it being a high-wing configuration, you have...
The Other P Factor
Late last year I flew from Southern California to Tucson and back in my Jabiru Light Sport. The flight was about 3½ hours each...
Tilting the Mill Head
Most milling machines have the capability to tilt the head to make angled cuts. This comes in handy when the workpiece can’t be conveniently...
How to Run an Airline
Compressed air is one of the great, yet unheralded, conveniences of the modern workshop. It’s without a second thought that we blow chips off...
Home Shop Machinist: Power Polishing Promise
Back in the February 2019 issue of KITPLANES®, I promised a column about polishing on the lathe. I’m finally able to make good on...
Findlay Punch
Hole-making punches, also known as knockout punches, are a quick and easy way to make accurate holes in aluminum sheet. Punching works by shearing...
In Case You Missed It
NXCub Tri-Power!
CubCrafters’ NXCub brings tricycle gear to backcountry flying—easier handling, same rugged performance. A new take on the classic bush plane.
Light Stuff
Roy Beisswenger discusses the impact of the FAAs LODA order allowing Light Sport instructors to resume training with their Experimental aircraft.
Garmin’s Budget Navigators
Just when we thought the stand-alone GPS navigator was dead, Garmin introduces two new ones aimed at lower budgets.
Drilling a Straight Hole in Aluminum.
One of the fundamental skills a builder needs to develop on just about any...