Shop Talk

Most airports provide provisions to tie down transient aircraft. I’ve seen everything from loops of rebar sticking out of asphalt to cables and ropes...

As a builder of a metal aircraft kit, you no doubt have heard the term “fluting” and fluting pliers. Let’s examine fluting pliers and...

Most of us fly airplanes for fun. I would even venture to say that all KITPLANES® readers understand the fun side of aviation, especially...

I’ve been reading recently through a collection of builder log segments with various descriptions of how the builders notated on their paper plans that...

Tailwheels and their associated linkage should be carefully preflighted. Here’s a partially broken tailwheel chain link that has the potential to cause a complete...

Text and phonetically, yes. But if you will sit down, fasten your seat belt tight and just hold on, I will show you how...

Fly cutting is a great way to put a “finish” on a flat and true face. The sweeping tool marks are not only instantly...

Making a jig to countersink an AEX wedge.

Anyone who knows me is familiar with my love of homemade tools. It comes from my dad. He was a blacksmith in my youth,...

In a prior Plane and Simple article (“Debunking Deburring,” March 2023), we discussed the importance of removing the burrs created by drilling holes in...