![SR-1 cowl being integrated with spinner and cooling ducts. The cowl is assembled to itself/to the fuse primarily with countersunk #8 screws. [All images credited to Eric Stewart]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/1KP.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "Custom Cowl Fabrication: Building the SR-1 Composite Cowl")
![Trimming composites gets the full PPE job. [Credit: Eric Stewart]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/7-2.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "A Few of My Favorite Tools")
![Lowell Farrand spent years serving as an FAA DAR and is in the EAA Hall of Fame. He offers sound advise to builders. [Credit: Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-4.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Think Like a Builder")
![Author Bill Wilson takes a break from measuring and cutting the Lexan windshield during his Onex build. [All Images Credit to Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/image-2.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Think Like A Builder")
Fast, Flat and Simple
Nearly every kit aircraft will require a large, flat worktable for some part of its construction. Large and flat are the important qualities that...
Stage Right
Of all the milling machine jobs I do, 99.99% involve clamping work in the mill vise. Occasionally, a project comes up where the part...
HOG Prime Mover
Time to stop messing around. Time to fish or cut bait. Time to…oh, you know all the rest of that stuff. Me? I’m getting...
Missing Safety Wire
The jam nut on this flap motor is required to be safety wired to prevent the nut from coming loose. There is a lot...
Metal Magic: Installing Nutplates
Every screw needs a place to go, and for many metal airplanes, that's into a nutplate. KITPLANES editor at large Paul Dye shows you...
Metal Magic: Blind Rivet Techniques
Paul Dye discusses blind or pull rivets—and why they're not just like hardware-store "pop" rivets.
Leads for Avionics
To troubleshoot your system and wring out some wires, you will need to find a good way to make contact between the multimeter test leads and connector contacts.
The Case of Electrical Dropouts
Electrical gremlins can be tough to track down. This month’s case involved a non-builder owner of a fairly new RV-8, and it took us...
DIY Adjustable Rib Centerline Marking Tool
As a new builder I came quickly to the step of needing to mark rib centerlines to align the ribs with the predrilled holes in the skin.
Improperly Installed Intake Gaskets
We noticed the intake gaskets were leaking on cylinders 3 and 4 on the Lycoming IO-320 in an RV-9A. There was a logbook entry...
In Case You Missed It
All Over the Map
When the FAA inspector or DAR (Designated Airworthiness Representative) arrives to award you your...
Flapjacks and Fly-Ins
One of the most enjoyable and useful “tools” is membership in a local chapter of the EAA.
